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O Brother Where Art Thou Summary

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Siegel, J. "The Coens’ O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Homer’s Odyssey." Mouseion: Journal of the Classical Association of Canada, vol. 7 no. 3, 2007, pp. 213-245. Project MUSE, doi:10.1353/mou.0.0029

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.

Toscano, Margaret M. "Homer Meets the Coen Brothers: Memory as Artistic Pastiche in O
Brother, Where Art Thou?." Film & History (03603695), vol. 39, no. 2, Fall2009, …show more content…

From the perspective of a Southern writer, this piece provides detailed information on the Southern culture that the film portrays. In addition, it explores the countless influences that the film draws from Southern stories, myths, and traditions. This article will help me explore the Southern aspect of the film and the ways the Coen brothers paint a canvas of this culture. Thoughts and quotes from this article will be integrated into my discussion of Southern culture as I forward these thoughts into discussing the Coen brother’s subtle critique of this same

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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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“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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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 Coen brothers write about the Odyssey in their film, O Brother, Where Art Thou?. O Brother, Where Art Thou? mimics the Odyssey in a surreal sense. The writing from the Coen brothers depicts many parallels between the two stories, almost as if O Brother, Where Art Thou?

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