A hat tip to my fellow blogger Michael for this item first seen in the Herald (UK) Scotland edition.
In a review of an arts festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, critic Mary Brennan reported this on the Royal Ballet of Flanders' "The Return of Ulysses":
Its choreographer, Christian Spuck, comments wryly that in Homer, which is the inspiration for his clever, witty modern ballet, the faithful Penelope only rates about three lines in the entire Odyssey. Spuck puts her centerstage, surrounded by importunate suitors...
Read Michael's excellent disquisition on why the "three lines" comment is as inaccurate as saying the Empire State Building is three feet tall. I don't have an exact count, but Penelope rates closer to 3,000 lines in the Odyssey than three.
My question on reading this was, did the choreographer and critic really believe Penelope only had three lines to herself in Homer's entire poem? If they are "arts" people, shouldn't they have a basic understanding of one of the classics of western literature? Or, more narrowly, shouldn't they have at least taken a look at the poem to verify if three lines is all Penelope had? Seems like very few for one of the best known characters from the ancient world.
Besides, in the brave new world of feminism since about 1970, Penelope has been hugely discussed as having her own spiritual journey to complete. Could that really have escaped a "modern" choreographer's notice?
Then I thought, maybe Spuck was making a sarcastic joke: he comments "wryly" that she "only" has about three lines. Did he mean, oh yeah, she's just so TOTALLY a minor character, wink wink?
But then Brennan reports that Spuck puts Penelope "centerstage," as if this is his great innovation.
I know I'm being a terrible snob, but I'd sure like to know whether Mr. Spuck and Ms. Brennan both actually think Penelope has 3 lines in the entire Odyssey.
Apart from that, I'm sure it would've been fun to see the ballet.
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