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Odyssey Vs Circe Research Paper

651 Words3 Pages

Stories, legends, myths.There are many tales of the great heroes of the past, fictional characters, as well as characters based on real people. Ancient Greek literature, tells countless tales of the divine gods, beauties unlike any other, heroes without fears, and the cruel, unforgiving villains. The obvious antagonists of every story are always seen as simply that: pure evil. But what if we were to take perspective into account? What if the villain was not just the antagonist? The protagonists of The Odyssey by Homer and Circe by Madeline Miller appear in the same world, at the same time, yet the two narratives tell the readers stories of two very different Circes. Circe, the sorceress appearing in many Greek myths, has always been portrayed …show more content…

Through the research question, how does the perspective of the narrator affect the way Circe is portrayed as both a hero and a villain in Madeline Miller’s “Circe” and Homer’s “Odyssey”? This essay will explore how perspective can change the readers' perception and understanding of a character; a hero can be a villain just as a villain can be a hero. It all depends on the chosen point of view. To do so, I will analyze the two interpretations of Circe, through ancient and traditional beliefs in Homer’s Odyssey and a modern feminist narrative in Madeline Miller’s Circe, drawing on theories of perspective and literary analysis. I will begin by providing a brief overview of Circe's character in Greek mythology, highlighting her role and significance in the larger mythological context. I then wish to investigate how the shift in perspective in both literary works impacts the portrayal of Circe, and shapes her identity, by outlining the key differences between Homer's The Odyssey and Madeline Miller's Circe. In this research question, the term 'perspective' refers to the point of view from which the story is told, while the terms 'hero' and 'villain' refer to the character's role in the narrative and the reader's perception of them. By exploring the two interpretations of Circe, I aim to gain a better understanding of the impact of perspective on the portrayal of characters in Greek mythology. This will enable a greater understanding of the topic, and help clarify existing knowledge and misconceptions about Circe’s character, highlighting the importance of considering perspective when interpreting

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