Il nome di Elpenore dall’Odissea a Marie Luise Kaschnitz

The encounter between Odysseus and his companion Elpenor at the gates of the Underworld in Odyssey 11.51-83 is an episode of emblematic value. Its meaning can be partially unraveled by considering the speaking name (‘Man of Hope’) given to this seemingly insignificant character. Elpenor, a man without qualities and a victim of a mundane incident, serves as a mediator bridging the realms of the living and the dead. However, he falls short of embodying the profound connection shared by Patroclus and Achilles, as illustrated when Patroclus appears in a dream to Achilles, making a similar plea for a prompt burial at the conclusion of the Iliad. Building on Karl Reinhardt’s analysis, this essay aims to delve into the essence of this encounter and highlights how Marie Luise Kaschnitz’s rendition, the short story ‘Die Begegnung’ (1943), offers a nuanced interpretation attuned to the psychological value of the episode, aligning with the most credible etymological interpretation of Elpenor’s name.