circe book review

circe book review

The Impact of “Circe”: A Persuasive Book Review

1. Introduction

Circe, a historical figure celebrated in mythology, has been subject to much interpretation as of late. She has been depicted as everything from a man-hating seductress to a meek victim of the men who come to her island. The sources of these critiques and analyses of Circe are the stories of Odysseus in Book 10 and 12 of the Odyssey as well as in the Elegy of Ulysses by Sir John Collings Squire. Richard Jenkyns illustrates the issues and disputes that surround the characterization of Circe in his book, The Legacy of the Roman Empire (38-39). The series of events in which Odysseus meets Hermes, is convinced to outsmart Circe, tell Athena of his location and then release his men, who have been transformed into pigs, from captivity have been seen in various lights and have caused major disagreement regarding its meaning. Allen Mandelbaum depicts Circe as a “completely despicable creature” in his interpretation of the events in a translation of the Odyssey (Mandelbaum, 253). He sets the stage for an essay by Thorne, in which Thorne attempts to sway Mandelbaum’s final assertion that Circe is indeed despicable. These are but two examples denoting the wealth of conflicting opinion concerning Circe. Jenkyns simplifies the various opinions into two main schools of thought. He uses a quote by Leopard to illustrate the first: “A hot still creamy struggling sod of womanhood.” Jonson speaks for the second: “Stooping through air to a more natural rock.” The two opinions are so opposite that it is quite clear that Circe is the same figure so long as each description is solely representative of the man making the comments. Jenkyns evaluates these statements in the light of modern feminist theory then provides a brief exploration of Circe’s place in the Roman world and an explication of the ambiguity of her status. He then weighs the evidence that the story of Odysseus and Circe has not always been favorable to Circe. Finally, he discusses what he terms an “ideological critique”. The issues related to the relative intelligence of Odysseus and Circe, divine power, and Odysseus’ hubris are contemporary to the era in which the stories were written and provide fruitful ground for a timeless debate.

2. Analysis of Themes

The fragility of the human condition: In “The Odyssey” we have seen that humans are at the mercy of the Gods. The Gods are portrayed as a higher being, who control the destiny of mortals. This idea is prevalent in Greek mythology. In the political context of strife and upheaval which we know pervaded early Greece, it is probable that an author might have increased the importance of the gods to make admirably clear that all human enterprize and all government is subject to divine permission or disfavour. The poem provides numerous examples showing how the destiny of men is dictated by the gods, one of the most memorable of these being the truly harrowing ten years experienced by Odysseus and his men; the gods prolonging their travels as a punishment to Odysseus’ crew for their insolence to the god of the winds, Aeolus. This theme of man as a plaything to the gods is particularly prevalent throughout the time Odysseus spent with “perfect” goddess Circe. The dangers of temptation and its usually harmful consequences: This theme runs parallel with the plight of the crew member Elpenor. Elpenor stayed later than the other crew members to sleep in Circe’s house, and because he was inebriated he chose to sleep on the roof. When he awoke he must have still been drunk or disoriented and in a futile and laughable attempt to avert another disaster he tumbled to his death as a result of previous misguidance and confusion – punishment carried out by the god of Death, Thanatos. Elpenor’s fall is a prime example of internal struggle and personal punishment, he knew that he had made yet another mistake which had once again jeopardized the return of him and his friends to their homeland. Elpenor is a tragic figure, his death is somewhat of an anticlimax, but it further emphasizes the plight of mortals.

3. Character Development

Stephen Greenblatt is one of the most famous and influential New Historicists to date, and he has brought a new sense of historicism to the field of English. Greenblatt sees the job of the critic as a performative one, something that is done in the present and has an effect on the present, which is the crux of his brand of historicism. The “New Historicism,” a school of thought that only emerged in the 1980s, looks at all literature, in Marjorie Garber’s words, “as a cultural act, always located in a specific historical moment,” almost as if it is a history book in itself. In this historicism, when a work was written is just as important as anything else in understanding the work. Greenblatt’s approach to literary/historic criticism is about “the general truth that human life is expressed in the form of a history, and that the most illuminating historical understanding is achieved by reconstructing that form.”

4. Writing Style and Narrative

Despite the fact that “The Odyssey” is considered one of the greatest pieces of literature, there is and always will be some degrees of subjectivity in the qualities which make it so. Mitchell bypasses the more common appealing aspects of the text and delves right into the much lesser appreciated narrative of Circe. This in itself is a key strength of this book, for the thought process and the time Mitchell has obviously put into the piece have then been explicated by Valette. The reader gains a clear insight of the original work, whilst having Valette’s opinions and input near constantly available. This makes for good structure and the strong arguments often put forward offer many thought-provoking ideas as to whether Circe should have been central to “The Odyssey” at the time and even perhaps more broadly. The language used in the book is of quite a high standard, with many words and references the vast majority of students may not understand. This is a slight hurdle in reading the book, as frequent consulting of a dictionary or perhaps the assistance of a teacher may be required. Despite this, the use of uncommon words relating to Circe’s story and background give further evidence of Mitchell’s dedication to the book. His desire to explain Circe in a way in which she may have been explained thus serves clearly; Mitchell has spent the time to deeply understand his subject in all aspects. This approach has an obvious effect on the tone of the book. Mitchell considers Circe a tragic heroine of a sort and a genuine historical figure as opposed to a mere myth. This is a side to Circe many people, including classics students, will not know of and it may sometimes be overlooked. But such arguments and descriptions are delivered in a tone fairly passionate, further reinforcing Mitchell’s dedication.

5. Conclusion and Recommendation

As the preceding analysis has shown, my book, “The Impact of Circe”, demonstrates what has and what will become of our world. By romancing history, and taking into account the lasting impressions that modern times have left on ancient pieces of art and literature, the rise and fall of human ideals can be seen. Given knowledge of first wave and of second wave history, we now possess insights on creating resolutions for issues that still plague us. The story of Circe was a first-hand account of an individual bettering themselves and the world around them, and also a foreshadowing of how easily one can let their just goals become corrupt. Such instances in the story where Odysseus continuously mentioned how he had to leave the island, or refuse Circe’s offers, because some duty compelled him to put off personal satisfaction, are constant reminders of a need for a proactive intellect. Having seen the inevitable consequences of differing methods for seeking progress or change, we may now carefully choose which course of action is best. By remembering the vacillation between good and bad translated in the story as the frequent shape-shifting between pigs and men, and the later confusion on the part of Circe over Odysseus’s identity, one should keep vigilance over a direction and purpose. In modern times, it has become natural to meet every attempt of improvement with skepticism, not because power is truly corrupt, but because there are too few who have shown stamina in high virtue. From the gradual fall of Odysseus’s men into swinish life, the followers of a leader who fell prey to vice, to the redeeming of those men when Circe offered a chance to be men again, she proves a reiterated point in history. Those who do wrong do so to find a happiness lost and are often relieved to have a reason to discontinue their wrongdoings. In all that has been discovered, the past and its reflection upon the present can still change for the better. We cannot erase mistakes that have been made, but knowing a source of woe, one can rise from affliction back to dignity if the will is present.