Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey has captured listeners for nearly three millennia. Centuries ago ancient storytellers, the rhapsodes, mesmerized audiences with the spoken story. Later it was written down; today new translations still win new readers. What is the draw? Professional storyteller Tom Lee invigorates The Odyssey’s evocative, dramatic language. He pulls us in, so characters and landscapes ignite our imaginations and engage our empathy. The Odyssey’s themes—the pull of family, finding your way, seeking home—are constant, universal, and so very human. He’ll excerpt specific passages, showing how they have been translated, performed and expressed in art through centuries. This isn’t a conventional study of the entire work. And enrollees don’t need to read it in advance. (But afterward, you may want to!)
Tom Lee has told stories internationally for thirty-five years. He has performed at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Yale Center for British Art, The Morgan Library, The Metropolitan Opera Guild, and as artist-in-residence at the International Storytelling Center. Tom currently teaches “Creativity: The Artistic Process” at the University of Hartford.
Thursdays, Sept. 18, 25, Oct. 16 | 12:30 p.m.–2 p.m. | KF Room/Harrison Libraries | $60
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