Who Is Circe And How Powerful Is She In ‘The Odyssey’? Explained
The Odyssey (2026) has no shortage of mythological beasts and deities dotting its nearly three-hour run time. From undersea monsters to constant visions of Athena, Odysseus’s trek back to Ithaca is plagued with supernatural encounters that drain the spirits and will of both himself and his men. But probably the most traumatic encounter he had was when he landed on the island of Aeaea and met a woman named Circe.
She’s unassuming at first, offering Odysseus’s men food, but it isn’t long before her hospitality quickly turns into something much darker. But while she’s referred to as a witch in the film, is that all there is to her? She clearly knows a lot more than she lets on, and while her role in the film is somewhat reduced from her appearance in Homer’s epic, she’s still a vital character on Odysseus’ trip home. Is she merely some island witch with a touch of magic, or is there more to her than meets the eye?
What Are the Origins of Circe in ‘The Odyssey’?
It should come as no surprise to hear that Circe is actually a God, though her divine roots definitely aren’t present in Nolan’s rendition of The Odyssey.
In most stories, Circe is one of the daughters of Helios, the Sun God, and had a sister named Pasiphae, who was the wife of King Midas and mother of the Minotaur, as well as two brothers and a niece, Medea. Circe was also known for her beauty, and she was frequently seen as a symbol of sexuality, although obviously not on the same level as Aphrodite. Her home on Aeaea was also noteworthy because it’s typically described as an opulent mansion with animals and nymphs frolicking around and enjoying themselves, something that is only partially depicted in The Odyssey.
While there are plenty of wild animals on the island, many of which appear quite relaxed, Circe’s home and appearance definitely don’t match up with Homer’s descriptions. Nolan’s Circe lives in a hovel on Aeaea, barely large enough to fit a dozen people and nothing like the resplendent manor in Homer’s text. Circe’s appearance is also quite disheveled, though her mundane appearance aligns with the film's emphasis on Zeus’ Law and the need to show hospitality and kindness towards others. Nolan’s Circe twists with that idea, and while Odysseus’ men show gratitude to her, she instead shows off why she’s considered one of the most powerful sorceresses in Greek mythology.
Exactly How Powerful Is Circe?
Circe’s appearance may do a good job of hiding her divine origin, but her magical abilities reveal just how dangerous she really is.
Of her five siblings, Circe was by far the most adept sorceress in the family, with magic coming naturally to her. She has the power to cast powerful illusions, crafting potions from herbs that her nymphs provide her, and making contact with powerful entities like Nyx, the goddess of night, and Chaos, the primordial being in all Greek mythology. Thanks to her status as a daughter of Helios as well as her connection with Nyx, she apparently can also manipulate day and night, though that’s not shown in The Odyssey. What is shown is her most famous ability: transmogrification, or transforming people into creatures.
Fans of The Odyssey should already know this, as she turns Odysseus’ crew into pigs, and Odysseus himself kills a deer, resulting in it reverting into human form, but her transformation abilities run much deeper than that. For example, in another myth, Circe is actually responsible for Scylla turning into a monster. Originally, Scylla was a nymph, but because Circe was rejected by a sea God named Glaucus in favor of her, Circe, in response, turned Scylla into the hideous six-headed creature that Odysseus would become painfully familiar with. If Circe has the powers to create such a fearsome monster, a being that the prophet Tiresias point-blank tells Odysseus will kill his entire crew, Circe is not a woman to be trifled with.
Why Is Circe’s Scene One of the Best Scenes in ‘The Odyssey’
Despite being onscreen for only about ten minutes or so, Odysseus’ encounter with Circe is one of the major highlights of the film, which is saying something given how many great performances are littered throughout The Odyssey.
From the moment Odysseus and his men set foot on Aeaea, we know that something bad is going to happen. So far on their voyage, every stop featured some horrible abomination, but even though none of his men died at the hands of Circe, some of them probably wish they had. The scene where Circe turns the soldiers into pigs is straight-up horrifying, adding an element of body horror into a film that no one was expecting. In the novel, Circe uses a magic wand to transform them into pigs, but here, she vigorously molds them like clay as they silently scream in pain, unable to stop devouring Circe’s food. It looks just as painful as the sequence in An American Werewolf in London (1981), and will probably fuel the odd nightmare here and there.
It’s all sold by Samantha Morton’s performance. She goes from being frightened, to vengeful, to haughty, and to defeated all within the span of a few lines, and commands the screen every time she’s on it. Yes, the monologue that she gives telling Odysseus how to find Tiresias is good, but her physical performance as she transforms the men, all with practical effects, makes it impossible to look away, despite how horrific it is. She and John Leguizamo are The Odyssey’s secret weapons, delivering great empathetic performances, and come awards season, people shouldn’t be surprised when Samantha Morton’s name begins to pop up for Best Supporting Actress.
