From Classics to Modern Adaptations

I have had both Homer's The Iliad and Stephen Fry's Troy sitting on my book shelf for a whole year. I haven't picked up either one to read yet because I'm not sure which one I should read first. Having read Homer's The Odyssey whilst on leave in 2020 I know how much of a commitment these older classics can be. And I really didn't want to start it and not finish it. Thus, as 2021 progressed and my mental acuity diminished (does that happen to you also??), both The Iliad and Troy sat untouched and unread. 

Now, this problem may be unique to me, I'm not sure, but there is such a growing market for modern remakes and adaptations these days that I have to wonder about the originals. Are the modern remakes dumbing us down because too many people find the originals wordy or unaccessible? Do the originals really matter anymore? Do these modern adaptations honour the original, or should the authors bring a more modern flavour to the story (I'm thinking here in particular of Jane Austen's Emma and the 1995 remake Clueless)? Or, do modern adaptations help to keep these wonderful classics alive and relevant to a modern audience?

I don't know the answers to these questions, but I suppose you could say that I am a bit of a purist at heart - hence my dilemma at the beginning of this article! I believe that the classics are classics for a reason. Yes, their language, perspectives, biases and social prejudices may challenge our modern minds, but isn't that a great thing? How else do we grow as individuals and as a society if we don't challenge ourselves in this? If we rely on someone else to do the modernising for us, then what do we miss out on? In what can we see how the classics have impacted us, how they have inspired us or frightened us, if we are not familiar with them in their original format?

 That being said, sometimes a modern retelling can be very handy. I have struggled a number of times with Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (written in Middle English somewhere between 1387 and 1400), yet I saw that a new re-telling of the Wife of Bath's story came out here in Australia in July 2021. The Good Wife of Bath by Karen Brooks re-tells Chaucer's tale, from Eleanor's (the wife of Bath) perspective. To me it sounds a little like Madeline Miller's Circe, which I read in January of 2021. However, having read The Odyssey prior to reading this new adaptation I had a better understanding of the role she played in the original poem. I loved Miller's adaptation though, and it gave a fresh perspective into the character of Odysseus as well (again, it helped that I was familiar with him after reading the original). So, I think I might buy the Kindle edition of The Good Wife of Bath and give this modern re-telling a go. What do you think? Are you a fan of the originals or do you love a modern re-telling? 

Kirsty x 

PS - In case you were wondering, I have solved my Iliad/Troy dilemma by reading the Stephen Fry adaptation whilst listening to Homer's original, The Iliad (I use Librivox recordings because they are free and I can access them through the podcast feature on my phone). 

Resources mentioned in this post:

The Canterbury Tales - Chaucer or Online Edition

The Good Wife of Bath - Karen Brooks or Kindle Edition

Circe - Madeline Miller or Kindle Edition

The Odyssey - Homer or Kindle Edition / Online Edition

The Iliad - Homer or Kindle Edition / Online Edition

Troy - Stephen Fry or Kindle Edition

Librivox Recordings