O Brother, Where Art Thou - Vs. - The Odyssey
After watching the movie, it seems that O Brother, Where Art Thou truly was loosely based on Homer's Odyssey. From the very beginning, after sprung from their chain gang and trying to reach Everett's cabin to recover a buried treasure of a bank heist, they are confronted by a series of strange characters and many odd obstacles that impede their journey. Right from the opening credits the directors clues you in to an obvious connection, when the narrator quotes the Odyssey by saying "O Muse..." which was how Homer had opened his epic poem. From there Everet, Pete, and Delmar take trying to escape the tracking dogs. Winding up at a set of railroad tracks, the three convicts ended up catching a ride on a hand-pumped rail cart after clumsily missing the passing freight train. The cart was oddly enough operated by a blind colored man, who seemed to be a prophet. He told the three men that they will not find the treasure they seek. The prophet in the Odyssey was Teiresias, who Odysseus talked to when needing insight on how to get home. I also think the role of the blind prophet might be a symbolization of Athena, and how she took another form to disguise herself, but yet help lead Odysseus in the correct direction.
An odd connect seemed to be made with the cattle. From there the role of hospitality, or Xenia, comes into play just as it was an important role in the Odyssey. The Suitors took over Odysseus's home; living off his wealthy and family's hospitality, taking advantage of the situation, and all trying to win Penelope's heart. Stumbling upon the KKK seemed to also be another connection, not so distinct, but a connection. The role of Everett's wife seems to be a representation of Penelope, even down to her fitting name "Penny". Delmar was lured to his "doom", he wound up being turned into the bounty, and heading back to jail. In the Odyssey, Penelope was the one thing that fueled Odysseus's journey home, to save his family from invading Suitors. When Odysseus and his men landed on the island of the lotus-eaters, the native ate the lotus fruit which turned out be a narcotic. Immediately a Suitor like character seems to having taken Everett place, and being the best man to fit the role at the time for her. A final connection I found was how Odysseus nearly drowned after his boat sailing toward Ithaca was destroyed by Poseidon, but is able to find a piece of wood to float on. Even in the end when returned to his hometown town in after finding out his wife was preparing to remarry, he disguised himself as an old man. Ulysses escapes from prison to return home and stop his wife from remarrying, which was the start to his journey. Along the way, the three convicts face many trials and tribulations that impede their journey. Odysseus had also disguised himself as an old man upon his arrival home. Penny was marrying someone else, after divorcing Everett, due to his lack of involvement being in jail and all.
Common topics in this essay:
Pete Delmar,
Odyssey Odysseus,
Odyssey Penelope,
Everett McGill,
Homer's Odyssey,
Odyssey Odysseus's,
Pretending Dan,
George Nelson,
Penelope Suitor,
Teiresias Odysseus,
pete delmar,
impede journey,
everett's wife,
odyssey penelope,
return home,
suitor character,
journey home,
sirens odyssey,
epic poem,
odyssey odysseus's,
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Acceptance Essays
