Homer’s Odyssey is an excellent piece of literature that inspires many people to this day. Its story is well-known, but it does not cease to be retold in various forms. Movies, cartoons, books, and comic books appear from time to time, honoring the original Odyssey. The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel, adapted by Gareth Hinds, takes the original very seriously, retelling its plot accompanied by fantastic art. However, despite the graphic novel’s author’s direct route of adapting The Odyssey, there are some differences and variations in Hinds’ novel.
The graphic novel’s art is accompanied by the text of The Odyssey, providing more description and detail. After starting the novel, the first difference that a reader might immediately notice is that the characters do not speak in poetic form like in the original. Another example of novel variations is the faster pace omitting some subplots and descriptions. For example, arriving at the island where Helios kept his divine cattle, followed by the starving crew devouring that cattle, the original text described Helios’ reaction to the passing events (Homer, 2003). The graphic novel omits these details and only displays the main character’s story side (Hinds, 2010). At the same time, the original’s six-day period of the crew feasting on the divine cattle only took a few moments in Hinds’ adaptation. The alterations can be considered to have taken place to make the plot move faster to keep the reader engaged.
Hinds’ graphic novel adaptation of The Odyssey is a serious work of art that honors Homer and the original text. However, switching the poetic form of storytelling to non-poetic and omitting some details and subplots was necessary for the poem’s adaptation into a graphic novel. These changes added by Hinds can be considered to adjust the flow and pace of the genre of graphic novels.
References
Hinds, G. (2010). The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel. Candlewick Press.
Homer. (2003). The Odyssey. Penguin Books Limited.