Confused by ‘The Odyssey’? All the Timelines, Monsters and Greek Myths Explained
Once again, director Christopher Nolan enlists a cast of A-list actors and jumbles timelines to tell his ambitious version of Odysseus’ journey from...
Key points
- Once again, director Christopher Nolan enlists a cast of A-list actors and jumbles timelines to tell his ambitious version of Odysseus’ journey from Homer’s “The Odyssey.” Set after the conclusion of the 10-year Trojan War, the story follows the hero Odysseus (Matt Damon) as he returns to Ithaca, a journey that takes nearly as much time as the war.
- Before joining the war, Odysseus told Penelope that she must remarry if their young son Telemachus (Tom Holland) came of age before his return from Troy.
- Odysseus then held a lottery to determine who would serve in Ithaca’s army.
- As the war dragged on, Odysseus got the idea to build a wooden horse to hide his soldiers, allowing them to sneak through the gates of the city.
What happened
Once again, director Christopher Nolan enlists a cast of A-list actors and jumbles timelines to tell his ambitious version of Odysseus’ journey from Homer’s “The Odyssey.” Set after the conclusion of the 10-year Trojan War, the story follows the hero Odysseus (Matt Damon) as he returns to Ithaca, a journey that takes nearly as much time as the war. Before joining the war, Odysseus told Penelope that she must remarry if their young son Telemachus (Tom Holland) came of age before his return from Troy. Odysseus then held a lottery to determine who would serve in Ithaca’s army. As the war dragged on, Odysseus got the idea to build a wooden horse to hide his soldiers, allowing them to sneak through the gates of the city. Days later, Odysseus’ enemies discovered the Trojan Horse but believed Sinon to be a threat, so they killed him. The Journey The three kings — Agamemnon, Menelaus and Odysseus — parted ways at Troy and began their return voyages.