What is The Odyssey? The Odyssey is an ancient Greek epic poem by the poet Homer. The tale follows Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, on his quest to return home from Troy. It is, in modern terms, a sequel to Homer’s other renowned work, The Iliad, which chronicles the final weeks of the Trojan War. What is the story of The Odyssey?The poem begins at the end of the Trojan War. The Greeks have won against the city of Troy in what is now modern-day Turkey. Odysseus then starts his 10-year-long journey home. His voyage is far from smooth sailing. In a world where gods conceal themselves as men, Odysseus encounters many mythical foes and tests. He becomes trapped on the island of the goddess Calypso for seven years, he defeats the Cyclops Polyphemus, he resists the lure of the enchanting Sirens’ song and he escapes the enchantress Circe, who can turn men into pigs.In Ithaca, Odysseus’s wife Penelope and son Telemachus have been waiting for his return for 20 years; 10 at war and 10 at sea.Upon arriving home, Odysseus faces his final challenge. In his absence, his home has become overrun by more than 100 suitors vying for his throne and Penelope’s hand in marriage. Odysseus, no longer a legendary myth, must protect his family and reclaim his kingdom.The Odyssey was written a long time ago. Do people still care? The Odyssey was written almost 3,000 years ago, yet its story remains popular with modern audiences. The story has been adapted in literature for centuries and in cinema for decades. If you want to improve your knowledge of ancient Greek myth before watching director Christopher Nolan’s ambitious retelling, you could watch some of the celebrated adaptations that came before.O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson and George Clooney in O Brother, Where Art Thou? Photograph: Getty Images Ancient Greece is replaced with the deep south during the 1930s in the Coen brothers’ take on the epic poem. George Clooney plays an escaped convict named Ulysses (the Latin name for Odysseus) and encounters a one-eyed villain and escapes the lure of three sirens along his search for hidden treasure. Sound familiar? [ Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey isn’t evidence of a cultural void. It’s the oppositeOpens in new window ]Ulysses (1954) Kirk Douglas and Rossana Podestà in Ulysses (1954) The masterful adaptation starring Kirk Douglas condenses Homer’s second poem but captures its epic scale. Ulysses washes up on the shore of Phaeacia, devoid of all memory and slowly begins to recount his 20-year journey. Perhaps the most famous novel of the 20th century, Ulysses by James Joyce, is based on The Odyssey. The Return (2024)The Return: Ralph Fiennes as Odysseus. Photograph: Fabio Zayed/Maila Iacovelli/Modern Films