The Odyssey Meaning in Vietnamese: A Queer Reframing

The Odyssey, an epic poem by Homer, has been a cornerstone of classical literature for centuries. However, the story of Odysseus and his journey home after the Trojan War has traditionally been told from a heteronormative perspective, erasing the experiences of those who were not directly involved in the war. In recent years, Vietnamese-American poet Ocean Vuong has reworked the Odyssey to create a queer mythology that challenges historical erasure and places the queer refugee at the center of the narrative.

Vuong's poetry collection, Night Sky With Exit Wounds (2017), offers a unique perspective on the Odyssey by subverting the canonical narrative. Instead of Odysseus returning home alive, Vuong imagines him as a dead figure, leaving Telemachus to explore his inheritance of war as a queer refugee. This reworking challenges traditional notions of identity and belonging, particularly for Vietnamese people who have been marginalized in American narratives.

Through a close reading of three poems from Night Sky With Exit Wounds – 'Telemachus,' 'Trojan,' and 'Odysseus Redux' – this article examines how Vuong queers the Homeric Odyssey by drawing on memory theory and queer of color critique. By doing so, Vuong not only challenges dominant American subjectivities surrounding the Vietnam War but also creates a new narrative that centers Vietnamese experiences.

Vuong's work is significant because it highlights the importance of intergenerational trauma and its impact on queer refugees like himself. His poetry collection serves as a testament to the power of queerness in reclaiming and reworking historical narratives, particularly those that have been dominated by heteronormative perspectives.

In conclusion, Vuong's reworking of the Odyssey offers a fresh perspective on the classic narrative, one that challenges traditional notions of identity and belonging. By centering Vietnamese experiences and queer refugees, Vuong's work contributes to a more inclusive understanding of the Vietnam War and its lasting impact on communities around the world.

Odyssey meaning in vietnamese