The Odyssey (retelling)

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Homer: The Odyssey is the title of a retelling by Ulrich Karger .

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Original artwork is the writing in Hexameterversen laid down epic odyssey , as its author Homer is called. Ulrich Karger and others helped to develop his retelling. a. the translations of verses into German by Johann Heinrich Voss (1751–1826) and Wolfgang Schadewaldt (1900–1974).

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In the foreword of the first edition , the author specifically names the aim of retelling Homer's Odyssey in full and in “lean” or contemporary prose , unlike the retellings by Walter Jens and Franz Fühmann presented in 1958 and 1968 . Naturally, he does not see himself in competition with the aforementioned authors or with Wolfgang Schadewaldt, but rather, if at all, most likely with Gustav Schwab (1792–1850), in whose extensive collection of legends of classical antiquity the Odyssey is an important part. With all the appreciation of Gustav Schwab's prose transmission, Karger complains, in addition to his Biedermeier style of language, above all his smoothing and “defusing” of the “more delicate passages like the dialogue between Hermes and Kalypso ”, which were perceived according to the zeitgeist of the time . Karger now wanted to take this into account, as "this can no longer be justified today, even in view of a young readership". In addition, Schwab had incorporated other sources than Homer into his translation, which not least sought a systematic, even chronological connection to the other myths of classical antiquity .

Design

In analogy to the 24 chants of Homer , Ulrich Karger designed 24 prose chapters and provided them with headings. In terms of structure and content, he adhered closely to the structure given by Homer, but shortened the scenes repeatedly described in detail in the original (such as the course of meals) insofar as he exemplified them only once in great detail This also applies to the long forms of addressing kings and gods that are customary in dialogues.

For the first edition from 1996, Ulrich Karger developed a foreword and an appendix with brief descriptions of key words , brief characteristics of the "Gods of Odysseus" and an annotated family tree of Odysseus and Telemach , which is also provided with a register . Conceived as a book for young people, this hardcover edition was also equipped with black and white illustrations by Hans-Günther Döring .

The school paperback edition published in 2004 again contains the complete retelling, which has been slightly revised and set according to the rules of the new spelling . The foreword and the appendix designed by Ulrich Karger have, however, been shortened or partially added to a nearly 40-page material appendix for students by Ute Reuter.

The 2015 e-book edition contains the text of the retelling from 2004 as well as the foreword and appendix to the first edition, both of which have also been slightly revised and set according to the rules of the New Spelling.

criticism

This retelling met with a comparatively broad and generally very benevolent response in the media public. The Berliner Morgenpost speaks of a “pepped up, cleared out” piece of world literature, in which “above all the exciting adventure story behind it was swept out”. The Tagesspiegel emphasizes the “tight presentation”, which impresses with “an unpathetic, sometimes downright sober tone”, whereby the somewhat upscale speech is decidedly based on the contemporary language, without ingratiating on the youth jargon. In the end, not least because of the detailed, "very useful" appendix, he attests it a "rock solid performance, which is not unsurpassed, but worthy of recognition."

In addition to the daily newspapers, the Working Groups Youth Literature and Media (AJuM) of the GEW and similar institutions of the libraries in Austria and Switzerland, which are oriented towards children's and youth literature by federal state , expressed themselves consistently positive about the book and certified it to be “pleasant” not only for young people , readable and above all understandable form ", including Peter Gyr from the Lucerne Commission for School and Community Libraries with his assessment:" The excellent retelling in a contemporary language is a masterpiece and should help that the Homeric laughter continues. "

expenditure

Excerpts in

anthology

Text, pages 40–54: Farewell to Calypso . With illustrations by Kimberley Hoffmann.

School book

Text, pages 148–151: Kirkes Advice to Odysseus . With illustration by Hans-Günther Döring.

Further edits

  • THE ODYSSEY 1-5-9 . Reading music piece. Together with Gernot Reetz, CD demo version, Berlin 1999

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ See the comments in the foreword to the first edition by Echter Verlag, p. 7 ff.
  2. ↑ See the comments in the foreword to the first edition by Echter Verlag, p. 8.
  3. ↑ See review of the Academic Council Dr. Hans-Ludwig Oertel in Odysseia polytropos - The Homeric epic in novels of the last 20 years , Forum Classicum , issue 1/2003, who stated in it: “The retelling that comes closest to the Homeric text is that of the Berlin-based teacher Ulrich Karger "; PDF file (2.38 MB) see p. 12
  4. ^ See review in the Berliner Morgenpost from April 20, 1997
  5. ↑ See Jutta Grützmacher: Without prudish and clear language - Ulrich Karger's new version of the Odyssey stands out from Schwab ( memento of January 6, 2003 in the Internet Archive ) in Der Tagesspiegel of April 20, 1997
  6. ↑ See u. a. Working group for youth literature and media (AJuM) in the GEW Bavaria, 1996
  7. ↑ See u. a. Dr. Johannes Diethart in biblos 46, No. 1, 1997, Vienna, edited by the Austrian National Library
  8. ↑ See u. a. Peter Gyr, Commission for School u. Municipal libraries, Lucerne , February 17, 1997
  9. ↑ Audio sample from the reading music piece: DIE ODYSSEE 1-5-9 , together with Gernot Reetz, CD demo version, Berlin 1999, available in Literaturport on the Ulrich Karger page , online at literaturport.de

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