The Husbands: An Account of Books 3 and 4 of Homer's Iliad
If Homer composed the Iliad for ancient oral performance, Logue, the noted British poet, actor, and screenwriter, has adapted it for modern cinematic performance. The Husbands joins War Music (Farrar, 1987) and Kings (Farrar, 1991) as companions to Logue's poetic retelling of the Iliad. Focusing on the figure of Helen, who has two husbands in Paris and Menelaus, Logue's treatment is not literal, drawing on material from other parts of the Iliad and the Odyssey. In addition, he invents scenes and uses modern diction with contemporary references. Nevertheless, Logue's version is vigorous and vivid, an original and satisfying dramatic poem based on the Homeric material. For informed readers.T.L. Cooksey, Armstrong State Coll., Savannah, Ga.Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.