'The Odyssey' is one of the earliest and greatest works of Western literature. It is the story of the hero Odysseus' homeward journey after the Trojan War and in class we will read much of this poem together in order to understand why it still resonates so strongly with us today. We will discuss the perils Odysseus faced, where he may have travelled and the meaning, literal or metaphorical, of his journey. We may also reflect on what this epic reveals of the gender and social issues of that time. The translation we shall use (and all must have) is that of Robert Fagles: Homer 'The Odyssey', Penguin Classics 1996, ISBN 978-0-14-303995-2 or 978-0-14-026886-7.