Greek Epics XLIX: Odyssey Book 24, or The Return of Martin Guerre

Posted byTriumvir ClioPosted inGreek Epics, The Greeks

In today’s episode, we reach the end of Odysseus’s journey.

I first learned about Martin Guerre from the musical and was amazed to learn that it was based on a real case. The musical is by the same duo that wrote Les Misérables and Miss Saigon. You can listen to the entire cast album on YouTube. Here are a couple of selections, though, to give you an idea.

Not the best selection to get a sense of the musical, but it does give a sense of how crazy this case was.
This is my favorite song. It makes me laugh and then hits me right in the feels.
Discussion Prompts
  1. Do you think Book 24 was added later or original to the epic? Why?
  2. What do you think happens next?
  3. Why do you think Odysseus tests Laertes?
  4. Why does Athena make Laertes young again? Why does she encourage him to kill Eupeithês?
  5. Is the ending good or bad?
  6. How much of Odysseus’s journey really happened (at least mythologically speaking)?
  7. Which epic do you prefer: The Iliad or The Odyssey? Why? And if you care to include it, what is your gender identity? I only ask that because there is frequently a divide along those lines, and I’m curious to see if that still holds true.
  8. What does this epic have to say about fate, the gods, civilization, or honor? What other overarching themes does The Odyssey make you think of?

Published by Triumvir Clio

I have a BA in History and Classical Civilization from Loyola University Chicago and an MPH from Western Michigan University. I've been a geometry teacher, a religion teacher, a writing tutor. I'm a writer, a knitter, a dancer, a singer, an actor. And, yes, for fun I like to reread everything that was assigned while getting my classics degree.

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