The Odyssey

Watching Chris Nolan's 'The Odyssey' brought up many questions - as Nolan films tend to do. After watching the movie I brushed up on my Greek mythology and whilst initially I did so only to understand the world that Nolan had recreated, I could not help but reflect on the lessons I might take from it.

1. Intelligence is powerful - but humility keeps it from becoming self-defeating. 

Odysseus survives because he is clever. He is not the strongest Greek king nor the most fearsome warrior—that reputation belongs more to heroes such as Achilles, while Agamemnon is the supreme commander of the Greek alliance. Instead, Odysseus' greatest strength is his intellect. He conceives the plan of the wooden horse that allows the Greeks to infiltrate Troy. He outwits the Cyclops—whether by calling himself "Nobody" in Homer's poem or, as emphasised in the film, by blinding the creature and escaping beneath the sheep.

Yet having escaped, he cannot resist turning back to reveal his true identity. His intelligence saves his life, but his pride almost destroys it. By boasting, he gives the Cyclops the opportunity to call upon Poseidon for revenge, setting in motion the long and painful journey home. Brilliance and humility need one another; without humility, intelligence can become self-defeating.

2) Suffering is a common human experience, but how we meet it is what shapes the story of our lives.

Odysseus is a king, a celebrated warrior and arguably the cleverest man in Greece, yet none of these spare him from hardship. His greatest triumph is followed by years of wandering, loss and uncertainty. The story reminds us that success, status and ability do not exempt us from suffering.

Ironically, it is these very struggles that make his story so compelling. Had he sailed home in three weeks, there would have been no Odyssey. It is through adversity that his character is tested, refined and ultimately revealed. The beauty of the story lies not in the suffering itself, but in the perseverance, courage and hope with which he endures it.

3) Home – Success is not merely winning battles, but knowing what is worth returning to.

Odysseus is offered immortality, comfort and pleasure by Calypso. Yet he chooses an ordinary, mortal life with Penelope over an eternal paradise without her. It is a beautiful statement about what gives life meaning. Achievement isn't the highest good. Home, love, belonging and faithfulness matter more.

Ultimately, I think what The Odyssey tells me is that the destination matters, but so does the person you become on the journey.