Haim Gouri’s New Epic: Odysseus and the Heroes of the Bible

• In Event: New Perspectives, Old Stories: Biblical and classical myth in Modern Hebrew literature

Abstract

My paper explores Haim Gouri’s transformation of Hebrew epic poetry through his engagement with the myth of Odysseus in the collections Compass Rose (Shoshanat haruhot, 1960) and Movement to Contact (Tnuah lemaga, 1968). While Gouri’s earlier poems celebrated the heroism of Israel’s founding generation, his Odysseus poems introduce a more nuanced perspective on war. By depicting Odysseus as a disillusioned, unrecognized figure, Gouri reflects the experiences of those who did not achieve traditional heroic status – as well as on Homer’s role as an epic poet, i.e. his own role. By drawing on Odysseus’ long line of subverted appearances in the Western literary tradition, Gouri subverts biblical myths in poems like “My Samsons” and “My Absaloms.” Gouri’s innovative use of myth allows him to create a multifaceted portrayal of war, encompassing the victories, losses, and complexities of the human experience. This paper argues that Gouri’s Odysseus poems represent a significant departure from traditional Hebrew epic poetry and a critical intervention into Israeli politics of memory.

Author

• Giacomo Loi, University of Haifa Israel