Point of View

“Circe’s Power” is written from Circe’s first-person perspective as she addresses Odysseus using the second-person pronoun “you.” Appropriating the original Greek narratives, Glück applies a feminist revision to this myth because she gives Circe a voice and opportunity to speak. As such, choosing to write from Circe’s point of view adds depth to the character beyond the typical label as a femme fatale. Circe explains her choices and her disciplined reaction to Odysseus’s leaving, all the while maintaining her own power. The poem’s world-weary tone paired with Circe’s insistence of her own power casts her in a stoic light. This is not a speaker who is easily swayed by emotions. She is guided by her own discipline and logic.

In the greater context of the collection, Glück uses the voices of characters from Homer’s Odyssey to...