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Last Days of Troy by Simon Armitage
Simon Armitage is rightly celebrated as one of the country's most original and engaging poets; but he is also an adaptor and translator of some of our most important epics, such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Death of King Arthur and Homer's Odyssey. The latter, originally a commission for BBC Radio, rendered the classical tale with all the flare, wit and engagement that we have come to expect from this most distinctive of contemporary authors, and in so doing brought Odysseus's return from the Trojan War memorably to life.
Hardcover
First published April 29, 2014
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About the author
Simon Armitage
140 books367 followersSimon Armitage, whose The Shout was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, has published ten volumes of poetry and has received numerous honors for his work. He was appointed UK Poet Laureate in 2019
Armitage's poetry collections include Book of Matches (1993) and The Dead Sea Poems (1995). He has written two novels, Little Green Man (2001) and The White Stuff (2004), as well as All Points North (1998), a collection of essays on the north of England. He has produced a dramatised version of Homer's Odyssey and a collection of poetry entitled Tyrannosaurus Rex Versus The Corduroy Kid (which was shortlisted for the TS Eliot Prize), both of which were published in July 2006. Many of Armitage's poems appear in the AQA (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance) GCSE syllabus for English Literature in the United Kingdom. These include "Homecoming", "November", "Kid", "Hitcher", and a selection of poems from Book of Matches, most notably of these "Mother any distance...". His writing is characterised by a dry Yorkshire wit combined with "an accessible, realist style and critical seriousness."
Armitage's poetry collections include Book of Matches (1993) and The Dead Sea Poems (1995). He has written two novels, Little Green Man (2001) and The White Stuff (2004), as well as All Points North (1998), a collection of essays on the north of England. He has produced a dramatised version of Homer's Odyssey and a collection of poetry entitled Tyrannosaurus Rex Versus The Corduroy Kid (which was shortlisted for the TS Eliot Prize), both of which were published in July 2006. Many of Armitage's poems appear in the AQA (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance) GCSE syllabus for English Literature in the United Kingdom. These include "Homecoming", "November", "Kid", "Hitcher", and a selection of poems from Book of Matches, most notably of these "Mother any distance...". His writing is characterised by a dry Yorkshire wit combined with "an accessible, realist style and critical seriousness."
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 19, 2015
From BBC Radio 4 - Drama:
The Last Days of Troy. Simon Armitage's dramatisation of Homer's Iliad . The Greeks are laying siege to Troy to win back their abducted queen, Helen. But as the conflict drags on, and despite battlefields scarlet with blood, opposing forces have reached a bitter stalemate. Desperate and exhausted, both Gods and mortals squabble amongst themselves for the spoils of war and the hand of victory.
The Last Days of Troy reveals a world locked in cycles of conflict and revenge, of east versus west, and a dangerous mix of pride, lies and self-deception.
Lily Cole gives her radio debut as Helen of Troy - the face that launched a thousand ships.
Original Music by Alex Baranowski
Directed for Radio by Susan Roberts
First directed for The Royal Exchange Theatre by Nick Bagnall.
'Beyond the battlefield, the original tale is a back-room story of wounded pride, and the push and pull of family ties and national loyalty - tense and intriguing, with moments of great tragedy and breath-taking humility. Everything we have come to expect of the great myths'
Simon Armitage.
The Last Days of Troy. Simon Armitage's dramatisation of Homer's Iliad . The Greeks are laying siege to Troy to win back their abducted queen, Helen. But as the conflict drags on, and despite battlefields scarlet with blood, opposing forces have reached a bitter stalemate. Desperate and exhausted, both Gods and mortals squabble amongst themselves for the spoils of war and the hand of victory.
The Last Days of Troy reveals a world locked in cycles of conflict and revenge, of east versus west, and a dangerous mix of pride, lies and self-deception.
Lily Cole gives her radio debut as Helen of Troy - the face that launched a thousand ships.
Original Music by Alex Baranowski
Directed for Radio by Susan Roberts
First directed for The Royal Exchange Theatre by Nick Bagnall.
'Beyond the battlefield, the original tale is a back-room story of wounded pride, and the push and pull of family ties and national loyalty - tense and intriguing, with moments of great tragedy and breath-taking humility. Everything we have come to expect of the great myths'
Simon Armitage.
November 4, 2018
It is a good little play about the fall of Troy. I like the ending.
May 25, 2014
I read this before seeing the Royal Exchange production in Manchester. It is a dramatic telling of the Trojan War through to the defeat of the Trojans after they take the Trojan horse into their city. Armitage conveys the story through short scenes with Greeks (Agamemnon, Achilles, Odysseus, Patroclus), Trojans (Priam, Hector, Paris, Andromache, Helen (really a Greek) and Gods (Zeus, Hera, Thetis and Athene). Zeus and Hera have scenes which are both set at the time of the war but some which are also present day, reflecting on the events. Although both the book and the production were entertaining there were some disappointments. Ancient Greek tragedy always contains large and universal themes which compel audiences through the powerful narratives and poetry that is used. The Trojan war is no exception. The scope of revenge, the meaning of kinship and loyalty, the place of pride are just some of the thematic drivers of the story. However this production failed to open up these themes to the audience at anything more than a superficial level. By comparison Euripides, Medea from it's very first scenes, begins to inform, and draw the audience into, the intensity and complexity of response of a victim of betrayal. It does this through the power and beauty of the language. It may have been that the production of the Last Days of Troy inhibited audience responses: there was a lot of over acting resulting in excessive shouting and a lack of subtlety. The set and costumes were also limited and stereotypical: wine coloured dresses, white robes for the Gods, a toy wooden horse etc. So overall, a little disappointing for a lover of Greek myth.
March 14, 2019
I've read the Iliad & Odyssey a number of times. I've also read quite a few good reinterpretations/reimaginings/etc based on both. This play was boring and flat. Some of the dialogue was lifted directly from the original text, which would have been fine if it did something with that. It doesn't. The combination of modernized and antiquated language is jarring and sounds juvenile rather than interesting. The "modern day" scenes make no sense and do nothing to further the plot or add extra analysis to the actual story of the Iliad itself. The entire play does exactly what all writing professors tell you not to do: it "tells" rather than "shows" the story. I can't imagine this being remotely interesting to watch onstage. It wasn't remotely interesting to read.
If you want good theatrical interpretations of Greek mythology or literature, read or watch a Mary Zimmerman play.
If you want good theatrical interpretations of Greek mythology or literature, read or watch a Mary Zimmerman play.
September 11, 2014
This retelling of the ‘Trojan Horse’ story had flat / en-engaging writing in my opinion.
August 7, 2016
Surprisingly well written, yet some of the modernization does not sit too comfortably and the exposition through dialogue is not always the most natural.
It is mostly entertaining but could have had more depth or focused a bit more on exploring the grander topics and ideas found in the myth of the Trojan War instead of just skimming over them and the "present day" scenes were out of place in my opinion.
Still, a good effort and enjoyable read.
It is mostly entertaining but could have had more depth or focused a bit more on exploring the grander topics and ideas found in the myth of the Trojan War instead of just skimming over them and the "present day" scenes were out of place in my opinion.
Still, a good effort and enjoyable read.
February 1, 2015
I found this very accessible, which is more than I can say for the last translation I read. Perhaps (probably) because this thins out the previous version and eschews the metrical prison it imposed upon its lengthy self, this is much more suited to my MTV-generation powers of concentration. I listened to the radio play and it was fab.
July 29, 2014
I went to see Simon Armitage discuss this book at the Hay-on-Wye festival and purchased it shortly after the event (I got it signed as well!) It is such a good play and Armitage puts such a long period of time in 200 pages. I would thoroughly recommend this!!
July 2, 2014
A brilliant play to both read and watch. Very funny too :)
January 2, 2017
Really want to see this play. It keeps the classical motif & updates the language to a war weary modern day.
Probably not one to give to your maiden aunt though given they are soldiers.
Probably not one to give to your maiden aunt though given they are soldiers.
January 16, 2017
I enjoyed it but don't agree with Andromache's characterisation of Hector.
February 24, 2018
A great retelling of a classic story from Homers Illiad. Immensely readable, but with modern language usage, which just enhances the story even more. Just brilliant!
March 2, 2020
So this is yet another verse play jumping on the bandwagon of modern poets reworking ancient classics kicked off by Ted Hughes' Tales from Ovid - Armitage himself having done a version of Homer's Odyssey and the Arthurian Sir Gawain, but then there's Seamus Heaney's versions of Antigone, Philoctetes, and Beowulf... All of which are worth checking out and make great companion pieces to Last Days of Troy.
So this is Armitage's take on the Iliad. The main narrative is framed by scenes of Zeus in modern day selling souvenirs to tourists which I found rather fun. Not much I can say to fault this one, I found it much better paced than his version of the Odyssey, there's a nice mix of mortals and immortals as we switch between the bickering gods and the bickering Greeks. Glosses over the romantic relationship between Achilles/Patroclus calling them close friends although Agamemnon does make some catty remarks. I thought this did a great job of depicting the animosity between Achilles/Agamemnon.
The verse isn't particularly poetic - the language is down to earth and modern - although Priam does recount a rather fun rhyming poem about Helen. I found though that the causal language really works for this - It gives it a fast pace and makes the characters all to human. some of Agamemnon's commands are just so on point:
"Feed the men. Once they're battle ready, follow that hurricane [Achilles]."
and his "Go, Desecrate." quite chilling when you know the slaughter which will follow.
Over all a great depiction of the fall of Troy. Recommended.
So this is Armitage's take on the Iliad. The main narrative is framed by scenes of Zeus in modern day selling souvenirs to tourists which I found rather fun. Not much I can say to fault this one, I found it much better paced than his version of the Odyssey, there's a nice mix of mortals and immortals as we switch between the bickering gods and the bickering Greeks. Glosses over the romantic relationship between Achilles/Patroclus calling them close friends although Agamemnon does make some catty remarks. I thought this did a great job of depicting the animosity between Achilles/Agamemnon.
The verse isn't particularly poetic - the language is down to earth and modern - although Priam does recount a rather fun rhyming poem about Helen. I found though that the causal language really works for this - It gives it a fast pace and makes the characters all to human. some of Agamemnon's commands are just so on point:
"Feed the men. Once they're battle ready, follow that hurricane [Achilles]."
and his "Go, Desecrate." quite chilling when you know the slaughter which will follow.
Over all a great depiction of the fall of Troy. Recommended.
August 10, 2023
The Last Days of Troy
Simon Armitage
Being the BBC’s adaptation of the Poet Laureate’s adaptation and translation of Homer’s Iliad.
You know the story. Paris of Troy steals Helen causing the Greeks to launch a thousand ships for a thirty-year siege before the walls of Troy. Ill health and wrangling beset the Greeks until Ulysses persuades Achilles paramour to don his master’s armour and die at the hands of Hector spurring Achilles to wrath and launching his Myrmidon and the famous Trogan Horse. In turn Achilles falls prey to that famous heel and the rest is Greek Myth. Let us not forget the role the Gods and their infighting played interfering in the petty disputes of mere mortals.
I’d forgotten just how much the gods were credited with influencing the outcome of this encounter. Helen was merely the pretext for invading Troy just as WOMDs were an excuse for invading Iraq. Interesting to note the elements of the story that are chosen to enter this play. Achilles love for Patroclus is given major play. The fight between Achilles and Hector and the desecration of Hector’s body and Priam’s journey to claim it figure. The Trojan Horse makes it appearance. And the remainder of the story is left to the gods.
Simon Armitage
Being the BBC’s adaptation of the Poet Laureate’s adaptation and translation of Homer’s Iliad.
You know the story. Paris of Troy steals Helen causing the Greeks to launch a thousand ships for a thirty-year siege before the walls of Troy. Ill health and wrangling beset the Greeks until Ulysses persuades Achilles paramour to don his master’s armour and die at the hands of Hector spurring Achilles to wrath and launching his Myrmidon and the famous Trogan Horse. In turn Achilles falls prey to that famous heel and the rest is Greek Myth. Let us not forget the role the Gods and their infighting played interfering in the petty disputes of mere mortals.
I’d forgotten just how much the gods were credited with influencing the outcome of this encounter. Helen was merely the pretext for invading Troy just as WOMDs were an excuse for invading Iraq. Interesting to note the elements of the story that are chosen to enter this play. Achilles love for Patroclus is given major play. The fight between Achilles and Hector and the desecration of Hector’s body and Priam’s journey to claim it figure. The Trojan Horse makes it appearance. And the remainder of the story is left to the gods.
October 25, 2023
I bought this book from an antique shop for one leu (20 cents) and I had no expectations that it would be anything really interesting but... I judged a book by its cover literally. It kept me on for so long, with so many emotions, and especially when Troy would have won the battle but the it came to a turning point.
I was barely holding back my tears at the death of Patrocles, while Paris says 'This is where your muscle-flexing leads us, brother Hector.' The elements of description were complex, sprinkled with humor especially in the discussions between Zeus and Hera, trying to call him to dinner because the chicken is getting cold, like a modern couple.
Neither too long or too short, well structured, with a complex language, you can see that it was written by a poetry teacher. Captivating, it immerses you in the pages and does not let you go.
Now I see why this book received many prizes. Also the first book that has mythology that I read after a long time, it makes me wanna deepen the subject.
I was barely holding back my tears at the death of Patrocles, while Paris says 'This is where your muscle-flexing leads us, brother Hector.' The elements of description were complex, sprinkled with humor especially in the discussions between Zeus and Hera, trying to call him to dinner because the chicken is getting cold, like a modern couple.
Neither too long or too short, well structured, with a complex language, you can see that it was written by a poetry teacher. Captivating, it immerses you in the pages and does not let you go.
Now I see why this book received many prizes. Also the first book that has mythology that I read after a long time, it makes me wanna deepen the subject.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2025
"And a scent drifts out of Troy. The smell of grief: stagnant, queasy, stale."
In this staging of the Iliad's narrative, Armitage combines contemporary and archaic language, blank verse, and direct adaptations of the Homeric text. The device of having Zeus and Hera narrate parts of the story from present-day Hisarlik is an intriguing one, as is Armitage's inclusion of wordless scenes showing the bond between Achilles and Patroclus. However, at least without seeing this narrative play out on stage, this adaptation doesn't strike me as adding much in the way of new material or transforming how the original Homeric text can be interpreted. Armitage's introduction sets this play in relation to the First World War's centenary and the cultural divisions between east and west that surround the historical setting of the play, but I would've been curious to see these themes explored more overtly.
In this staging of the Iliad's narrative, Armitage combines contemporary and archaic language, blank verse, and direct adaptations of the Homeric text. The device of having Zeus and Hera narrate parts of the story from present-day Hisarlik is an intriguing one, as is Armitage's inclusion of wordless scenes showing the bond between Achilles and Patroclus. However, at least without seeing this narrative play out on stage, this adaptation doesn't strike me as adding much in the way of new material or transforming how the original Homeric text can be interpreted. Armitage's introduction sets this play in relation to the First World War's centenary and the cultural divisions between east and west that surround the historical setting of the play, but I would've been curious to see these themes explored more overtly.
January 5, 2024
3,75 ⭐️
"The horse wasn't made out of wood and nails, it was real - made out of flesh and bones. You opened the gates of Troy. My Queen."
It would have received another star if the author had been brave enough to make Achilles and Patroclus more than a "brother" and "friend".
Other than that, it was a lovely play that conveys the last days of Troy very well. A few changes were made in order to adapt the most famous Epic into a smaller play, on a much smaller scale, with a smaller cast of characters, but the changes made sense.
I liked that we got to see both sides of the siege in equal parts and the interpretation of Helen and Andromache were my favourite in all the Iliad adaptations I've read so far.
"The horse wasn't made out of wood and nails, it was real - made out of flesh and bones. You opened the gates of Troy. My Queen."
It would have received another star if the author had been brave enough to make Achilles and Patroclus more than a "brother" and "friend".
Other than that, it was a lovely play that conveys the last days of Troy very well. A few changes were made in order to adapt the most famous Epic into a smaller play, on a much smaller scale, with a smaller cast of characters, but the changes made sense.
I liked that we got to see both sides of the siege in equal parts and the interpretation of Helen and Andromache were my favourite in all the Iliad adaptations I've read so far.
June 24, 2024
A perfectly serviceable dramatic adaptation of the Iliad (and a bit of the Aeneid. I don't think I found much in this version that was especially insightful or innovative, at least in the radio play, but it was an enjoyable listen. A few things from the text that weren't in the BBC production, such as Zeus's initial speech, I really liked. I think there are a few things to the performance that I would have liked, had it been possible to see it ten years later (oh, Odysseus will be getting home just about now).
December 25, 2018
A perfect fragment of a timeless story. So good; my only criticism is that I wanted more.
May 18, 2021
Men shouldn’t be allowed to write retellings.
April 26, 2022
Ten years for the riches of Troy...the woman, a pretext...
November 12, 2022
ok i guess
December 31, 2022
Marvellous retelling of a well-known historical story. Simon Armitage at his finest.
September 12, 2024
Really enjoyed this, quick moving and engrossing.
December 30, 2024
An interesting version of the story, fantastic and easy to read as its a play. We all know the story (if not you should) and I'll eat up all forms of retelling every time.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews