Classicist Highlights Irony in Usha Vance Reading Homer’s Iliad, A Poem on ‘Male Rage’

In a recent Vanity Fair interview, renowned classicist Emily Wilson reflected on the ironies in a profile about Usha Vance, the successful lawyer and wife of Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH). An NBC News feature had noted that Usha, a member of a “slow pace” book club, had begun reading Homer’s Iliad after her seven-year-old son developed an interest in mythology.

Wilson, who released a new translation of the Iliad in 2023, found it striking that the wife of Donald Trump’s running mate would choose to immerse herself in this ancient text, particularly given its themes surrounding male power and rage.

“The Iliad is a poem about how men fight for control of women’s bodies—the whole plot is premised on that, and on the rage that happens between men over who gets to have absolute control over women’s bodies,” Wilson explained to Vanity Fair. In the epic, the Trojan War is ignited by the abduction of Helen, and the conflict centers around the fates of women, including Briseis, whom the hero Achilles and King Agamemnon dispute over.

Wilson went on to discuss a broader theme in the Iliad—what happens when a powerful man refuses to accept defeat. “In this case, Achilles refuses to accept a loss, and what happens is deadliness and the ultimate death count from that loss,” she noted. The poem portrays the destructive consequences of unchecked male rage, as Achilles’ inability to reconcile his loss leads to widespread death and devastation.

Wilson also commented on the broader societal implications of such stories, suggesting the relevance of the Iliad in modern contexts where male anger and a refusal to accept defeat can lead to destructive outcomes. “What is the cost to the fragile coalition of social bonds when a loss is intolerable, and the only possible response to a loss is infinite rage and infinite desire for destruction in revenge?” Wilson posed, drawing a parallel between the epic’s themes and contemporary political and social dynamics.

When asked about the appropriation of the Iliad by some in the alt-right, Wilson responded with a mix of humor and insight. She speculated that “half of those interested are robots,” referring to the prevalence of online bots, while the rest are likely “looking for justification for their own vision of the world.” She noted that many misunderstand the Iliad, imagining ancient history as a time when women’s voices were entirely ignored, and texts were “totally simplistic.” In reality, the Iliad offers a complex reflection on human nature, power, and conflict.

Born in the United Kingdom, Wilson became a U.S. citizen a few years ago and emphasized the importance of democratic institutions. Her translation of the Iliad has been praised for its clarity and modern relevance, particularly in its exploration of the cost of unchecked male power and rage.

The conversation between Wilson and Vanity Fair highlighted the layers of irony in Usha Vance’s choice to read the Iliad, a timeless narrative of male control, anger, and the societal consequences of those forces, while her husband campaigns in an era marked by similar themes.