As fans of Christopher Nolan eagerly await the July 17 release of his take on “The Odyssey,” a different kind of enthusiast is also bristling with anticipation: scholars and other devotees of the ancient world.
At universities and high schools across the globe, classics teachers have been preparing for what they hope will be a boom in student interest in their field. Meanwhile, museums have been hosting “Odyssey”-themed events, while academic-led book clubs focusing on the classic Greek tale have reached capacity.
Think of it as Barbenheimer for the Classics Department.
“I knew it was going to be big if Christopher Nolan was directing it, and anytime we can get people talking about the things that we’re studying in class, it’s exciting for me as an educator,” said Jennie Luongo, a Latin teacher at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Austin, Texas, who also serves as president of the American Classical League.
Based on the ancient epic poem by Homer, the film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca whose 10-year-long journey home after fighting in the Trojan War is marked by numerous encounters with mythical beings.
