Emily Wilson Blasts Nolan’s Take on Zeus’ Law in The Odyssey

In a fresh wave of criticism, Homeric scholar Emily Wilson has expressed her discontent with Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey, particularly focusing on how the film interprets “Zeus’ Law.” Previously, Wilson had not held back, stating she would feel embarrassed to have contributed to the script and lamenting its lack of depth across various dimensions—psychological, emotional, political, and ethical.

In her recent article for The Atlantic, Wilson, who published a renowned translation of Homer’s epic in 2017, directly addresses Nolan’s portrayal of xenia, the ancient Greek principle of hospitality. The film’s depiction of this concept as Zeus’ Law, specifically in relation to Odysseus’ cunning with the Trojan Horse, has raised eyebrows. According to Wilson, the film misrepresents the ethical implications of hospitality, particularly in the context of Odysseus’s trials.

Wilson points out that the unkindness displayed by Penelope’s suitors towards Odysseus’s loyal dog Argos and the blind Eumaeus serves as a blatant violation of xenia. However, she argues that the film shifts the focus away from this aspect to frame deception as the primary moral issue. In her view, the Trojan Horse is misconstrued as the ultimate breach of Zeus’ Law, with its portrayal as a destructive weapon disguised as a gift.

“The Homeric Zeus is a clever trickster,” Wilson notes, contrasting this with Nolan’s more rigid interpretation, which emphasizes a harsh stance on deceit, especially in host-guest relationships. The film’s antagonist, Antinous, exemplifies villainy through his poor treatment as both a host and a guest, alongside his duplicitous nature.

Wilson highlights that the narrative fails to explain how hospitality ties into a situation where the Greeks have been waging war against Troy for a decade. She argues that the Trojans are not hosts but adversaries, which complicates the moral landscape. If the war itself is misguided, it seems illogical to deem the use of the Trojan Horse as the pivotal turning point, overshadowing Agamemnon’s controversial decision to invade in the first place.

In her concluding remarks, Wilson metaphorically describes Nolan’s Odyssey as a “Trojan horse” itself. While the script purports the significance of kindness, the visuals tell a contrasting story. In an era rife with animosity and misinformation, Wilson calls for art that genuinely reflects the weight of compassion and recognizes that a sense of moral superiority can’t shield us from deception.

While Wilson critiques not just Nolan’s adaptation but also the filmmaking process, it’s worth noting that this is outside her field of expertise. So far, Nolan hasn’t responded directly to her commentary, though he has shared his thoughts about amateur film critics recently.