Podcasts · Plain English with Derek Thompson
Why 'The Odyssey' Is the West’s Greatest Story
· 1 h 04 min
Episode Why 'The Odyssey' Is the West’s Greatest Story
Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' is finally here, but how exactly has a 3,000-year-old story endured long enough to become the foundation of Western storytelling? Derek is joined by Karen Ní Mheallaigh, chair of Classics at Johns Hopkins University, to explore the mysterious origins of Homer's epic and the timeless themes that have captivated audiences for millennia. They discuss how 'The Odyssey' outlived thousands of other ancient poems, how its story of homecoming and hospitality shaped Western literature, and why filmmakers and creatives like Christopher Nolan keep returning to its core ideas.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@PlainEnglishwithDerekThompson
If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at PlainEnglish@Spotify.com.
Host: Derek Thompson Guest: Karen Ní Mheallaigh Producer: Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Ben Glicksman
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Links in the notes 1
Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them. Explicit shows are for adult profiles only, and children’s profiles hear only children’s shows. More about this list.