In How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Foster mentions that parallels in books and movies are sometimes there for ironic purposes. He mentions the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? as an example. Foster says the film parallels the Greek epic poem the Odyssey. The movie and poem do parallel each other in many ways. One example is that the characters from O Brother, Where Art Thou? are based on the characters in the Odyssey. Ulysses Everett McGill from O Brother, Where Art Thou? is based on Odysseus from the Odyssey, Menelaus O'Daniel from O Brother, Where Art Thou? is based on King Menelaus from the Odyssey, and Penny from O Brother, Where Art Thou? is based on Penelope from the Odyssey. Another example is that parts of the plot from O Brother, Where Art Thou? closely resemble the plot of the Odyssey. Although the plots and characters of both O Brother, Where Art Thou? and the Odyssey are not exactly the same, they do parallel each other in …show more content…
are based on, and sometimes even named after the characters in the Greek epic poem, the Odyssey. For example, Ulysses Everett McGill from O Brother, Where Art Thou? resembles Odysseus from the Odyssey. First off, Ulysses is the Latin form of the Greek name Odysseus. Second off, the characters are very alike and share many similar characteristics. Both characters are quick-tongued, sly, and intelligent leaders. Another example is Menelaus O'Daniel from O Brother, Where Art Thou? He resembles and shares a name with King Menelaus from the Odyssey, or the King of Sparta who also fought alongside Odysseus at Troy. One final example is Penny, Ulysses Everett McGill’s wife from O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Penelope, Odysseus’s wife from the Odyssey. They also share a name, since Penny is a shorter version of the name Penelope. The movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? ironically parallels the Odyssey because its characters are based on the characters in the