When analyzing the movie “O Brother Where Art Thou”, it becomes obvious that there are many similarities between the characters in the movie and those in Homer’s Odyssey. One scene where this is exceptionally apparent is when Everett and company sit down to eat with Big Dan Teague outside of a restaurant. Describing himself as “a man with a large appetite”, Big Dan consumes copious amounts of food in the same manner that Polyphemus the Cyclopes devours Odysseus’s men. Both characters are single-eyed, gluttonous beasts that seem to have little concern for anyone but themselves. An example of this can be seen in some of Polyphemus’s first words to Odysseus. “You are dumb, stranger, or from far away, if you ask me to fear the gods. Cyclopes don’t care about Zeus or his aegis or the blessed gods, since we are much stronger” (9.265). While Polyphemus has power over humans due to his superior size and strength, Big Dan uses his persuasive abilities and and “gift of gab” to take advantage of Everett and his companions. Although different methods are used, both characters end up receiving a meal from their victims. Another important similarity is the theme of expected xenia that both characters share. Just as Polyphemus demands wine from Odysseus, Big Dan asks Everett to pick up the bill, and proceeds to eat their leftover food afterwards.…
Odysseus’s behavior was ironic when he deliberately concealed part of Circe’s prophecy from his men because when Odysseus and his men went through Scylla, all of the men were scared and some of the men were killed. In the Odyssey it said that: “My men all blanched against the gloom our eyes were fixed upon that yawning mouth in fear of being devoured” (Homer886) This quote showed that Odysseus’s behavior was ironic because since he did not tell his men that they were going through Scylla so they were terrified. The men just saw this huge whirlpool in the middle of the sea and were not really pleased to hear that they were going through that and not knowing the outcome. They were very scared because the outcome could result in them dying. When the Odyssey was talking about when Odysseus’ men were getting killed The Odyssey said: “Then Scylla made her strike, whisking six of my best men from the shop. It happened to glace aft at ship and oarsmen and caught sight of their arms and legs, dangling high overhead” (Homer886). This quote is showing that Scylla ate six of Odysseus’ best men while they were traveling by her. This was the aftershock of Odysseus not telling his men that they were going to see Scylla in this journey and most likely get eaten. Yet again all of the me were ate only because Odysseus did not tell his men about the ending that they could of all been dead in the end. In conclusion, Odysseus’ behavior was ironic when he deliberately concealed part of Circe’s prophecy from his men because Odysseus did not tell his men that they would travel though her and get scared and…
In book nine Odysseus has to confront Polythemus, the Cyclops who is Poseidon’s son. Odysseus and his men where trapped within Polythemus’s cave, which had wine and other luxuries in it. But the Cyclops is intent on eating every last one of them and saving Odysseus, or “Nohbdy,” as Odysseus presented himself to the Cyclops, for last. Odysseus later blinds Polythemus with a burning stick, leaving him aggrieved and in pain. Writhing in pain, he opens the rock, letting Odysseus’s crew escape. This is just a primal form of the myth, but by injuring Polythemus Odysseys is released, illustrating the productive side of violence.…
Odysseus did not want to do anything to the Cyclops because he knew that he was the only one with the strength to move the giant stone. So the next morning he came up with a plan to stab the cyclops in the eye with a wooden stake, when he went to sleep odysseus heated up the stake and jabbed it into the cyclops’s eye. Now since the cyclops could not see the men grabbed onto some sheep and the cyclops lead them out of his cave without thinking anything of it. This event from the Odyssey is similar to what would happen in a real life situation if a soldier were to get captured. Odysseus represents the soldier and Polyphemus represents the enemies that have captured the soldier. This is a scary but very real thing that happens to many soldiers fighting in enemy territory, you venture into an unknown area seeking shelter when suddenly you run into the leader of the enemy force…
The passage I chose starts out the day after Odysseus leaves and Polyphemus is left in torment in his cave. "As soon as young Dawn with her rose-red fingers shone once more the rams went rumbling out of the cave towards the pasture, the ewes kept bleating round the pens, un milked, their udders about to burst"(9 488-491). Polyphemus's animals represent his loss, they have milk to give bu Polyphemus can not help them because he can not see. His rams run away from him, this shows that Odysseus has taken more than just Polyphemus's sight.…
In both versions, Polyphemus is selfish and egoistic. In Homer's Odyssey, Polyphemus shows his egoistic nature when he says, “Cyclopes don’t care about Zeus or his aegis or the blessed gods, since we are much stronger” (Homer 304). Here, Polyphemus is egoistic, as he thinks that he is the strongest creature in the world. In Theocritus’s poem, Polyphemus shows his egoistic nature by singing “but even though I am like I am, I herd one thousand animals and draw the finest milk from them to drink. And I don't lack for cheese, not in the summer, not in the fall, and not in the dead of winter” (Theocritus). Here, Polyphemus is boasting about his richness to Galateia, hoping that she would love him. Both versions of the myth of Polyphemus portrays him as a selfish and egoistic…
Throughout Homer’s “The Odyssey,” Odysseus’ actions and choices are the driving point of the plot. When he and his crew encounter Polyphemus the Cyclops, he tries to secure his legacy by shouting his real name, and giving other important information away. The Cyclops prays that a curse befall him and his friends and Poseidon hears him. After this, half of Odysseus’ men are turned into swine when they encounter an enchantress and give into temptation, and though no men are killed, the crew is again delayed in their journey by a year. Misfortune and death are prevalent throughout the consequent chapters, where men are constantly lost, and those that survive begin to lose faith in their leader. By the end of chapter 12, all of the men have died,…
The particular tale describing his encounter with the Cyclops, then, presents Polyphemus as an example of a severely threatening force that tests Odysseus and forces him to utilize his heroic traits in order to overcome an intimidating obstacle. Odysseus' well-executed escape from Polyphemus' cave in the guise of a sheep is an example of two of Odysseus’ often epithetically referenced characteristics, namely his cunning and his industriousness. An audience could be expected to be impressed by this display of heroic guile and…
In the novel The Odyssey, by Homer and translated by Robert Fitzgerald the hero Odysseus goes through struggles, in which he nearly gives up on his fight and somehow resurrects himself. The amount of challenges that Odysseus’ had to face on his journey home were grander than most men would ever face. One example of Odysseus’s feelings of great defeat, happens on Odysseus’ way home and his crew lets the winds out of the bag which were supposed to be kept in the bag as a guide home. These winds created a hurricane, which Odysseus’ ship was thrown into it. “Roused up, despairing in that gloom, I thought: Should I go overside for a quick finish or clench my teeth and stay among the living?” (Fitzgerald, 156). For a moment, Odysseus wanted to give…
A critical event in anyone’s life can change people way of thinking and/or reacting, like Odysseus. In the book the Odyssey, we learned the story about the great warrior Odysseus, who was trying to go home, from a long and brutal war against Troy. He was a great fighter who demonstrated his strength and power in the Trojan War, but his prideful, hubris, and impulsive personality, made his journey back home be extremely long. Throughout most of the story of the Odyssey, there are many examples that demonstrate how Odysseus reacts to certain situation, and how his personality and the way he is, gets him in a lot of trouble. His whole voyage allowed Odysseus to see the outcomes of his reactions, which help him change from being an impulsive person, to a person that strategically plans his actions and waits for the right time to act upon them. The difficult, tedious, and long journey that Odysseus went through just to get to his home town in Ithika, changed him, for the better.…
"We were sailing as the advice had been given by Helenus. But as we sailed close to Italy, we were called by a wretched sailor to the 'Help me, Trojans, I am a wretched Greek! With the leader of Ithaca, I sailed to Sicily, but in our flight when Polyphemus had devoured many of my buddies and he was blinded by our men I wandered away from my friends; therefore I did not sail with my king away from the island.' As the wretched man was shouting Polyphemus walked to the shore, he was dire foul-smelling big blind monster. We sailed away from the island immediately; we sailed the Greek and we carried him out in our ships.…
When people think of a hero they think of a good looking, strapping man wearing tights and a cape with powers that will save you when you are in trouble. When it comes to Homer’s Odysseus in The Odyssey he has the looks but not the powers, tights or the cape. What makes him a hero is how well rounded he is. A great hero has to have three traits, they have to be strong, smart, and sensitive and Odysseus has all three.…
In the Epic, Odyssey by Homer Odysseus has to save his men and get them home. Odysseus is a modern day hero hero. He qualifies for the job because first he is brave, cunning, and determined. He made smart decisions and knows how to get out of sticky situations. Second he is brave and he is ready for whatever comes his way. Although the ancient greeks consider odysseus a hero epic hero, according Modern day to Ethos and Logos he fails to measure by modern standards.…
In the poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, 3 strong character traits of Odysseus, the main character, are demonstrated. Homer makes all of these traits very clear, they can be qualified as good or bad traits. Homer displays these traits constantly but in different ways. In other words, his weakness hurt him but his quick thinking would help him. Odysseus’ arrogant attitude could either be considered a good trait or a bad trait. Odysseus, the main character of The Odyssey by Homer demonstrates weak leadership, quick thinking, and an arrogant attitude throughout his journey.…
“Have we never been in danger before this?/ More fearsome, is it now, than when the cyclops penned us in his cave? What power he had!/ Did I not keep my nerve, and use my wits to find a way out for us?” (Homer 526). This long narrative poem is written about Odysseus and it clearly displays the adventures of a hero, not a fool as he faces against great odds. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is a hero because of his strength, intelligence and loyalty.…