The Oppressor or the Oppressed? How Miller helped us understand the character of Circe

(This review contains a few spoilers)

‘Circe’ by the American novelist and teacher, Madeline Miller, was one of the compulsory texts on one of my modules at University. However, it didn’t really feel like a novel I was being forced to read for my studies. I really enjoyed the story and the feminist spin Miller was able to present to modern-day readers, especially after having studied Emily Wilson’s 2017 translation of Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’. I never really had much of an awareness or interest in Greek mythology, but after reading both these texts I had a new found appreciation for such an interesting set of myths and legends.

‘The Odyssey’ centres around the story of Odysseus and his voyage back to his home, Ithaca, after the Trojan wars. He is absent from his wife, son and island for twenty years, but along the way he conquers many obstacles that stand in his path: from cyclopses and monsters, to gods and goddesses, and this is where Circe appears for the first time. Odysseus stays on Circe’s island, Aeaea, for a year with his men. In ‘The Odyssey’, Circe is depicted as a powerful witch with supernatural abilities. While this is true of her depiction in Miller’s ‘Circe’ as well, in ‘The Odyssey’ she is portrayed as a luring goddess who traps Odysseus on the island. Contrastingly, in Miller’s novel, the relationship is shown to be much more symbiotic, as they both rely upon each other in different ways. Circe is shown to be very devoted towards Odysseus, and is upset when he finally departs, and likewise Odysseus chooses to stay on the island for an extended period of time with his men, after finding it difficult to leave. Therefore, Odysseus is shown to rely on Circe for sustenance and care, whereas Circe relies on Odysseus for companionship. This dynamic is interesting, because the authority is shown to be shared between them, and not confined by gender.

The Greek word ‘nostos’, meaning ‘homecoming’ is a word which I think resonates with both Homer’s epic as well as Miller’s novel. I think more obviously, this applies to ‘The Odyssey’, where Odysseus is making an epic journey back to his homeland after being estranged for 20 years. Whilst the epic is about the physical journey, it is also clear that Odysseus goes through a metaphorical journey, after defeating monsters that appear in his way, and at the same time emotionally and mentally trying to get home to his family and island after being affected by the Trojan Wars. However, we see in Miller’s novel that Odysseus does not adapt to home life well, and therefore he ultimately does not achieve ‘nostos’; at least not in the metaphorical way we as readers had hoped. This idea of homecoming is portrayed less obviously in Miller’s depiction of Circe, but is still prevalent. Circe is shown to lack a real home, after being banished to the island of Aeaea. The novel depicts Circe’s struggle to come to terms with her new home, which she eventually gets very attached to and protective of. For Circe, however, this sense of home is also connected to her son Telegonus, which is ultimately why it is so difficult for her to let him go.

Additionally, what I found really interesting about Miller’s novel is that Odysseus is a relatively minor character. The bulk of the novel is centred around Circe’s story up until the point Odysseus visits the island, as well as after he leaves. Miller retells the story of the reason for Circe’s banishment to the island, while highlighting the misogyny and sexism that she experienced, because she was a woman, and not as beautiful or charming as her siblings. I enjoyed understanding Circe more as a major character, rather than just a demonised witch in Homer's epic, who was a voiceless and minor character.

A common theme throughout ancient myths is that we are presented with a largely androcentric (male) perspective, and rarely are we exposed to a gynocentric (female) viewpoint. I found it useful to be familiar with the story of ‘The Odyssey’ beforehand, as it informed my knowledge of some of the events that happen in ‘Circe’, and I also enjoyed comparing the way various events were depicted from different perspectives within the two texts. However, it is not compulsory that you read Homer’s epic before ‘Circe’, as Miller’s novel can also be read as a stand-alone piece. I found the retelling of events in ‘Circe’ really effective because they informed my views on how she is depicted in ‘The Odyssey’ and the reasons for some of her actions, which are portrayed as ruthless and perhaps unnecessarily cruel in Homer's text. While Miller’s novel does not excuse some of Circe’s behaviours, she at least explains the reasons behind them, which I found a very powerful and interesting perspective as a reader, because we are invited to make judgements for ourselves, rather than being fed an idea or male-centred agenda.

Images at the top of the page:

1. The cover of 'Circe' by Madeline Miller

2. Photograph of Madeline Miller

3. Beautiful image illustrated by my sister, Martha. (Instagram: @martys.arty.party)

4. Circe Offering the Cup to Odysseus, John Waterhouse, 1891

5. Illustration by George and Raffy Greaves @georgegreaves_

4. Illustration of Circe and Telegonus on her island.