The film “O’ Brother Where Art Thou” is based on the adventures of Odysseus Odysseus, also known by the Latin variant Ulysses, is a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in that same epic cycle.Odysseus
Odyssey
The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other Homeric epic. The Odyssey is fundamental to the modern Western canon; it is the second-oldest extant work of Western literature, while the Iliad is the oldest. Sc…
What is O Brother where art though?
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a 2000 crime comedy-drama film written, produced, co-edited and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, and starring George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson, with Chris Thomas King, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, and Charles Durning in supporting roles.
What is the meaning of Oh Brother where art thou?
The title of the film is a reference to the Preston Sturges 1941 film Sullivan's Travels, in which the protagonist is a director who wants to film O Brother, Where Art Thou?, a fictitious book about the Great Depression. Much of the music used in the film is period folk music.
Who was Everetts wife in Oh Brother where art thou?
The story very closely mirrors that of Homer’s Odyssey in regards to the challenges and triumphs faced. Ulysses is the main character, and though he tells his companions they are looking for treasure, he is really seeking his wife (Holly Hunter) back home, who is dangerously close to falling into the arms of another man.
Who are the characters in O Brother where art thou?
Who were the three main characters in O Brother Where Art Thou? Plot. Three convicts, Ulysses Everett McGill, Pete, and Delmar O’Donnell, escape from a chain gang and set out to retrieve a supposed treasure Everett buried before the area is flooded to make a lake.
How does the Odyssey relate to O Brother Where Art Thou?
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.
Did the Coen brothers read the Odyssey?
The setting came first. The situation, these three fugitives in the chain gang, given the Clooney character is trying to get back home, it just suggested the Odyssey to us." Both admit they have never read Homer's epic poem, although they did read the classic comic version of it. Ethan says it's "much easier that way.
Is Oh Brother Where Art Thou based on a book?
The 2000 film is set in 1937 rural Mississippi during the Great Depression. Its story is a modern satire loosely based on Homer's epic Greek poem the Odyssey that incorporates social features of the American South....O Brother, Where Art Thou?Based onThe Odyssey by HomerProduced byEthan Coen15 more rows
What larger themes are present in both the Odyssey and O Brother Where Art Thou?
This theme of loyalty and devotion can be seen in both Homer's "Odyssey" and the movie, "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" One can see both Odysseus and Everett are devoted and loyal to their men and their wives and can keep calm in stressful and tough situations (fortitude).
Is Ulysses based on the Odyssey?
Ulysses, a novel by the Irish writer James Joyce, is a key text of literary modernism. Divided into 18 chapters, it follows the structure of Homer's Odyssey, the ancient Greek epic poem about Odysseus's journey home from the Trojan War to his wife Penelope in Ithaca.
Who is Circe in the Odyssey?
Circe is a nymph, daughter of the sun god Helios, banished to the island of Aiaia for using magic to turn a romantic rival into the monster Scylla. Alone, she begins to hone her craft.
When was The Odyssey written?
7th century BCThe Iliad and Odyssey are conventionally dated to the late 8th or early 7th century BC. By this time the use of writing was becoming more widespread in Greece and it seems that the poems were also set down for the first time. But it's clear that the poems contain features preserved from the pre-writing age.
Who wrote The Odyssey?
HomerOdyssey / AuthorHomer is the legendary author to whom the authorship of the Iliad and the Odyssey is attributed. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential authors of all time. Wikipedia
What do the sirens represent in O Brother Where Art Thou?
The sirens are a sign that the travellers are weary, beginning to lose their willpower to continue, and have fallen prey to the sirens' allure.
What were the Lotus Eaters in The Odyssey?
Odysseus and his men land on an island inhabited by the Lotus Eaters, a gentle people who only consume the fruit of the lotus plant. Those who eat the lotus fruit forget about returning home, preferring instead to hang out on the lotus island and eat lotus fruit.
What is the meaning of where art thou?
Juliet isn't asking where Romeo is—she's asking why he's Romeo. Because of the base word where, modern ears often interpret this line as asking the question: “Where are you, Romeo?” In fact, it's asking, “Why are you Romeo?” The following line gives us a clue: Deny thy father and refuse thy name.
Who are sirens in The Odyssey?
The Sirens, according to a warning from Circe, a goddess who once held Odysseus captive, are winged monster women who are part bird and part human. The Sirens' goal is to lure sailors off course and to their deaths. Their Siren song can hypnotize sailors, causing them to crash their boats into rocks and land.
Where is the Odyssey by Homer?
The Odyssey, by Homer is a grand epic poem that tells the story of the Greek hero, Odysseus, and his journey home to Ithaca following the fall of Troy. This oft told epic journey is a common and popular literary plot; one around which many films have been fashioned.
What is the story of Odysseus?
The Odyssey, by Homer is a grand epic poem that tells the story of the Greek hero, Odysseus, and his journey home to Ithaca following the fall of Troy. This oft told epic journey is a common and popular literary plot; one around which many films have been fashioned.
What is the name of the king of Sparta and Pappy O'Daniel?
King of Sparta and Pappy O’Daniel’s first name is Menelaus. The scene in the theatre is like Odysseus descending into the underworld. Everett calls himself “the old campaigner or the old tactician like Odysseus. Everett’s Dapper Dan pomade is a reference to Odysseus’s pride. Everett is glib and deceptive like Odysseus.
Where is Everett trying to return home?
Everett is trying to return home to Ithaca, Mississippi, while Odysseus is trying to make his way home to Ithaca, Greece. In addition to the similarity of Penny and Penelope’s names, Everett’s own first name, Ulysses also bears a connection to Odysseus. In Virgil’s’ Aeneid, Odysseus’s name takes on the Latin form, Ulysses.5.
What is the quest of the trio?
The trio’s quest is to retrieve the treasure before the valley is flooded in a just few days time. Odysseus, our hero in Homer’s Odyssey, begins his ten year journey home after the war with Troy with a break-out, as well.
Is Odysseus trying to get home to Penelope?
Similarly, Odysseus is also trying to get home to his own beloved Penelope. She has been besieged by suitors of her own, who believe, because of Odysseus’ lengthy absence, that he too, must surly be dead. There appear to be references to the Odyssey in the Coens’ use of names, as well. Everett is trying to return home to Ithaca, Mississippi, ...
Who is the blind seer in the Odyssey?
The allusion here, of course, is to Teiresias, the old blind seer in the Odyssey. Odysseus seeks out Teiresias when he visits the underworld. Teiresias prophesizes to Odysseus about his journey, and warns him of the perils that he and his crew will face in much the same way.
Plot
Three convicts, Ulysses Everett McGill, Pete, and Delmar O'Donnell, escape from a chain gang and set out to retrieve a supposed treasure Everett buried before the area is flooded to make a lake. The three get a lift from a blind man driving a handcar on a railway.
Cast
George Clooney as Ulysses Everett McGill. He corresponds to Odysseus (Ulysses) in the Odyssey.
Production
The idea of O Brother, Where Art Thou? arose spontaneously. Work on the script began in December 1997, long before the start of production, and was at least half-written by May 1998.
Music
Music was originally conceived as a major component of the film, not merely as a background or a support. Producer and musician T Bone Burnett worked with the Coens while the script was still in its working phases and the soundtrack was recorded before filming commenced.
Release
The film premiered at the AFI Film Festival on October 19, 2000 and the United States on December 22, 2000. It grossed $71,868,327 worldwide off its $26 million budget.
Soggy Bottom Boys
The Soggy Bottom Boys are the fictional musical group that the main characters form to serve as accompaniment for the film. It has been suggested that the name is in homage to the Foggy Mountain Boys, a bluegrass band led by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs.
Where is the movie O Brother Where Art Thou based?
Without question, the film O Brother Where Art Thou is loosely based on Homer’s epic Poem (The Odyssey) but with one major twist, it is a modern retelling of the story set in the Deep South in the 1930’s.
Why does Everett make his journey back?
Everett is making his journey back to stop the marriage of his wife to Vernon much like Odysseus making the journey back to kill his wife’s suitors. Finally when Everett does actually confront Vernon he is badly beaten one could argue that this is similar to how Telemachus is unable to stop his mother’s suitors.
Symbolism In Oh Brother Where Art Thou
Intertextuality is the term used to describe the continuing interaction between poems or stories that contribute to a deeper understanding of the author’s purpose. Oh Brother Where Art Thou is a movie made to mimic the perilous journey of The Odyssey.
Ulysses Everett Mcgill Character Analysis
UNDERSTANDING PLOT AND CHARACTER (K/U) 1. Describe the personalities of the three main characters Ulysses Everett McGill, Pete Hog wallop and Delmar O’ Donell. (3 point) Ulysses Everett McGill is a clever, quick-witted person and fast-talking. He’s good at coming up with good plans when things go wrong.
The Odyssey: What Defines A Hero?
What Defines a Hero? Throughout history many different definitions of heroes have been present. Whether you look at how our culture defines a hero, how the epic poem, “The Odyssey,” defines a hero, how the Bible defines a hero, or how you define a hero.
Similarities Between The Odyssey And Beowulf
Even though Odysseus is not a great person and is not he does show some characteristics of being an epic. The Odyssey and Beowulf compare and contrast quite nicely since they are both old and have some of the same principles. You can see many qualities of an epic in both of these adventures, but one stands out far greater than the other.
Homeward Bound In The Odyssey
The bittersweet feeling stands as a common tone not through this song only but The Odyssey as well. Certainly “Homeward Bound” would fit a Odyssey movie theme song due to its striking similarities between the epic poem and
Agamemnon And Odysseus Analysis
The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to The Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer. The epic raises questions about what an odyssey is for Odysseus and secondary characters who mimic Odysseus's progress throughout the story.
Terry Malloy: The Byronic Hero
He is superior to other men, has heroic virtues, shows great capacity for emotion, and is rebellious. Malloy’s above strength and talent as a pugilist puts him above the other dockworkers, and he certainly presents pride, which is the greatest of a hero’s virtues according to Aristotle.
Overview
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a music-filled comedy-drama written, produced, co-edited and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and starring George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson, with Chris Thomas King, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, and Charles Durning in supporting roles.
The 2000 film is set in 1937 rural Mississippi during the Great Depression. Its story is a modern satire loosely based on Homer's epic Greek poem the Odyssey that incorporates social features o…
Plot
Three convicts, Pete and Delmar led by Ulysses Everett McGill, escape from a chain gang and set out to retrieve a treasure Everett said was buried before the area is flooded to make a lake. The three get a lift from a blind man driving a handcar on a railway. He tells them they will find a fortune, but not the one they seek. The trio make their way to the house of Wash, Pete's cousin. They sleep in the barn, but Wash reports them to Sheriff Cooley, who, along with his men, torche…
Cast
• George Clooney as Ulysses Everett McGill. He corresponds to Odysseus (Ulysses) in the Odyssey. His singing voice is dubbed by Dan Tyminski.
• John Turturro as Pete. (His last name is never stated in the film.) Along with Delmar, Pete represents Odysseus' soldiers who wander with him from Troy to Ithaca, seeking to return home. His singing is dubbed by Harley Allen.
Production
The idea of O Brother, Where Art Thou? arose spontaneously. Work on the script began in December 1997, long before the start of production, and was at least half-written by May 1998. Despite the fact that Ethan Coen described the Odyssey as "one of my favorite storyline schemes", neither of the brothers had read the epic, and they were only familiar with its content through adaptations and numerous references to the Odyssey in popular culture. According to the brothe…
Music
Music was originally conceived as a major component of the film, not merely as a background or a support. Producer and musician T Bone Burnett worked with the Coens while the script was still in its working phases and the soundtrack was recorded before filming commenced.
Much of the music used in the film is period-specific folk music. The musical selection also includes religious music, including Primitive Baptist and traditional African American gospel, mos…
Release
The film premiered at the AFI Film Festival on October 19, 2000, and the United States on December 22, 2000. It grossed $71,868,327 worldwide off its $26 million budget.
Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives it a score of 78% based on 154 reviews and an average score of 7.12/10. The consensus reads: "Though not as good as Coen brothers' classics such as Blood Simple, the delightfully loopy O Brother, Where Art Thou? is still a lot of fun." The fi…
Soggy Bottom Boys
The Soggy Bottom Boys are the fictional musical group that the main characters form to serve as accompaniment for the film. It has been suggested that the name is in homage to the Foggy Mountain Boys, a bluegrass band led by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. In the film, the songs credited to the band are lip-synched by the actors, except that Tim Blake Nelson does sing his own vocals on "In the Jailhouse Now".
External links
• O Brother, Where Art Thou? at IMDb
• O Brother, Where Art Thou? at AllMovie
• O Brother, Where Art Thou? at Box Office Mojo
• O Brother, Where Art Thou? at Rotten Tomatoes