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Comparing Homer's Odyssey And O Brother Where Art Thou?

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Over the course of human history people have always believed in a supreme, divine being, or a god. Today’s society is no exception, there are countless of religions from Christianity to Hinduism. The archetypal theme of “respect for the gods” in both Homer’s Odyssey and the Coen brothers film O Brother Where Art Thou? shows similarities and differences between society's belief in a god in the present and during the time of the Ancient Greeks. A theme in both the epic and the film is: if one is respectful to the gods he will be helped, but if one is disrespectful he will be punished. The first example of help is shown in the poem through Odysseus’ rescue from Calypso’s island. Odysseus was stuck on the island against his will and wanted to get back home. (Homer 1.56-57) The Greek pantheon decided to help him because they remembered Odysseus’ sacrifices, Athena told Zeus, “ Did not Odysseus offer you delightful sacrifices?”(1.62-63) Zeus responds by agreeing to rescue Odysseus. This situation shows how the Greeks believed that sacrificing and being respectful of the gods could help get a person out of a tight spot. The Greeks also believed that their misfortunes were caused by the gods …show more content…

It can be seen in the Odyssey through Odysseus’ and his men’s actions, for the most part they respected and feared the gods like every good Greek. The meaning of God is different in O Brother Where Art Thou? compared to the Odyssey, not as many people believe there is a God in O Brother Where Art Thou?, while in the Odyssey the belief was universal. An example of non-belief in the film O Brother Where Art Thou? is: Ulysses’ has a continual struggle with the existence of God. Finally when prays to God asking to be saved from the sheriff, God sends a flood. Seeing this Ulysses does not believe it was God but that it was the people flooding the valley. These works show how the belief in a god has evolved over

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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’.

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Throughout the story of Odysseus’s journey told by Homer, there are many defining examples of interaction between humans and their gods. The gods primarily interact with humans by either siding with or against them. The gods would often side with humans since they wanted to help them such as Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, helping Telemachus, Odysseus’s son, whereas the gods seeking revenge such as Poseidon, who sought revenge on Odysseus for slaying his son Polyphemus, would turn against them. While actual interaction between gods and humans seems to be a rather risible idea, there was much guidance given to humans by the gods throughout the Odyssey.

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“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.

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Divine intervention, or the role of the gods, plays a predominant role in the development of the eventual fate of the main characters; Odysseus, his son, Telemachus and his wife, Penelope. Homer is able to effectively incorporate the employment of divine forces as facilitators in destiny, as well as efficiently engage the readers through his vivid description of the various predicaments faced by Odysseus. Divine intervention is a phenomenon widely used in mythological epics. The gods play protagonistic and antagonistic roles; they essentially toy with the character until his fate is evident. Homer utilizes this right from the very beginning; we see Athena coming to the aid of Odysseus when Zeus refuses to have sympathy for him due to the fact that most heroes blame the Gods for their doom;

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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.

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The Odyssey is an epic poem written by the blind, illiterate poet Homer. It takes place in ancient Greece and tells of a man’s journey home from war. The topic, intervention of the gods, is seen throughout the book numerous times as the gods who are in favor of Odysseus lend a helping hand. It is well-known that the gods are very important to the Greeks. In this epic poem, The Odyssey, Homer demonstrates the importance of the positive and encouraging intervention of the gods in Greek culture; the brave actions, encouraging words, and cunning strategies of Athena as she assists and guides Odysseus on his journey back home.

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During Odysseus’ journey home from Calypso’s island, he pleas for help from the immortals. “I throw myself on your mercy, on your current now- I have suffered greatly. Pity me, lord, your suppliant cries for help” (Homer 5.494-496). Odysseus has accepted his mortality, and is begging to higher beings for help. Through his suffering, Odysseus is recognizing the power the deathless gods possess and his need for their support, showcasing a newfound humility.

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In Homer’s Odyssey, gods and other supernatural beings dominated every aspect of mortal life. All living things and phenomena that occur in the world can be traced back to the gods. Seeing as how gods are responsible for the lives of mortals and the state of the natural world, performing deeds that anger the gods would prove to be disastrous while performing deeds that please the gods would prove to be beneficial. Odysseus’ journey back to Ithaca after the Trojan War was took ten years due to angering gods like Poseidon and Helios. However, it was through Athena’s aid that he was able to make it back home.

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