The Odyssey Movie Analysis

The Odyssey by Homer is a story that has been told countless times over several thousand years with many different versions. O Brother, Where Art Thou? is one of these versions. Even though this movie is considered to be one of the better adaptations of The Odyssey, it has some details that make it undeniably American. The main parts of the story are there, such as the Cyclops, and Odysseus escaping Ogygia, but things such as the Klu Klux Klan (KKK), and the music played throughout the movie make it distinctly American.
In The Odyssey, Odysseus and his men find themselves on an island where a cyclops named Polyphemus lived. Polyphemus was a son of Poseidon who tried to eat Odysseus and his men (and successfully did to some of them) before

a retelling of The Odyssey, they included details that gave the movie its own American twist. One of these details would be the KKK’s involvement in Everett and his men’s quest to return to home. The KKK is a well-known part of American history due to their origin right after the freeing of the slaves after the American Civil War. They have gone down in history because of their violent crimes against African Americans and those who stood up for their rights. Because Everett saved Tommy from the KKK, it represents Odysseus’ journey to the underworld, but it being the KKK means it becomes inherently American.
Another piece of the movie that makes it an American tale is the music. The style of music used in O Brother, Where Art Thou? is bluegrass which came from the South. This works its way into the movie subtly by being the background music in many scenes throughout. One example of this is when Pete and Delmar run into the river with the worshippers to be blessed by the preacher. As this is going on, the worshippers sing “Down To The River To Pray”. This song is a classic hymn, particularly in the South. The music is another way the Coen Brothers took an American aspect and tied it into the movie to make it