The Odyssey

by Mary Zimmerman

This dramatic adaptation of Homer's myth begins with a modern young woman who is struggling to understand Robert Fitzgerald's translation of The Odyssey. A classical muse appears, and the young woman becomes the goddess Athena--a tireless advocate for Odysseus in his struggle to get home. With her trademark irreverent and witty twist on classic works, Zimmerman brings to life the story of Odysseus's ten-year journey, depicting his encounters with characters such as Circe, the Cyclops, Poseidon, Calypso, the Sirens, and others.

Genres: Plays, Mythology, Drama, Classics, Theatre

194 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2003

About the author

Mary Zimmerman is an American theatre director and playwright.

Reviews

[Nathaniel Pedersen]

A great rendition of the classic epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer. Even if you are not acting in this play, I recommend reading this book. It is a quick, short read and has wonderful imagery and diction. A must read for any epic poem fanatic.

[Jordan Muschler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bet this would be really cool on the stage with a great director. However, on the page this is mostly just a retread of the original Odyssey - which is good, but it is not as transformative as something like Zimmerman's Metamorphoses, which restructures and reimagines certain moments of the text in beautiful ways. Here, this is mostly just retelling - and so the process of adapting it feels a little unnecessary.

[Carrie Weese · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, this will be offered at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival this year. Yes, you must go. I read this for my graduate Shakespeare class and am still struggling with the moral decision Odysseus must make at the end. If you catch the subtleties, you know what I’m talking about. Read this in one sitting.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent script. Very evocative without being fussy.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking forward to Shakespeare Dallas's production of this play.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zimmerman's adaptation of The Odyssey is fresh and funny and theatrical. While I enjoyed her staging comments at the end, it was easy to envision theater magic while reading.

[Brittany Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great play

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this play. Can't wait to produce it!