Who would have thought that a prison escapee would be modeled after a hero from the ancient Greece era? The movie is both similar to the book in plot line, themes and character traits, although there are also many differences and during certain scenes the movie somewhat mocks the novel. Ulysses (Odysseus’ Latin name) Everett, the hero in O’ Brother, Where Art Thou?, travels a Homeric journey through the Mississippi bible belt. Thus, we find the modern day film depiction of the troubles of a man during the depression is molded by the ancient struggles of Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey. Though O’ Brother, Where Art Thou? is not and exact reincarnation of the original masterpiece, there are still a vast amount of similarities between the two.…
When movies are made out of books there are many differences, but also many similarities. The director has a very difficult job; he or she has to make sure that parts of the film are recognizable as being in the book as well. The epic poem the Odyssey is a book about the Greek hero Odysseus’s journey home from the Trojan War. So, it is hard to believe that a book so very old can be made into a modern day movie. Though the film and the book have some different things in the plot, they both have to do with the same traditional Greek beliefs. In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey Odysseus, the epic hero, travels to many different places and completes some very herculean tasks such as going to the Underworld, battling the suitors, and getting away from Polyphemus, the Cyclops. Though portrayed in different ways, Everett, Delmar, and Pete go on similar journeys in Coen’s film O Brother, Where Art Thou?…
There are many similarities between the characters of Odysseus from “The Odyssey” and Everett from “O Brother Where Art Thou”. One similarity is that both characters are on a journey home to their families. To portray, Everett says “Me an’ the old lady are gonna pick up the pieces and…
Many events that occurred in the movie O' Brother Where Art Thou, is similar to the Odyssey. The baptizing scene and the lotus scene are very similar because both Odysseus and…
The movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” explains the story of Odysseus in “The Odyssey” through a more modern storyteller. In fact, the movie uses very similar character names so today’s audience can easily relate the movie to the original poem “The Odyssey.” For example, Ulysses is Latin for the name Odysseus. Even Odysseus wife’s name is Peggy, while Ulysses wife’s name is Penny. These similarities are shown throughout the movie not only with character names, but also with the original myths in the stories. Most of the same myths in “The Odyssey” are shown in the movie as well, such as the story of the Cyclops, the Sirens, and many more. While the myths are told differently in the movie, they still maintain the underlying story that was being told. The movie the “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” is a modern depiction of Homers “The Odyssey,” which shares several similarities that show the journey of Odysseus to his family in a modern day more realistic setting and shows the relevance and power of the story to today’s audience through examples in the story of the Teiresias, the Cyclops, the Sirens and Circe, and the transformation into an old man.…
A substantial amount of movies are based off of books. Rarely, the movies prove themselves better than their book counterparts, and sometimes the movie falls short of the mark. O Brother Where Art Thou? is unusual because it tends to stay on track with the Odyssey. Due to the fact that O Brother Where Art Thou? takes place in 1930’s Mississippi, plot elements obviously do not correlate directly, but other than that elements tend to be similar. Overall, The Odyssey and O Brother Where Art Thou? share similar major characters (with a few differences), and even with the changed setting, the plot events are similar as well.…
Both Odysseus and Everett are considered epic heroes. The film “O’ Brother Where Art Thou” is based on the adventures of Odysseus from “The Odyssey”. They both have similar challenges, but also have differences in the details. Such as, the enemies they face, the time they are from and how they try to fix their relationship with their wives. Both the poem and movie are similar to each other, but they aren’t absolutely the same.…
The Odyssey, is a legendary tale written by David Adams Leeming. This epic tells the story of a wise man named Odysseus who struggled to return back to his homeland, Ithaca, after the fall of Troy. In comparison to the text, the movie "O Brother Where Art Thou," has a similar plot and is based on The Odyssey. In the movie, Ulysses Everett McGill is the main character played by George Clooney. Everett and Odysseus both encounter different struggles in their journeys throughout the movie and the book; however, both characters ' main goal was to be reunited with their families back home.…
The movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou” is remarkably similar to Homer’s “Odyssey” in both plot and character description. Many stories and movies have been based on the same plot as The Odyssey, but one movie in particular did a wonderful job in comparing the two stories, “O Brother, Where Art Thou.” “O Brother, Where Art Thou” is about a man who has to break out of jail to stop his wife from marrying another man and includes his voyage home. “The Odyssey” is about the adventures and misfortunes of Odysseus These two movies, with many of the same events occurring in both allows for the works to be compared easily and thoroughly. Although there is some differences.…
The most plainly seen similarity between our epic hero and soggy bottom boy would be their limitless vanity in their beauty. The theme of beauty is apparent in Ulysses’ action of incessantly wearing a hairnet to bed and his stubborn obsession with Dapper Dan hair pomade. Throughout the Odyssey Odysseus is perpetually being depicted as a beautiful man, so beautiful that his son mistakes him for a glorious god. Another similar epic theme would have to be the long awaited homecoming. Both Odysseus and Ulysses have to face many obstacles and antagonistic characters until they are finally reunited with their loved ones in their homeland. After returning home, Penelope was still loyal sweetness of loyalty was still waiting for Odysseus even after 20 years, though the same cannot be said for poor Ulysses.…
The part I liked most about O Brother, Where Art Thou in relation to the Odyssey is the way George Clooney's character brings out the silver tongue aspect of Odysseus' act. He uses jargon and 'big words' that befuddle and charm anyone he directs his words toward. For example, in one of the first scenes of the movie, Everett tries to befuddle the other escapees into electing him as their leader by throwing difficult words at them. To be honest, I was surprised they understood him enough to understand that he was asking to vote on the matter. I never really understood what Odysseus being the smartest and most strategic of group meant while reading the Odyssey. However, O Brother, Where Art Thou did a wonderful job of bringing out this characteristic of Odysseus in a modern context in which the audience could understand better.…
The fictional queen of Ithaca and and a woman in 1930’s Mississippi having anything in common might seem like a stretch but in fact, they are more similar than they seem at first glance. Penelope of The Odyssey and Penny of O Brother, Where Art Thou have much in common along with characteristics that set them apart from each other. Penelope is presented as loyal, distraught. Penny is presented as unapologetic and a more independent, strong woman when being compared to Penelope. The two women are similar in that they are both cunning and cautious. Many of these changes are made in order to allow the character to blend into the time period and, in the case of Penny, to create a stronger, more realistic female character.…
Two men, though part of different stories, travel long journeys to return home. Their paths face many obstacles and trials. How do their stories compare? The main characters are Odysseus, from Homer’s, The Odyssey, and Everett from O Brother Where Art Thou, directed by Ethan and Joel Coen. Though O Brother Where Art Thou, is based on The Odyssey, the two share many similarities and differences, such as the characters’ encounters with others, conflicts faced in the stories, and characteristics of the major characters.…
Well first of all the line, "Sing to me of the man, Muse... ", was at the beginning of the film, as well in the Odyssey. In the movie, Ulysses meets an old and blind man who prophesizes that "the treasure you seek shall not be the treasure you find". In the Odyssey, Odysseus goes to the underworld to seek the advice of Tiresias, an old and blind prophet, who tells him that his travels will not be over until he takes an oar and walks so far inland that someone asks him why he carries a winnowing-fan. The sheriff in the movie that wanted to catch him can be related to Poseidon in the story of the Odyssey. In addition to that when Ulysses mentions that Satan carries "a giant hay fork" also known as a trident both figures are often described with just such an instrument. In addition to that, the women, who lured the heroes with their singing, and treat him to corn liquor until he passes out where the sirens who did the same to Odysseus. The sirens also have an element of the Circe by appearing to transform one of his companions into an animal. The bible sales man, "Big Dan" Teague who had one eye obviously was the Cyclops in the Odyssey. Although in the original story Odysseus outwits the Cyclops, in the movie it was the total opposite and Teague was the one who outwits Ulysses. The scene of the Ku Klux Klan mob is an implication to Odysseus being a prisoner of the Cyclops. The Klansmen are preparing to hang a black man is basically when the Cyclops is preparing his dinner. Ulysses, Delmar and Pete don Klan robes as a disguise, in order to save him just as Odysseus dressed his men in sheepskins to fool the Cyclops. The character Tommy Johnson is similar to the role of Athena in the Odyssey, who secretly helps Odysseus during his journey. Each time Ulysses encounters Tommy, good luck…
When the film O Bother Where Art Thou first started, I was unable to make any correlation between that and The Odyssey, but as it progressed I soon was able to follow the plot and match creatures to their ancient Greek counterparts. As Odysseus encountered many monsters, mystical creatures, and gods, Ulysses (the main Odysseus like character in O Bother Where Art Thou) had many of his own encounters with Odyssey like creatures. While O Bother Where Art Thou is based on The Odyssey they still have there similarities and differences in the way the various creatures are portrayed. Because of the way the different creatures are portrayed, it also gives them different symbolic relevance to the viewers.…