Callyn Langseth
asked
Madeline Miller:
Even though in most tellings Circe is depicted as an evil sorceress, you chose to show her humanity and make her likable, why?
Madeline Miller
Great question! And you're absolutely right, Circe has been portrayed as a two-dimensional villain in most post-Homeric works. In the Odyssey itself, however, she's actually a much more balanced and complex character. Yes, she's frightening, and yes, she turns men to pigs, but after she and Odysseus become lovers she offers to help him and his men, giving them shelter and helping them heal from their griefs for an entire year. Her house is the only place in the Odyssey that Odysseus doesn't agitate to leave--his men have to come and remind him that it's time to go.
Then, when he tells her he's leaving, Circe doesn't try to keep him, nor even complain about his going. She instead offers him vital help and advice on the difficult road ahead. She ends up, in fact, being one of the most helpful people he encounters! So I think it's very interesting that she's been made into such a villain. It has much more to say about our fear of powerful women than it does about Homer's poetry. Even the detail of Circe's connection to humanity comes from Homer--he calls her "the dread goddess who speaks like a human." I wanted to return to that complexity, and expand it further.
Then, when he tells her he's leaving, Circe doesn't try to keep him, nor even complain about his going. She instead offers him vital help and advice on the difficult road ahead. She ends up, in fact, being one of the most helpful people he encounters! So I think it's very interesting that she's been made into such a villain. It has much more to say about our fear of powerful women than it does about Homer's poetry. Even the detail of Circe's connection to humanity comes from Homer--he calls her "the dread goddess who speaks like a human." I wanted to return to that complexity, and expand it further.
More Answered Questions
minh
asked
Madeline Miller:
Dear Madeline, I do not kid when I say that you are my favourite author. You've just beaten John Boyne and Murakami, because in all honesty, The Song of Achilles and Circe were more experiences than reads. I tell my friends to read TSOA and they come back to me a week later crying. Anywho, my question for you is are you going to delve more into the Roman aspects of the Olympians in any upcoming works? Merci beaucoup!
Alexw
asked
Madeline Miller:
Madeline-thanks for taking questions which adds to the magic of reading of your writing. Two questions please? First- in Circe- when Pasiphae is impregnated by the sacred bull-she tries to pass it off as an "accident" but my feeling was that she wanted the bull to impregnate her so a song could be written about her. 2nd -on cover of Circe-the eyes flash when tilted in light-looks like she is related to Medusa?
Jason Stenger
asked
Madeline Miller:
I just finished the audiobook of Circe and was absolutely enthralled throughout. Your storytelling is amazing and the characters are so vivid. On top of that I felt Perdita Weeks did an incredible job bringing a voice to Circe and real life to an already moving story. Did you have any input on who would narrate this book and either way do you feel she captured the voice you were looking for?
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