The Story of the Iliad: A Dramatic Retelling of Homer's Epic and the Last Days of Troy [Paperback]

Following his highly acclaimed dramatization of the Odyssey, Simon Armitage here takes on the fate of Troy, bringing Homers Iliad to life with refreshing imaginative vision. In the final days of the Trojan War, the Trojans and the Greeks are caught in a bitter stalemate. Exhausted and desperate after ten years of warfare, gods and men battle among themselves for the glory of recognition and a hand in victory. Cleverly intertwining the Iliad and the Aeneid, Armitage poetically narrates the tale of Troy to its dire end, evoking a world plagued by deceit, conflict, and a deadly predilection for pride and envy. As with the Odyssey, Armitage reveals the echoes of ancient myth in our contemporary war-torn landscape, and reinvigorates the classic epics with adventure, passion, and, surprisingly, Shakespearean wit.Award-winning poet Simon Armitagedramatizes the story of Troy,animating this classic epic for a newgeneration of readers. [I]mpressive&[A] finely writtendramatized narrative&.The real strength of Armitage's play lies in its abilityto encapsulate key Homeric events, from the opening quarrel between Agamemnonand Achilles  and in the vitality of its language. Like all good poets,Armitage uses prose with absolute precision and his dialogue is sinewy, alertand speakable. An accessible, absorbing evening of mythic storytelling. [B]rings vigorously to life the tragedy of the Iliad&[A] faithful rendition of the great story. [A] vision of the siege of Troy at its most gruelingly brutal. Armitages poetry is breathtakingly beautiful. Armitage has opted for an account which is pared to the blood-stained bone. Its great economy emphasizes the drama without sacrificing poetic allusion.