ipl-logo

What Are The Similarities Between O Brother Where Art Thou And The Odyssey

868 Words4 Pages

Shiven Sood
1/24/23
English 9, Section 1
The Odyssey/O’ Brother Where Art Thou? Essay
Although they seem like two completely unrelated stories with no references between them, The Odyssey and O’ Brother Where Art Thou? are very much alike, as they have similar characters who have the same determined, selfish, and loving personalities and learn the importance of loyalty throughout their respective journeys.
To a reader who doesn’t have experience with The Odyssey, O’ Brother Where Art Thou? understandably seems dissimilar to The Odyssey, as the two stories contain characters with different emotional dynamics and utilize contrasting character backgrounds to build the protagonists’ personalities. While running away from the prison camp, Everett …show more content…

and The Odyssey both convey the grander theme of loyalty, and use characters with confident and affectionate personalities. After breaking Pete out of jail, Everett tells him and Delmar that there was no treasure, and that he was taking the two of them on this journey to win his wife, Penny, back. Pete and Everett start to fight, but then see their friend Tommy nearly get executed: “I do apologize about that, Pete. That's Tommy. They got Tommy. Sweet Jesus, we got to save him.” (Coen). Everett’s decisions to take Pete and Delmar on this journey for the “treasure” demonstrate his selfishness, as he simply wanted their help and moral support to benefit himself. Everett’s loyalty is displayed when saves Tommy, as he has only known him for less than 48 hours. This proves his loyalty to not only his friends, but to anyone with whom he has developed a strong affection. Though he might be putting himself in danger, the fact that Everett attempts to save Tommy proves his loyalty but also establishes confidence and determination, as he trusts himself to get Tommy out safely of the situation. Odysseus has the same affectionate and loyal personality, and he exhibits it when he finally embraces Penelope after 20 long years of separation: “The more she spoke, the more a deep desire for tears welled up inside his breast—he wept as he held the wife he loved, the soul of loyalty, in his arms at last” (Fagles, 388). Upon reuniting with Penelope, Odysseus’s reaction suggests that he was loyal to her throughout his journey. Odysseus only seems to be experiencing his love for Penelope in their moment of embrace, not a feeling of guilt one would get from breaking their partner’s trust or dwelling on his selfishness towards his now deceased crewmates. His loyalty is established by the fact that he is embracing Penelope with none of these thoughts or memories of guilt. If he had not been loyal to

Show More
Related

  • Comparing The Odyssey 'And The Movie O Brother Where Art Thou'

    223 Words  | 1 Pages

    In Homer’s marvelous epic of Odysseus have a few similarities and a little more differences than the famous movie “O’ Brother Where Art Thou”. As well as the sirens, bodies of water, and many more similarities throughout the scenes. In Homer’s epic and the movie “O’ p. The similar scenes occur as Odysseus and his crew were present in both of the admirable epics.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between O Brother Where Art Thou And The Odyssey

    1070 Words  | 5 Pages

    Just like in “the odyssey”, Everet goes on a long journey from their imprisonment, in hopes to be free and getting home safely, little do they realize the challenges they would have to face. “The Odyssey” was so popular that there was a movie based on it. This movie was called” O Brother where art thou”. There are many similarities and differences between Homer’s epic” The Odyssey” and the Coen Brothers' film “O’Brother where art thou.” For example, similarities and differences include the sirens from “the odyssey’’ and the sirens from Brother where art thou, The cyclopes and big dan teague, and Sheriff cooley and Poseidon.

    Read More

  • Essay Comparing The Odyssey And Sundiata

    447 Words  | 2 Pages

    It is safe to say that The Odyssey and the Epic of Sundiata both embraced a rather comparable culture in their own original times. These characters are not only similar in their own texts, but are alike in their personality. Their courage and determination are what really make them stand out from other ordinary characters. Both Odysseus and Sundiata define what it takes to be a true hero and why doing the right thing leads to a good path. Their cunning, yet harmless tactics get them to their final destination and save the day.

    Read More

  • The Odyssee And The Aeneid Analysis

    730 Words  | 3 Pages

    Virgil imitates many scenes from the Odyssey in his epic, but he always changes in significant ways, so they illustrate his own Roman themes. Both heroes come to the underworld to get a message, although the content is different, and both meet a family in the underworld. The structure seems to have been largely the same in these parts of the story. One of the main differences between the Odyssee and the Aeneid is that the Aeneid can be seen as a patriotic poem or propaganderend while the Odyssey is a poem about individuals and their adventures.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between Odyssey 'And O Brother Where Art Thou?'

    472 Words  | 2 Pages

    First, Odysseus and Everett share an abundance of epic hero qualities. Everett shows his courage when he disguised as KKK to free Tommy. This parallels to when Odysseys and his crew hide under the sheep and defeats the mighty Polyphemus. Everett is a cunning, quick-tongued, sharp leader, which is the same as Odysseus. Also, Pete and Delmar appear to be as dumb as the crew written in the Odyssey.

    Read More

  • Comparison Of Polyphemus And Homer's O Brother Where Art Thou

    985 Words  | 4 Pages

    Also in both stories the main character chooses the biggest sheep, with Odysseus choosing the largest ram and Everett choosing the color guard at the rally. Then in both of the stories the cyclops follows the protagonist not on sight but on smell and sound. In The Odyssey the men on the boat cheer for Odysseus, and the cyclops follows them based on that. In O Brother Where Art Thou, Big Dan hears them mess up the chant and then smells them by sniffing the air. In the end both monster had its own herd of sheep that followed them through everything blindly.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay: The Odyssey

    1474 Words  | 6 Pages

    Odyssey Argumentative Essay The Odyssey is an epic by Homer. It is a story about Odysseus journey back to Ithaca after the Trojan War. All the Greek heroes had returned home after the Trojan War except for Odysseus who was an important hero in Ithaca. Odysseus was absent in his son’s life and Telemachus decided that, it was time to find his father and bring him back home to his wife Penelope.

    Read More

  • Symbolism In O Brother Where Art Thou

    949 Words  | 4 Pages

    , the protagonist Ulysses Everett McGill serves jail time with his two convict friends, Pete Hogwallop and Delmar O’Donnell. Symbolizing the escape from danger all throughout the Odyssey, the convicts escape from the chain-gang and run off towards a promising treasure. Everett resembles Odysseus with his quick-wittedness and hubris. Everett’s hubris—his hair obsession—causes the capture of the group. Much like when Odysseus losing his crew due to his prideful nature, Everett’s hubris dooms the escaping convicts after he mistakenly leaves a can of hair product behind.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between The Odyssey And O Brother Where Art Thou

    1248 Words  | 5 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Similarities Between O Brother Where Art Thou And The Odyssey

    862 Words  | 4 Pages

    There are many themes in both O Brother where Art Thou and the Odyssey which seem to be strongly similar. Many similarities between the characters and their actions surface through their actions. In my essay I will not only compare and contrast the most important elements of the mentioned works, but will also discuss the importance of heroic figures and the less favored themes, such as revenge and foolish fearlessness. It is important to note that both works are taken place during hard times. Odysseus’ journey is dated around 1200 BCE, or the ‘Dark Age’.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Everett And Odysseus

    1024 Words  | 5 Pages

    Odysseus and Everett are both on a journey to get home. In The Odyssey, Odysseus has been away for a long time, twenty years to be exact. He was at the Trojan War for ten years and it took him ten more to get home. In O Brother Where Art Thou, Everett got away from the other prisoners that he was chained with so he can go home and win his wife back. The two men are vain.

    Read More

  • Odysseus Loyalty To Penelope In Homer's Odyssey

    1181 Words  | 5 Pages

    Odysseus is truly loyal to Penelope because he leaves Ogygia (where he was trapped) as soon as possible, puts all of his effort into making it home to his wife, and even flirts with Princess Nausicaa to get him home. Even though Odysseus has been through

    Read More

  • O Brother, Where Art Thou?

    274 Words  | 2 Pages

    O Brother, Where Art Thou? Is a movie directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen and released May 13, 2000 in France. The Odyssey is the second oldest surviving works of the ancient western world and happens to be loosely tied to O Brother, Where Art Thou?. It is a story famous for having an imperfect hero. There are challenges that the main character faced in which no one else could possibly imagine going through.

    Read More

  • Comparing Odysseus And Ulysses In The Odyssey

    863 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Odyssey and Ulysses were meant to be the same character written by two different individuals. Both individuals encountered obstacles at some point in their lives. Odysseus and Ulysses were both considered a hero in today’s society along with their similar characteristics. The heroic qualities and themes presented in both pieces of the literature work emphasized the similarity between the two characters along with their differences.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast The Odyssey And Dante's Inferno

    989 Words  | 4 Pages

    Literary Analysis: The Odyssey and Dante’s Inferno Name: Course: Institution: Instructor: Date: Themes are fundamental and universal ideas that are explored in literary works. The epics of The Inferno by Dante and The Odyssey by Homer are two different stories with themes that that have some similarities while others have distinction. In The Odyssey, the central point is Odysseus struggling to go back home.

    Read More

More about What Are The Similarities Between O Brother Where Art Thou And The Odyssey

Open Document