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Why Is Twitter Talking About Emily Wilson's Translation Of 'The Odyssey?' The 'Tell Me About A Complicated Man' Controversy Explained
Twitter users have found something new to get upset over and this time, it's Emily Wilson's translation of the Odyssey.
Wilson's translation of the epic poem by Homer came out back in 2018, but now it's being picked apart by Twitter users who are calling it oversimplified and "too woke." Others are simply turning the discourse into a meme.
But what exactly are their problems with the translation and are they justified? Here's what you need to know about the latest viral discourse on Twitter.
What Is Emily Wilson's 'The Odyssey' Translation?
In late 2018, Emily Wilson, a professor, translator and author, released her translation of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Wilson is the first woman to ever translate the work and it was celebrated by many upon release. Some critics particularly applauded Wilson for translating the work in iambic pentameter and using the same number of lines in her translation as in the original.
Wilson's translation has been considered a "progressive" and more approachable take on the work. NPR reviewer Annalisa Quinn noted how Wilson replaced words like "maid" and "servant" with "slave" for a more accurate telling of the poem.
Her translation of the first line of the poem has also been controversial, reading "Tell me about a complicated man," where traditionally the line is translated, ""Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns driven time and again off course, once he had plundered the hallowed heights of Troy."
How Is Emily Wilson's Translation Being Discussed Online?
Recently, it was announced that Christopher Nolan's next film will be an adaptation of the Odyssey, resulting in a lot of talk on Twitter. Some users learned about the Odyssey for the first time thanks to this news, which resulted in one user recommending Wilson's translation in a now-viral tweet. This is where the discourse began.
Some Twitter users began criticizing Wilson's translation for being too woke and oversimplifying or simply incorrectly translating portions of the poem. This has lead to a lot of criticism of various parts of Wilson's translation, most notably the "tell me about a complicated man" line. It's also brought a lot of people to Wilson's defense and inspired memes that poke fun at the discourse itself,
For the full history of Emily Wilson's "The Odyssey" Translation Discourse, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.
