What Homer's 'Odyssey' can teach us about reentering the world after a year of isolation - 0 views
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Tom McHale on 22 Apr 21"Over the past year, we witnessed police violence, increasingly partisan politics and the continued American legacy of racism during a generation-defining pandemic. And for many, this was observed, at times, in isolation at home. I have worried about how we can heal from our collective trauma. As a teacher of Greek literature, I am inclined to turn to the past to understand the present. I found solace in the Homeric epic "The Iliad" and its complex views about violence after the 9/11 attacks. And I found comfort in the Odyssey after my father's unexpected death at 61, in 2011. Similarly, Homer can help guide us as we return back to our normal worlds after a year of minimizing social contact. He can also, I believe, offer guidance on how people can heal."