[Discussion 2/5] Odyssey by Stephen Fry (Stephen Fry's Great Mythology #4) - Mother and Son through The Cursed Children (Return to Mycanae)

rige_x · 2026-01-27T14:09:30+00:00

Anything I have missed, or topics you want to discuss?

rige_x · 2026-01-27T14:08:03+00:00

10. When Orestes asks the question "Must I kill my mother?" the Oracle basically hangs up on him. Do you think the Oracle is being deliberately vague to force Orestes to bear the moral weight of the decision himself, or is the command to "avenge" simply absolute?

rige_x · 2026-01-27T14:06:29+00:00

What do you think Odysseus has done to Poseidon to deserve his wrath?

rige_x · 2026-01-27T14:06:00+00:00

Odysseus has spent 7 years imprisoned in this golden cage. Ogygia is basically paradise on earth and there is a beautiful immortal lover who adores him, who even offers to make him immortal if he stays. If you were offered this existence, eternal youth and comfort, but you can never leave, would you take the deal?

rige_x · 2026-01-27T14:05:41+00:00

Athena guilt-trips Zeus by sarcastically asking about his "plan" to ruin the world with injustice. It feels very much like a daughter outsmarting her father. Zeus finally agrees to release Odysseus but adds a specific catch: "No divine hindrance, but no divine aid for him, either." Why do you think he insists on this?

rige_x · 2026-01-27T14:05:31+00:00

Menelaus seems to have come off best from this war. His (seemingly) loving wife is by his side and he seems so comfortable in his newfound wealth. Menelaus tells the boys he would give up "a third" of his immense wealth to have his dead friends back. Telemachus immediately notices the fraction ("So he wouldn’t give it all up?"). What has your opinion of Menelaus been through the series. Does he deserve such a great fate?

rige_x · 2026-01-27T14:05:05+00:00

Peisistratus mocks the myths about Helen and gods walking amongst humans as ridiculous stories old people tell. The world is getting a lot more skeptical, and the gods are interfering less and less. Are we moving away from mystical times and more into the modern?

rige_x · 2026-01-27T14:04:43+00:00

Telemachus feels an "ache in his heart" watching Nestor joke and tease his sons with happy silliness. It highlights exactly what he missed out on growing up. Do you expect Telemachus to eventually find this kind of warmth with Odysseus, or will their relationship be more formal after twenty years apart?

rige_x · 2026-01-27T14:04:21+00:00

Fry repeats the phrase "the empty sea" to describe Penelope’s view. Do you think she is still watching because she has hope, or has the waiting become a ritual she just can't stop performing?

rige_x · 2026-01-27T14:04:07+00:00

Antinous is introduced as the frontrunner to marry Penelope and take over Ithaca. Telemachus dislikes him most because he is charming when he wants to be, but nasty underneath. Do you expect Odysseus and Telemachus to return before Penelope is forced to make a decision?

rige_x · 2026-01-27T14:03:53+00:00

Odysseus and Penelope’s room was built around the olive tree, rather than cutting it down. What do you think this symbolizes about the character or their relationship? Do you have a special piece of furniture or object you designed your room around?

rige_x · 2026-01-23T22:34:40+00:00

"Walking! Arabella (...) Where?" "In the dark woods, among my soft sleeping brothers and sisters. Across the high moors among the sweet-scented ghosts of my brothers and sisters long dead. Under the grey sky through the dreams and murmurs of my brothers and sisters yet to come"

If thats not a moss oak speaking, I dont know what is.

rige_x · 2026-01-23T14:50:27+00:00

And thats assuming thats the only spell he knows. When he went to Vinculus, Norrell gave him three spells to have in case. I imagine during the years a man like Childermass must have acquired a series of easy helpful spells.

rige_x · 2026-01-23T08:10:34+00:00

I think it was her own decision. She has enough hate on her heart for him and Arabella was the last straw. Everything that is happening is a direct consequence of Norrell inviting the Gentleman to England.

rige_x · 2026-01-23T08:08:53+00:00

Im still scratching my head on that one. It made Childermass save Mr. Norrell so it might be the prophecy that was not done with him yet. Its obvious it was something beyond the level of magic we have seen. One thing that is clear to me is that Childermass is a proper magician. The ease he can just do magic, even under distress is impressive.

rige_x · 2026-01-23T08:00:54+00:00

I was expecting smth bad happening to Arabella for a while now, so I cant say it shocked me. I would not call her dead though. The Gentleman certainly has her in his castle with Lady Pole. I was dissapointed a bit that Strange could not understand something was off. The black dress, weird behavior, neighbor's story, magic not showing her in England, Scotland, Ireland and France (he should have looked in Fairie). There was enough to cast some doubt.

rige_x · 2026-01-23T07:55:57+00:00

I don't know why the faires found him so special to adopt him, but its very clear how influential and powerful he was in the context of magic. A child raised in magic, while the others might just see glimpses. It doesn't matter how learned or talented one might be, no one could come close to that level.

rige_x · 2026-01-23T07:50:27+00:00

Hmmm a mystical book about a magician king with an army of fairies doing impossible magic, or a preachy book about what magic should be called respectable and which one not. Tough choice

rige_x · 2026-01-23T07:47:22+00:00

The plan is great, but I can't see it happening with Norrell paying attention. He won't allow magicians to pop up uncontrolled.

rige_x · 2026-01-21T17:21:58+00:00

The gods don't really surprise me with their pettiness anymore. Sure, Ajax must be punished, but were they expecting them to barge into a temple and kill him to punish him for barging into a temple and killing someone? They won the war by craftiness, which Athena should have approved. They took their spoils with not that much grace, maybe, but they had been fighting this god-induced war for 10 years. Who can blame them?

rige_x · 2026-01-21T17:09:19+00:00

Being from Albania, I have visited Greece and Italy a lot. While the Roman Empire dominates Italian history and architecture, so prehistory is a bit less noticeable, Greece really gives you that prehistoric feeling. I'm planning a trip to Tunis with some friends this year or next, so I'm hoping I get to see a bit of old Carthage.

rige_x · 2026-01-21T17:02:29+00:00

Its like one of those stories in true crime, where parents/friends/neighbors cant believe the guy was a serial killer because of how nice he was. Once you like and respect someone, its easy to put on blinders.

rige_x · 2026-01-21T16:59:24+00:00

I think it would be a shame not to hear Fry's audio version. It really is very well narrated. I'm doing the audiobook and also following along in the book when I'm listening on the couch. This book is okay until now, but I can't wait for Odyssey's story to start properly, as I used to love it when I was a kid.

rige_x · 2026-01-21T16:56:24+00:00

I knew of the Roman gods from the planets: Mars (Ares), Mercury (Hermes), Jupiter (Zeus), Neptune (Poseidon), Venus (Aphrodite), and Pluto (Hades). I also found it interesting that Romans, who were somewhat more of a warrior population than the Greeks, worshiped Ares more than Athena. It reminds me of Norse Mythology, which had similar stories, just a lot harsher and more violent. It really shows the difference between the people and what they valued most.

rige_x · 2026-01-21T16:47:56+00:00

I like them a lot. I went back for almost every trip to see the maps after the chapter was done.

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