The Film 'Odyssey,' Exploring Human Anguish Beyond Oracle and Prophecy

The story of Odysseus spending seven years with Calypso deeply resonates with modern people's desire for comfort and rest, free from daily pressures. Professor Kim Heon remarked, "I also want to live with Calypso for seven years," suggesting how strong the temptation of the comfortable and peaceful life Calypso offers is. This shows that Calypso's island, an eternal sanctuary, symbolizes not merely a temptation, but a universal human desire to escape from complex reality.

The film 'Odyssey' was praised as a work with a fatal and captivating charm, like the song of the Sirens. Professor Kim Heon stated that all elements—visuals, dialogue, music—strongly captivated the audience to the point where he expressed, "I was enchanted by the Sirens" while watching the film. This direction allows the audience to deeply immerse themselves in Odysseus' journey within the film, contributing to vividly conveying his anguish and emotions.

The scene where Odysseus, after long wanderings, returns home and reunites with his family while hiding his identity, brings deep emotion. Professor Kim Heon recalled, "He just entered the house. A situation where his life could be in danger the moment he revealed himself. Tears welled up as each person recognized Odysseus, who was hiding his identity." In particular, the reunion with his old dog Argos, who recognizes him at a glance, and the sight of his son comforting him without recognizing his father, add a human drama to Odysseus' lonely return.

Odysseus' story continues in the original with a prophecy to carry an oar deep inland and offer sacrifices to Poseidon. Professor Kim Heon explained the content of the prophecy: "When you return home, take an oar and depart. Go deep inland to where people do not even know what an oar is. There, offer sacrifices to appease Poseidon." The film symbolically expresses the fulfillment of this prophecy, emphasizing Odysseus' ceaseless wanderings and fated journey, showing that he did not merely return home but had to proceed towards a new destiny.

In ancient Greek mythology, Odysseus receives a tragic oracle: "If a prophecy is given, you are fated to die by your son." To avoid this fate, he leaves his homeland and continues his wanderings. Even after starting a second family, the anxiety about the oracle plagued him, eventually bringing him back home, but fate led him to yet another tragedy.

Odysseus suffers a fatal wound after a quarrel with a young man who stole his cattle. Dying, he exclaimed, "Fighting, Odysseus could not withstand the strength of the young man and ultimately fell, fatally wounded, dying and saying, 'Know what kind of man you have killed'." However, he dies without knowing that this young man is his son Telegonus, whom he had with Circe. This is a scene showing the tragic fulfillment of the oracle and the irony of fate.

During Odysseus' 10 years of wandering, he spent a year with Circe and had a son. Professor Kim Heon explained, "He is Circe's son," revealing the son's name as Telegonus. Telegonus appears as Odysseus' hidden son, whom he did not know, and ultimately the tragic figure who causes his death.

Calypso, after letting Odysseus go, fell into deep despair and met a tragic end by taking her own life. Professor Kim Heon explained, "Calypso took her own life out of love for Odysseus," emphasizing the depth of Calypso's love for Odysseus. Even a goddess with eternal life chose death, unable to bear the sorrow of her beloved's absence, thus Calypso's story vividly illustrates the tragedy of lost love.

In ancient Greek society, the ethics of hospitality was a crucial value sustaining civilization. There was a reciprocal relationship where those who received hospitality expressed gratitude and reciprocated. Professor Kim Heon mentioned, "The persons who most faithfully observed the ethics of hospitality were Princess Nausicaa and her father King Alcinous," explaining that they set an example of hospitality. However, the suitors who tried to seize Odysseus' wife Penelope are prime examples of those who destroyed this ethic, symbolically showing that society and civilization can collapse when ethics break down.

Princess Nausicaa, King Alcinous, and the Phaeacians, who deeply welcomed Odysseus, ironically faced Poseidon's wrath. Professor Kim Heon once again emphasized their exemplary hospitality, saying, "Indeed, the people who most faithfully observed the ethics of hospitality were Princess Nausicaa and her father King Alcinous." Nevertheless, their tragic end, where their ships and people turned to stone, suggests that divine intervention does not necessarily bring positive results to human ethical actions.

Despite hospitality being an important virtue in ancient society, Professor Kim Heon presented a critical perspective, asking, "Is it truly the right attitude for us to rely on the ethics of hospitality? We can raise this question." This fundamentally questions whether unconditional hospitality is always the right attitude, emphasizing the need for prudence and self-reflection when helping others. It contains a message warning that actions performed in the name of hospitality can lead to unexpected consequences.

In the film 'Odyssey,' the goddess Athena appears in a melancholy and shabby state, unlike the traditional goddess of war, raising questions about her identity. Professor Kim Heon said, "As for the hero Odysseus, I wondered if he was really a hero, even while watching Christopher Nolan's Odyssey. Don't we usually have a common notion that a hero should strive for worthy causes and protect his soldiers?" He suggested that Athena in the film could be interpreted as a delusion created by the massacre during the Trojan War and Odysseus' resulting guilt. On the other hand, she can also be seen as the personification of Odysseus' wise judgment expressed in the linguistic style of Greek mythology.

Greek mythology uses a unique linguistic style to describe sudden and wise human judgments or actions as divine intervention. Professor Kim Heon explained, "If the goddess Athena came down and grabbed his hair, then 'Oh, right, such an astonishing thing happened.' Christopher Nolan seems to have used that mythological linguistic style of the Greeks." He added that this is how inner human conflict and resolution, like Achilles sheathing his sword, are expressed as divine command. The film 'Odyssey' also adopts this mythological linguistic style, portraying Athena as a symbol of wisdom emanating from within Odysseus.

Christopher Nolan reinterpreted Odysseus not as a traditional battle hero but as a morally and ethically sensitive human being. Professor Kim Heon commented, "I rather thought while watching that Nolan created Odysseus well with a new vision. He made him a human with high moral and ethical sensitivity." As a character who solves problems with wisdom and thoughtful judgment instead of brute force, he presents a new kind of hero, one with human anguish, deviating from the traditional criteria of heroism.

Odysseus' choice of strategy and arrows instead of direct confrontation can spark controversy over the conditions of a hero and cowardice. The host pointed out, "Shooting an arrow from behind, 'Oh, what a coward.' Like the Trojan Horse, since a frontal assault wasn't possible, he cowardly deceived people," mentioning that shooting arrows was considered cowardly in ancient society. However, in a situation where a frontal assault was impossible, Odysseus' strategy and cunning reveal his heroic aspect, suggesting the need for a redefinition of heroism according to changing times.

The film 'Odyssey,' unlike the original, depicts Odysseus' end in a much more human way. Professor Kim Heon explained, "That's completely different from the original. In the original, Odysseus stands tall and shines brightly as a traditional hero in the end. But here, he's just a human being." While the original emphasizes the traditional heroic aspects, the film portrays Odysseus as a vulnerable human, kneeling and falling. This shows that the director reinterpreted Odysseus not as a victor of war, but as a being with human anguish resulting from the brutality of war.

The film 'Odyssey' conveys a powerful message through the brutality of war: "War has neither winners nor losers; it brings suffering to everyone," thus humanizing Odysseus. Odysseus is portrayed not merely as a character performing heroic battles, but as an ethical subject capable of understanding and empathizing with the suffering of others. This interpretation emphasizes the universal suffering caused by war, leading the audience to deeply reflect on the nature of war.

Penelope in the film 'Odyssey' is portrayed as a distinct, modern character, unlike in the original. Professor Kim Heon explained, "It's not easy to find the Penelope in the original who has that much responsibility for power, or who is protecting this country in Odysseus' stead. Such a Penelope with social responsibility is hard to find." He pointed out that the original Penelope focused on being a delicate woman awaiting her husband. In contrast, Penelope in the film shows her side as a queen responsible for the country in Odysseus' absence, adapted as a complex character agonizing under the limitations of the era and the weight of power. This interpretation adds depth to the character by imbuing a classical figure with modern sensibilities and social responsibility.