As fans of Christopher Nolan eagerly await the July 17 release of his take on The Odyssey, a different kind of enthusiast is also bristling with anticipation: scholars and other devotees of the ancient world. At universities and high schools across the globe, classics teachers have been preparing for what they hope will be a boom in student interest in their field.
Local Angle
In Austin, Texas, Jennie Luongo, a Latin teacher at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School and president of the American Classical League, is excited about the potential impact of the film. Luongo stated, “I knew it was going to be big if Christopher Nolan was directing it, and anytime we can get people talking about the things that we’re studying in class, it’s exciting for me as an educator.”
The film, based on the ancient epic poem by Homer, stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca whose 10-year-long journey home after fighting in the Trojan War is marked by numerous encounters with mythical beings. Given Nolan’s record of creating blockbuster films that dominate the culture, Hollywood analysts have been forecasting massive box office returns for The Odyssey, with some speculating it is likely to surpass more than $1 billion in sales worldwide.
Impact on Classics Studies
Classics Studies teachers, whose work typically focuses on the history and culture of the ancient Mediterranean basin, are hoping that many moviegoers who see the film will then be inspired to pick up a copy of the original poem or perhaps even sign up for a class. Nina Papathanasopoulou, a classics professor at College Year in Athens and the public engagement coordinator for the Society for Classical Studies, noted, “Clearly, it’s going to have a huge impact and a huge audience… It seems like it could be a really good way to rekindle interest in the ancient world.”
Museums have been hosting Odyssey-themed events, while academic-led book clubs focusing on the classic Greek tale have reached capacity. In Los Angeles, staff at the Getty Museum planned an entire day of events inspired by the film, including lectures, discussions, and performances from a folk opera adaptation of The Odyssey.
Robert Weir, the president of the Classical Association of Canada, recalled that after Ridley Scott’s Gladiator was released, the number of students taking introductory courses in Greek and Roman civilization at the University of Windsor roughly doubled. Weir stated, “There may well be an uptick” in interest in the classics following Nolan’s film.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
