Over the centuries, many epics have been told, as to inspire us all and provide entertainment. However, there are none as befitting to be the greatest epic as Homer's the Odyssey. It is one of the oldest, but also one of the greatest ever told. Over the years there have been many adaptations to the epic, as to mold this ancient story to one we can relate to and is familiar to us. One example, which I will discuss, would be the Cohen Brothers' 'O'Brother, Where Art Thou?', which is a story about 3 men who are trying to find a treasure after breaking out of prison. I will compare the text with the adaptation, and contrast each one's differences. Firstly, when it comes to setting, the adaptation is set during a transfer of power, commonly known as election time. This can also be comparable to the text, after the presumed death of Odysseus. Many suitors lined up for Penelope, wishing to become the next King of Ithaca. This is their form of transfer of power and is very similar to what is found in O'Brother. Some differences between the 2 pieces of art is that while the text is set in Ancient Greece, the adaptation is set in the South during the Great Depression. Another difference would be that the …show more content…
film is during 1937, while the poem is set in 800 B.C, long before the text was created by Homer. When it comes to setting, the 2 pieces are very different for the most part. There is a large array of similarities and differences when it comes to plot.
One similarity would be comparing the actions of the Sirens to the 3 women by the lake. Both used music to draw the men in, and both affected them in a negative way in any manner. Another similarity would be comparing Big Dan Teague's actions to Polyphemus. Both tried to hurt the main characters of each piece and their companions, as well as killing them (even though that turned out to be incorrect in O'Brother). A difference would be how Pete's cousin betrayed him by turning him in to the authorities to collect their bounties. That was an obstacle on Everett and his friend's road, which they overcome. Other than that difference, the rest are mainly similarities for the remainder of the
plot. Lastly, when it comes to characters, it has a wide array of both comparing and contrasting factors. One example of a similarity would be how in both pieces, they met with blind seers who foretold their futures and the obstacles they would encounter. The only difference is that Odysseus chose to seek his future willingly by going to the underworld, while with Everett and his pals, it was just by chance. Another similarity would be how both Penelope and Penny had suitors, while the amount between the two may have been different. The difference is that while Penelope was waiting for Odysseus, Penny wanted to quickly remarry, and remove Everett from her and her children's lives. While there are many differences, there are also many similarities coupled with them, especially when comparing this epic and the adaptation of said epic. As I have already said, the Odyssey will always be remembered as one of the greatest epic poems to come, and, as famous things become history, they are later imitated and formed to society's standards during that specific period, as seen in the film. I have already compared the text with the adaptation, as well as have contrasted each one's differences. Now, I ask you to contemplate the ideals which have been mentioned by these entertaining pieces. While it may seem ludicrous to get something out of an epic poem, I would think otherwise. Out of everything, one can learn something, and I believe that even an epic poem is no exception.
Pop culture’s mythology theory is used in many forms of media today, from The Legend of Zelda in video games to “Harry Potter in books. One example of usage of the mythology theory is the 1996 movie, O Brother, Where Art Thou? directed by Joel Coen. This movie is based off Homer’s epic poem, “The Odyssey.” There are many similarities between the two, yet at the same time, there are many differences.
Homer’s Odyssey is the iconic story of a man’s episodic journey home. The film, O Brother Where Art Thou, is a justifiable homage to the Odyssey because of the many parallels between some of the major characters depicted in the movie and the epic poem. The movie is set in the 1930s in the state of Mississippi, changing the characters in social demeanor, but retaining their motivation and major plot points.
Tens of thousands of stories fit into the hero’s journey archetype created by Christopher Volger. Out of these, a large number of them are stories with remakes that share notable resemblances in their heroes’ journeys. However, none of these quite match those very strong similarities found between Homer’s The Odyssey and Joel Coens’s O Brother, Where Art Thou? These stories share crucial components of the hero’s journey whether it be “crossing the first threshold,” where the main characters of both stories begin their long adventure that transforms them into heroes; “the supreme ordeal,” where the main characters are both deprived of the opportunity to get home sooner; or “return with elixir,” where Odysseus and Ulysses both return to their homes alive the comfort of their wives. In their major plot points, the novel The Odyssey and the motion picture O Brother convey obvious similarities in key elements of their heroes’ journeys such as “crossing the first threshold,” “the supreme ordeal,” and “return with elixir.”
The main characters of each work are automatically associated with each other by their names, but they also share similar personalities and characteristics. Odysseus is a wily hero of the Trojan War who uses his deceptive...
In both Homer’s The Odyssey and the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? the audience is given an opportunity to experience a spectacular adventure, filled with not only the sense of journey, but also the senses of peril and excitement. A tale about a Greek hero being compared to a film set in Middle America starring three jail-escapees seems rather far-fetched. However, upon closer inspection, both actually share a lot in common. The Odyssey stars Odysseus, a man famous for his heroics in the Trojan War. O Brother, Where Art Thou? shows a bit of a contrast by starring Ulysses, a former convict who escaped and began looking for “A Treasure”. So by default, one would assume that that these two stories would be completely different. However, it ends up being quite the opposite. The two stories are so remarkably alike that it is almost staggering. However, it may not just be simple similarities that make the two so alike. The main reasons why the two characters are so alike are not so much the actions that they take, as oppose to the overall human emotional aspect of the two pieces of work. For example, we see that both Odysseus and Ulysses are invested in their lives with their families, and as such, they never have a moment where they stop thinking about the lives they used to live. Both characters are extremely alike in terms of thoughts, skills, and experiences. They are both profound tacticians, as well as being rather strong and good looking men. So in the end, both of these men have plenty in common on the emotional and psychological levels.
Homer. “The Odyssey”. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Ed. Martin Puncher. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012. 475. Print.
One of the major differences between the movie and the epic poem is that in the movie the suitors treat Penelope horribly while in the epic they treat her better. Penelope’s suitors wear out their welcome in her palace and she wants them to leave but they will not. In the epic the suitors tried to get on Penelope’s good side to become her new husband and to become king. Penelope and Telemachus are both treated with disrespect when it comes to the suitors. This puts in more emotion and it really convinces the audience to dislike the suitors as well, and when Odysseus returns it puts in a good reason to get so angry and aggressive with them and want to kill them. After Odysseus returned, in the book he was angry with the suitors so he threatened
Homer. ?The Odyssey,? World Masterpieces: Expanded Edition. Maynard Mack ed. Ed. Coptic St.: Prentice, 1995.
Next, there are many similarities between the Odyssey and “O Brother Where Art Thou?”, some including characters, characterization, and plot. First, The characters are alike in many ways. Odysseus and Everett are meant to be the same character. Pete and Delmar from the movie, are supposed to represent Odysseus’s crew, although they do not always act like the crew did. Next, the plot is similar to the book, The Odyssey. The three women singing are meant to be the sirens from the Odyssey. They draw the men into their trap, although it may not be killing them in the movie, but they turn Pete in for the bounty.
The Odyssey is filled with emotion and adventure. Homer’s ability to show and give the reader a visual of each and every scene gives the story its unbelievable significance. To all the people who read his work there is something to be captured within every sentence, each one different in its own, unique way. Through tales of courage and defeat, friendship and love this book tells of all the values within the life of a single, solitary man, and his journey to attain what is true and dear to him. And this journey is known to all of us as The Odyssey. The Odyssey is a test of human devotion and trust through the gods, the mortals, and the obstacles through which they venture. No matter where they go or what they do, humans are tested for certain characteristics everyday of their lives, whether they realize it or not; and The Odyssey is just one of those many miraculous tests.
When I think of heroes I usually imagine a “superman” like character, whose greatest asset is his overpowering physical prowess combined with a sense of hyper-morality. But, Homer’s The Odyssey introduces a hero who is neither. Similarly, the Coen brothers also present a comparable tale in Oh Brother Where Art Thou, whose hero also lacks an emphasis on these traits. Instead, both authors use their characters to build a more realistic fairytale by highlighting (what happens when simple hospitality goes astray) their hero’s character flaws.
There is much to discuss and see when it comes to fine literature and captivating movies. The odyssey was a magnificent correlation of words, it gripped the minds of readers seeking entertainment and a taste of the past. The odyssey is based on Greek mythology, something that intrigues the mind of people no matter what age. Ulysses is the main character in O brother Art thou but is more commonly known as Everett. In the Odyssey, the one who takes up the challenge of a hero’s journey is Odysseus. These two-fascinating works of art have much in common but they also have differences that make them unique. The moral of both stories are very homogeneous but their main
The epic poem of Greek gods, monsters, and a long journey titled The Odyssey by Homer is bold and powerful enough to inspire any man. It certainly inspired the Coen Brothers, creators of the movie O’ Brother, Where Art Thou? In fact, this astounding motion picture is based off The Odyssey. In the tall tale of The Odyssey, Odysseus, a brave warrior and king of a land called Ithaca, is returning home from the battle of Troy where he is faced with many challenges and encounters many dangers. In the movie, O’ Brother, Where Art Thou? by the Coen brothers, three prison escapees during the 1930's must encounter many metaphorically similar represented dangers to find a buried treasure and make it back home. The movie O’ Brother, Where Art Thou? and
The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey both are held in high respect by literature analysts and historians alike for the characterization of the hero and his companion, the imagery brought to mind when one of them is read, and the impressive length in relation to the time period it was written in. The similarities that these two epics share do not end with only those three; in fact, the comparability of these works extend to even the information on the author and the archetypes used. However, The Odyssey and The Epic of Gilgamesh contrast from one another in their writing styles, character details, and main ideas. Both epics weave together a story of a lost man who must find his way, but the path of their stories contrast from one another.
“The Odyssey” is an epic poem that tells the story of Odysseus and the story of his many travels and adventures. The Odyssey tells the main character’s tale of his journey home to the island of Ithaca after spending ten years fighting in the Trojan War, and his adventures when he returns home and he is reunited with his family and close friends. This literary analysis will examine the story and its characters, relationships, major events, symbols and motifs, and literary devices.