Madeline Miller’s "CIRCE"
Book review by Dennis D. McDonald
The last time I enjoyed reading a novel as much as I enjoyed Circe was reading Umberto Eco’s The Prague Cemetery.
The two books are as different as night and day. Eco’s book is an extended tale blending fantasy and terrific characters with real and sometimes painful history. Miller‘s book is pure fantasy and dwells on the mythological character Circe, the “witch goddess” who was banished by her father, the sun god Helios, to a remote island where one day Odysseus (Ulysses) arrived on his way home to Ithaca from Troy.
Circe “convinces” him to stay with her. They get to know each other. Upon his final leave-taking she learns she is pregnant with his child. What happens next, as the saying goes, is the stuff of legend.
I have had a soft spot in my heart for Greek mythology ever since I enjoyed the “sword and sandals” movies of my youth. The rich pantheon of Olympians and Titans continues to provide ample fodder for an unlimited number of stories. In Circe author Miller touches on an incredible number of legendary names of gods and mortals and skillfully weaves them all into her tale.
What is most fascinating about this book is the character and personality of Circe herself. She matures during the novel with her first life-changing event being banishment to her lonely island by her father for her daring to challenge the authority of the gods. In adolescent rebellion she dared to usurp the powers of the gods by transforming a mere mortal into a god, an act forbidden by the powers that be. Then she turned an annoying female goddess into a monster. From that point on her fate is sealed through mutual consent of Helios and Zeus.
Despite her banishment to her island she is visited occasionally by Olympians who bring news from the realm of the gods and their continued tussles with humans. When Odysseus finally shows up on her lonely shore she is fascinated by him. He may be a mere mortal but in reality some gods have shown him great favor. Through her relationship with Odysseus we learn more about her psychology and why she finds such a favor with mortal human such as the famous Odysseus.
Of course, Odysseus is no “mere mortal.” He was shown great favor by the gods during the Trojan War. The glory he earned there will follow him throughout his life — for both good and ill, as we will learn in Miller’s tale.
Circe has an intimate relationship with him on her island. We learn a lot of about her in the process including why even with her magical powers she relates so well to a mortal such as Odysseus. The key to understanding this — at least what I think author Miller is saying — is that Circe chooses to have a relationship with Odysseus, she chooses to have a child by him, and she chooses to raise this child on her own terms. The independence she exhibited when younger now shapes her adulthood and her motherhood; woe betide any god or mortal who threatens her son!
This childrearing sequence does provide some of the best extended humor in the book. Circe discovers to her chagrin that, while she might have supernatural magic powers, raising a human child is no easy task; as any fatigued parent will recognize immediately children do have amazing natural powers to dismay and disrupt!
As I neared the end of this insightful, beautiful, and lyrically written book, I realized I didn’t really want it to end I was enjoying it so much. Circe might be a minor goddess, but her courage, loyalty, and cunning nature seemed all too human. She might be offended to know that, but she is definitely one goddess I wouldn’t mind having a beer with — but I would definitely stop there!
Review copyright © 2021 by Dennis D. McDonald