Oh Brother Where Art Thou Analysis

“I 'm coming home, I 'm coming home.Tell the world I 'm coming home. Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday.” This song beautifully represents the goal of Everett and Odysseus. Odysseus, a mythical hero, and Everett, a century old hero, both were trying to get home. Even though they had the same goal the people who helped them, the children they wanted to see, and the challenges they faced once they got there were really different.

The movie O' Brother by the Coen brothers is a modern story based on the ancient Greek story of the Odyssey by Homer. In each story, the main character is a man facing challenges and trying to return to his wife. There are vast similarities and differences between these stories such as the theme, settings, characters and the relationship between these characters.

The epic told written by Homer about a hero named Odysseus and his crew and their journey back to their homeland of Ithaca is closely related to the film, “O Brother Where Art ‘Thou”, by the Coen Brothers. But when looked at from a different perspective it is clear that the differences outweigh the similarities.

Religion is a large part of modern life. It influences our belief system and values, as well as shapes who we are as human beings. However, most individuals decide upon and follow a belief system on a voluntary basis. Imagine not only being forced to follow a belief system, but having this system dominate your every action. This is the case for classic epic heroes, such as Oedipus, Odysseus, and Aeneas. This conflict inspires the theme of fate vs. free will in each of these classic epics. Although these characters have free will, they are not permitted to use it as an attempt to avoid what is inevitably destined for them. Therefore, each author establishes an interconnected relationship between fate and free will, which ultimately impacts the journey of each character.

“O Brother Where Art Thou?” is a comedy, adventure film produced in 2000. Many of the scenes in this film are based off the Odyssey, which is an epic poem by Homer. It is based on a true hero’s journey back home. There are many correlations and yet differences between the Odyssey and the film. Although the overall plot of “O Brother Where Art Thou?” is vaguely similar to the Odyssey, there are certain “episodes” that closely mirror the film’s classical influence.

The 1943 novel The Human Comedy alludes to The Odyssey in ways which are both big and obvious, and small and subtle, with each kind having it’s own perks. One does not have to read far into The Human Comedy to see the references and allusions It makes to The Odyssey. Things like Character names and settings make the transition to The Human Comedy with ease and readability. However, not all points in which The Human Comedy alludes to The Odyssey are so shallow. Things like the story’s obstacles and underlying theme for example, are more well hidden and require critical thinking to find, instead of just basic observational skills.

In this piece, author Janice Siegel explores the numerous similarities and differences between Homer’s Odyssey and O Brother, Where Art Thou? and their place in the Deep South setting. By comparing the pieces, she reveals the Coen brothers’ successful mission to draw from the Odyssey in their film. This exploration relates specifically to my paper and will aid my writing by providing a sweeping view of the different points of influence and similarity that I can explore, including the textual treatment of the supernatural and the hero’s quest for reunion with his wife. This article will bolster my argument by providing these numerous examples and allowing me to explore and present the thoughts of another writer exploring a very similar topic. Ultimately, in my paper, this source will serve as a jumping-off point for many of my arguments. In doing this, I hope to employ it early and often to give my paper frame, direction, and purpose.

The story Odyssey and O Brother, Where Art Thou have a lot of connections to our life just like how Odysseus was on a journey to get home and Everett was on a journey to get the treasure, we all have roadblocks and fears we have to pass. In the text, The Odyssey was written by Homer and the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen both authors deal with the main idea loyalty. Both stories have loyalty as the theme because in the Odyssey Odysseus wife was loyal to him for 20 years while he was gone. In the movie Everetts, wife, for the most part, was loyal to him until she was about to marry Veron. The differences between Odyssey and O Brother, Where Art Thou are pronounced, and they deserve a thorough investigation. As a result, just like when Poseidon tried to kill Odysseus, in the movie the cops were trying to kill Delmar, Pete, and Everett. In the movie, the blind railroad conductor is similar to Tiresias because they both predicted the future for the main characters. Another similarity of both stories is when the main character of O Brother, Where Art Thou dressed up as KKK

A hero is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities. In the movie, Odysseus shows that he is a hero by showing off his bravery and courage to defeat several monsters. He showed courage when he faced the Cyclops, when he met Lotus Eaters, and when he went back to Ithaca to see his wife.

Once in a while leaders can get occupied, even the considerable ones, however they must understand that they committed an error and must endure the outcomes. Various leaders lead for the recognition. Odysseus from The Odyssey and Everett from O Brother Where Art Thou were both astonishing leaders and their men admired them. In spite of their likenesses there are a few things that set them apart. Despite the fact that Everett and Odysseus are similar, Everett has better initiative abilities, which at last causes him and his group get to where they have to go.

The Odyssey begins as Odysseus leaves an island he was trapped on for 10 years to go back to his hometown, Ithaca. However, we do not know if he will make it back, as it is highly probable that he will die. The Odyssey is a Greek Epic involving some of their ancient Gods. On the way to Ithaca Odysseus faces many challenges while his wife deals with challenges of her own at their house. Suitors have taken over Odysseus’s home, and are all trying to marry Odysseus’s wife, Penelope. However, some characters in the epic display many great qualities. In The Odyssey by Homer, loyalty, courage, and trickery are displayed throughout the book in a positive manner, showing that they are the Greek’s cultural values.

Pitfalls are more than just holes in the ground for trapping bears. In fact, getting caught in any risky or dangerous situation is a pitfall. Temptation can often be considered a one-way ticket to dangerous situations, even when the tempted least expect it. The tempted often feel inclined to take certain actions to fulfill their wants or needs, even if their reasoning is telling them it could put them in danger. This forms the very foundation of the idea of the pitfalls of temptation. The theme “pitfalls of temptation” are demonstrated in The Odyssey by Homer as well as in real life. And, no, this paper is not about how to make bear traps.

Heroism, tends to be difficult to define and remarkably ambiguous in literary works. In the Odyssey, however, Homer clearly defines a hero as a humble, determined, and loyal individual; thus, according to Homer, it is not enough to claim to be a hero, but it is also important to exhibit those qualities that Homer values as heroism. Odysseus, despite claiming heroism, upholds these traits inconsistently, as seen in his taunting of Polyphemus. In contrast, Telemachus, Odysseus’ overlooked son, dramatically grows up over the course of the epic and ultimately reveals his truly heroic qualities by the end of the poem. Thus, because Odysseus claims to be a hero, but fails to remain humble, determined, and loyal throughout the epic, he is not a hero.

O Brother Where Art Thou? is a film that will take you on a perilous journey with Ulysses Everett McGill and his simpleminded cohorts. This film may be set amidst the early 1930’s Great Depression era, but it still has a Homer’s Odyssey feel to it. Down in the dusty and highly racial south, Everett recruits a couple of dimwitted convicts, Pete Hogwallop and Delmar O’Donnell, to help him retrieve his lost treasure and make it back home before his wife marries another suitor. These three convicts manage to stay one step ahead of the law while finding themselves in all sorts of trouble. It was nominated for 35 other awards, one of which was for best screenwriting. Released in December of 2000, this film won 7 awards, some of which for best soundtrack and score, album of the year, as well as best cinematography.

Throughout history, feasting has been a way to bring people together, to celebrate, and to entertain. In Homer’s play, The Odyssey, food serves multiple purposes. The opulent banquet that Telemachus attends in Sparta with Menelaus displays the hospitality and wealth of the Spartan royalty, and provides key information about the whereabouts of Odysseus. While this instance of feasting displays how eating can bring people together to celebrate, overindulging in the Odyssey is also portrayed negatively. As the play progresses, readers learn that excessive and unnecessary eating is one of the reasons that Odysseus does not quickly return home to Penelope, and additionally, it is the reason that many of the crewmen do not return at all. The recurring motif of feasting portrays the harmful consequences of falling prey to temptation, which include the delayal of Odysseus return home and the death of his