Homers Odyssee - Ein Vortrag

THE LECTURE ACCOMPANYING THE CONCERT AND EXHIBITION

As part of the "Odyssey" series, in addition to a concert by Quadro Nuevo on April 17 and an exhibition in the Baroque Hall from April 18, we will also be approaching this exciting topic with a fascinating lecture by former director of studies, Hans Maier-Fuchs. In addition to teaching Greek, Latin and German for over 45 years, Fuchs was also a frequent tour guide.

FROM WORLD LITERATURE TO EVERYDAY LANGUAGE

The siren song, having completed an odyssey, bewitching someone: these are all borrowings from Homer's Odyssey. Few things from so-called world literature have entered our everyday language like the adventures of Odysseus described by Homer. Everyone knows the Trojan horse, many are familiar with the cruelty and blinding of the one-eyed Cyclops Polyphemus. The transformation of Odysseus' companions into pigs by the sorceress Kirke is well-known. And the hero's return home ends with the cruel killing of his wife Penelope's suitors and the reunion of the couple, who had been separated for 20 years by war and wanderings.

A TRULY CUNNING HERO

The image of this hero is familiar to literary connoisseurs: it is not the radiant, strong, muscular hero who conquers all and sundry, but the "cunning" man who is so much closer to our self-image. The mere idea of introducing himself to the most dangerous of all enemies, Polyphemus, with the name "Nobody" and thus, denying his own self but saving the lives of himself and his companions, is a trick that remains unsurpassed to this day. And there are countless of these in this epic, but this is only one, albeit the best-known, aspect of the Homeric work.

AN EXCITING JOURNEY

Its facets are much more diverse and scholars know many of them. What are the historical and geographical aspects of the odysseys? Or Odysseus and the women: Kirke, Kalypso, Nausikaa and Penelope. And finally, the end of the epic: the return home. A particularly important chapter. And does the Odyssey end with the return home and the union of the spouses? There are big doubts! And then there is also the question of the history of reception? Virgil's Aeneid: unthinkable without Homer. Dante's Divine Comedy brings us completely new twists and turns in Odysseus' life. And James Joyce's Ulisses? And Ernst Bloch in the "Principle of Hope". And music (Monteverdi: Ritorno di Ulisse in patria), and painting (a thousand times over)? Let's go on an exciting journey with Hans Maier-Fuchs.