Thanks for all the links! Can’t wait to look at! I went to the Met last month and was struck this time by Dali’s Crucifixion and ended up in the contemporary wing.
I got sidetracked away from Beowulf-- too many other books. But I'm hoping to get back to it. I sometimes get frustrated when reading with a group when the pace is too fast. I hate feeling behind-- maybe it brings up feelings of being behind in school?-- and have to fight against the temptation to give up altogether.
You should check out Poems that Burn, a podcast that also has a related Substack.
Ben just got that graphic novel of The Iliad for his birthday. He's been using it to follow along as I read aloud from Catherine Alexander's translation. This is my first time reading The Iliad aloud. I have previously read it, of course, and I've listened to it as an audiobook. But reading it to other people has proved an interesting challenge. So many names I stumble over pronouncing. The catalog of heroes was a tough book. But I'm enjoying the journey. He's also got the graphic novel of The Odyssey, which he's reading aloud to me. I'm impressed at the caliber of the language in the graphic novels. They're essentially excerpts from the poems with beautiful language.
I wasn't familiar with the statue of Thetis. And I had forgotten about the shield depicting the Siege at Troy Thanks for sharing those. Auden's poem is so devastating.
Thanks for all the links! Can’t wait to look at! I went to the Met last month and was struck this time by Dali’s Crucifixion and ended up in the contemporary wing.
I got sidetracked away from Beowulf-- too many other books. But I'm hoping to get back to it. I sometimes get frustrated when reading with a group when the pace is too fast. I hate feeling behind-- maybe it brings up feelings of being behind in school?-- and have to fight against the temptation to give up altogether.
You should check out Poems that Burn, a podcast that also has a related Substack.
Ben just got that graphic novel of The Iliad for his birthday. He's been using it to follow along as I read aloud from Catherine Alexander's translation. This is my first time reading The Iliad aloud. I have previously read it, of course, and I've listened to it as an audiobook. But reading it to other people has proved an interesting challenge. So many names I stumble over pronouncing. The catalog of heroes was a tough book. But I'm enjoying the journey. He's also got the graphic novel of The Odyssey, which he's reading aloud to me. I'm impressed at the caliber of the language in the graphic novels. They're essentially excerpts from the poems with beautiful language.
I wasn't familiar with the statue of Thetis. And I had forgotten about the shield depicting the Siege at Troy Thanks for sharing those. Auden's poem is so devastating.
Love it!!! Also how is it going with the Catherine Project? I think Zena's project is wonderful idea, so I'd love to hear about your experience!
What a lovely gathering! Thanks for sharing, Zina. I’ve had Homer on my mind lately myself. And oh my goodness, that Auden poem is amazing.
What a fantastic opportunity to gather together. I am reading The Iliad and The Odyssey later this year in preparation for tackling Ulysses.
Warms my heart to see book lovers together.
And the Auden is so powerful and haunting.
I may have to memorize at least these four brutal lines:
That girls are raped, that two boys knife a third,
Were axioms to him, who'd never heard
Of any world where promises were kept,
Or one could weep because another wept.
What a great fellowship you all have, to read that work and then to see the art created from that work and to share the poetry together!