Circe by Madeline Miller

3.5/5 rating

Genre: Greek mythology, historical fiction, novel, fantasy 

Trigger Warnings: Mentions of rape, murder, subtle gore

As one reads books required by the school, it's not expected to like the book. So, it was to my surprise that I enjoyed reading Circe by Madeline Miller. 

This review will be a little different than some of my other reviews. Below is an essay that I wrote for Circe. Spoilers ahead. 

Shipping Mythological Characters in Circe (2018)

By: Milana Smith

Whether it be Greek, Roman, or Norse, mythology is something that is incorporated within every culture. It is something that fascinates people, so seeing it become adapted is a draw to many. In Circe by Madeline Miller, Greek mythology became adapted with the incorporation of her own personal and mythological ships, to create a beautiful story. This is the story of the Goddess of Witchcraft, also known as the Witch of Aiaia named Circe. The character Miller created is engrossed in development and references to her mythological roots. These roots show more through her passions, the relationships she holds close to her, and personal separations. Adapting mythology to a more modern take allows younger readers to understand the storyline behind Circe, and in turn become connected with her deeper. Using mythology to be the guide, Miller puts her personal ships into the story of Circe. Miller uses adaptive mythology to allow readers to understand Circe’s character and the manner of shipping used throughout the book.

What is a myth? Fittingly, the word myth is taken from the Greek word mythos. Mythos has “various meanings including, ‘story,’ and ‘speech,’” (Roman 5). Myths are stories that are told throughout time through word-of-mouth, changing and adapting to the tales they become known for today. They normally involve supernatural events or divinities that undergo many battles through the stars. Myths can range through many subjects from gods, demons, monsters, dragons, and more. However, most of these stories that gain the title of a myth generally have a bit of truth woven within their words. Mythology is defined as the studying of myths. Throughout all of history, mythology is something that has been a fascination for humans. It is no wonder that some of the best-selling fantasy novels are adapted mythological tales.

Before understanding the adaptive mythological and shipping aspects of this book, readers must understand who Circe is. Within the pages of this story lives the Goddess of Witchcraft. Circe is an ambitious woman who has been casted aside from her family. Through her exile, she becomes powerful in her witchcraft. Using curses and spells to protect her and her loved ones around her, Circe eventually grows to gain the titles she holds proudly. While it seems that this could’ve occurred for her when she learned about her powers, this isolation began at a young age. As Circe grows up, she learns more about her abilities and the type of people she attracts sexually and intellectually. The goddess lies with many men from mortals to gods, but none memorable enough. That was until the only two men in her life made her think about marrying them. One being Daedalus and the other being her husband Telemachus. Another man that made an impact on her was Odysseus. This mortal, who eventually becomes the father of her child, admired Circe. Telemachus recalls his father saying that “‘he never met a god who enjoyed their divinity less’” (Miller 380). This couldn’t be truer. Since childhood, part of her isolation away from her family was the longing she had to understand mortals. Her love of mortals made her separate herself from the gods that she was raised among. Creating a strong personal moral compass and a love of the mortal world, Circe feels no shame in being casted aside by the Olympians and Titans. Although the stories of Circe go beyond the book Madeline Miller wrote, Circe dates back millions of years into the wonderful world of mythology.

Madeline Miller did a phenomenal job of creating a story based off mythology while also allowing it to be a perfect stand-alone novel. When comparing the original Greek myth to Circe, readers can see the clear and subtle differences. Some of the clear differences are for characters like Jason and the Argonauts. These characters were mentioned briefly within the story, alongside Icarus, Prometheus, and Daedalus. Greek mythology doesn’t give Circe the limelight of being involved within all these stories. Miller writes this book, allowing Circe to retell these stories with an “entirely natural [feeling] and yet poignant in the way [she] redirects the narrative to focus” on Circe (Huff 8). The subtle changes within the story of Circe pertain to characters that are more involved within Circe’s life. In the later half of the book, Circe gives birth to her son Telegonus, who only desires to find his father. Miller writes Telegonus as a character who finds Odysseus, Telemachus, and Penelope. Odysseus “grabbed the spear and yanked” it from Telegonus’ grasp, which made the leather sheath fall off and killing Odysseus (Miller 290). Originally, within Greek mythology, Telegonus purposely killed his father after misidentifying his father for someone else.

Another change in mythology versus Miller’s adapted version, is Circe’s relationships. Towards the end of the book, Circe has married Telemachus while Telegonus has gone to become King in place of his father. Miller allows the story to have a more realistic take by allowing these characters to thrive in their own worlds. Penelope as a witch, Telegonus as a King, and Telemachus as Circe’s companion. In Greek mythology, after Telegonus returns, he marries Penelope (Redfield 7). Circe approves of the wedding and in turn marries Telemachus, turning the three mortal’s immortal so that they never leave her. Allowing the modern adaptation allows readers to become connected with realistically made characters. A goddess who is more human that divinity, and an ending that encourages women to pursue their passions. With Miller putting her own spin, it was no wonder readers could see Miller’s personal ships within the witch’s storyline.

Before going into depth about Miller’s use to shipping within mythology, that word needs explaining. “Shipping” also known as ‘shipping culture,’ is the act of wishing for two characters to be together in a relationship, generally a romantic state. The root “shipping” or "ship" is taken from the term “relationships.” There are theories that shipping is a newer phenomenon; however, this act of wishing two characters to become romantic partners has been around forever. Bence Nanay Ph.D. explains that shipping is created by a tendency of feeling unloved and overwhelming loneliness. He says, “It is this loneliness that fuels that need to experience romance and love at least vicariously” (Nanay 12). That isn’t saying Miller is a lonely author by putting her own ships into Circe.

Circe has many relationships throughout her lifetime, but many in the book were emphasized for Miller’s ships. In the first half of Circe, Daedalus, mentioned earlier, is someone in mythology that was briefly mentioned in Circe’s story. His time with the witch was brief in mythology, and Miller coincided this experience in her book. “In solitary life, there are rare moments when another soul dips near yours, as stars once a year brush the earth. Such a constellation was he to me” (Miller 152). While their tale was short, Miller wrote Circe having a longing for him. Circe gaslights herself into believing she shouldn’t long for him, but even through that she describes Daedalus in divine poetry. Through every relationship that Circe has, she thinks back to Daedalus and what might have been. Another ship that Miller seemed to have was Telemachus and Circe. In mythology the two of them do fall in love, have children, and live onto eternity together. In Miller’s book, the two have a miscommunication trope upon their meeting. Circe believes that Telemachus only came to Aiaia to kill her son, but that was an assumption. When the misunderstanding is cleared, that is when their friendship starts and eventually the lovers get married. Authors putting their own personal ships allows readers to not just understand the author but become connected with the emotions being created by the characters. It explains the character’s personal relationships, desires, and inclinations.

In this world, mythology isn’t going to stop being told, and books will never stop being written. Madeline Miller created a perfect example of adaptive mythology through her best-selling novel Circe. By developing the character Circe into a real person, readers can understand the desires and inclinations that Circe may lean towards. This portrayal parallels into her original mythological storylines and her relationships she created. Through these relationships, Miller was able to put her own personal touch by incorporating her ships within the story and allowing readers to peer into her mind. Writing these ships shows the love that Miller has for, not just Greek Mythology, but for Circe’s story.

Works Cited
Huff, Florida. "'Circe' is a New Take on Traditionally Misogynistic Greek Mythology." University Wire, Jan 25, 2019. ProQuest, http://ezproxy.library.csn.edu/login?....
Miller, Madeline. Circe. New York: Back Bay Books/ Little, Brown and Company, 2018. Print.
Nanay, Bence. “The Psychology of Shipping.” Psychology Today, Psychology Tomorrow, 25 July 2018, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/bl....
Redfield, James M. "Circe." Heroes and Heroines of Greece and Rome, Marshall Cavendish Reference, 2012, pp. 66-67. Gale eBooks, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX1513000027/G.... Accessed 8 May 2022.
Roman, Luke, and Monica Roman. "Introduction." Encyclopedia of Greek and Roman Mythology, Facts on File, 2010, pp. v-xi. Facts On File Library of Religion and Mythology. Gale eBooks, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX1981400005/
GVRL?u=las55353&sid=bookmarkGVRL&xid=fd21ab77. Accessed 6 May 2022.