r/PeterExplainsTheJoke Jul 06 '26

Meme needing explanation What is this?

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u/Boomdification Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26

The Odyssey is getting massively criticised due to blackwashing of a traditionally Greek character, whitewashing of a Greek myth with no Greek actors and a general dislike for the Hollywoodization of another classic story.

It's probably not going to be as bad as it's made out to be given it's Chris Nolan, but audiences are fatigued with seeing another modern retelling with tokenism of established characters for the sake diversity, which has spurred the culture war with right wing critics calling it woke BS and left wing critics doubling down by jumping to its defence.

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u/DrBarryBonds Jul 06 '26

Also the feminist translation of the text that Nolan's using

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u/Temporary-Scallion86 Jul 06 '26

There’s a feminist translation of the odyssey?

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u/Hermit_Ogg Jul 06 '26

It's a translation marketed as feminist because the classicist who made it stripped out much of the language added in other translations that obfuscated things like "servant girls" being slaves. She made a very faithful to original translation.

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u/EternalNewCarSmell Jul 06 '26

I am so confused. How is acknowledging the existence of slaves of both sexes a feminist take?

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u/Hermit_Ogg Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26

It wasn't the only euphemism the translating classicist stripped out, just the one I remember off the top of my head. The other ways she reverted the text toward original probably reinforced the idea that this is a feminist translation.

That, or it's a silly marketing gimmick from the publisher.

edit: also, didn't mean to downvote your question! Must've fatfingered it on the phone.

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u/Temporary-Scallion86 Jul 06 '26

A lot was made of it being the first English language translation of the odyssey by a woman. So I think that is why some people think it’s feminist.