Derek Walcott: Omeros

Published in 1990, Omeros is the masterwork of the Nobel Prize winning Saint Lucien writer  Derek Walcott, a book-length epic poem that invites comparisons with Homer while also probing the history and culture of his island home, the “Helen of the West Indies,” and his own life as a well travelled writer.  Divided into seven ‘books’ and sixty-four chapters, Omeros is written in a beautifully limber version of Homer’s hexameters and Dante’s terza rima.  Walcott weaves together classical myth, Caribbean history, native traditions, and the legacy of colonialism in a vital, erudite, and endlessly rewarding post-modern epic.  In this six week seminar, we will work carefully through the text of the poem while also considering the standing of Walcott’s magnum opus in the context of contemporary world literature.

Access Program
We want our classes to be accessible to everyone, regardless of income and background. We understand that our tuition structure can present obstacles for some people. Our Access Program offers class registrations at a reduced rate. Most Delve seminars have at least one access spot available.

Please apply here for access rate tuition. Contact Susan Moore at susan@literary-arts.org if you have questions.

Liaison position
Every in-person class and seminar at Literary Arts has one liaison position. Liaisons perform specific duties for each class meeting. If you are a liaison for a class or seminar, the full amount of your tuition is covered by Literary Arts.

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