The Odyssey Within O Brother, Where Art Thou

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The Odyssey within O Brother, Where Art Thou Although the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou has a very different feel from that of The Odyssey, both seem to run parallel from one another when comparing the characters. Rather than the telling of a long journey after a war, the movie gives a humorous spin on runaway convicts in the 1930’s with the same characters. Despite the differences, many similarities between the movie and book can be made, the most apparent likeness being the main characters within both stories. The most obvious character reference to the book is Ulysses Evert McGee, the main individual of the story. Odysseus of The Odyssey is known as prideful, cunning, and able to get out of any situation. Evert has the same personality traits very strongly pronounced with his constant mention of his hair as one example of the pride he holds. The whole movie is focused on Evert and his desire to reunite with his wife before she remarries. Odysseus also holds the desire to see his family once more. Both men also hold very strong leadership positions with followers that are willing to do anything Evert or Odysseus orders them to accomplish. There are multiple other characters within O Brother, Where Art Thou that can represent people from The Odyssey. Another noticeable likeness is that of the sirens and the three women singing in the river. Evert’s wife Penny and Odysseus’s wife Penelope hold similar characteristics. Both women almost end up with other men but stay with the main character in the end. Tiresias prophesizes the future to Odysseus and his men, as does the blind railroad conductor to Evert, Delmar, and Pete. Big Dan T. and Polyphemus the Cyclops are two more characters that mirror one another. Both have one eye and attack the main character and his men. Polyphemus kills a few of Odysseus’s men and Big Dan kills the toad Delmar believes to be

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