Similarities between The Odyssey and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" When it comes to exploring the cultural and moral similarities between ancient literature and adaptations modern times, “O Brother, Where Art Thou” and The Odyssey are a perfect topic to delve into The Odyssey has undergone countless translations and interpretations over the centuries, making it sometimes difficult to understand the cultural context of the original text, despite the time gap. , this epic story still resonates with us and reflects many of the situations we experience in our lives. By comparing "O brother, where art thou?" with the Odyssey, this essay can examine the similarities between the two works and gain a deeper understanding of their lasting relevance. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned"? Get an original essay The most modern adaptation of the film "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" a nice comic journey of three escaped convicts. Odysseus, the main hero of the Odyssey, and Ulysses Everett McGill, the leader of the convict squad in “O Brother, Where Art Thou? “, both have similar goals and qualities when you compare them. Interestingly, Ulysses is the Roman variant of the Greek name Ulysses. Both show signs of leadership and are very goal motivated. Yet both can easily go astray and take their eyes off the main goal, which keeps them away from their families. In the end, the main goal of both of them is to try to get home in any way possible. Both are overall more oriented towards the goal of being able to see their families again. Both experience spiritual growth during their journeys. Comparing The Odyssey and “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”, the journeys experienced change their overall perspective on life. Both experience growth in spirit and character. With all the difficulties we all experience throughout life, both translations/adaptations show that the mistakes we make do not define who we are or what we can become. During Odysseus' journey, he commits many careless acts. By committing adultery, he risks the lives of his crew with his reckless plans. He relies only on strength to overcome battles rather than planning or quick thinking. In comparison, Odysseus uses his mind to his advantage. Use acts of lying or deception. With his past criminal history of obtaining fake licenses to succeed, it shows that he does what he feels is necessary to get ahead or out of any situation. Overall, it is shown that he cares deeply about his wife and children. Even having to lie to both of his prison buddies about the treasure to escape prison and prevent his wife from remarrying. The plot common to both of these stories revolves around the main characters trying to return to their families after being away for long periods of time. Both are trying to return home with many obstacles and difficulties blocking their path. They desperately want to return to their normal lives. I have a feeling that in both stories temptations were the majority of what led the characters astray. They are always trying to reach their destination, but there always tends to be things that mislead them. In the Odyssey, the numerous temptations that Odysseus subjected himself to while traveling through distant lands. He managed to find food and find shelter through the livestock and people who lived there. He and his crew stole everything they thought was necessary for their voyages, such as food and supplies. In the end they did what they had to do to survive. He was very good at building bonds andtrust with the people around him, which ultimately led to him getting caught up and losing track of time. Sometimes he stayed in one place too long. Ulysses and his crew experienced similar situations. They would have to steal food and items that they could sell to survive on their long journey. Stealing cars, trinkets and even a cake. When Delmar and Pete were both baptized at the beginning of the film (as the church members all gathered near the river to be baptized), it showed that they both wanted to leave their dishonest past behind and start building a better life. Ulysses joked about how silly this was at times during the film. However, in the end, he was almost hanged by the sheriff who had been chasing them since their great escape. I liked the O Brother adaptation better as it brings a better comedic personality to the story. The addition of old folk music sung throughout the film makes it more enjoyable. Throughout the film, we see the difficulties these three men faced due to their problematic pasts. Even putting one's life at risk at times. You can see throughout the film that any similarities to The Odyssey were well thought out and provide good modern references to a great story. Odysseus was punished by the gods for fighting against the Trojans in the Trojan War. With O Brother's story, their being fugitives makes it much harder to return to a normal life. Having to avoid the law and not wanting to be noticed by others forces them to disguise themselves or hide their faces. At the beginning of the story, they begin their adventure of rebellion by meeting a blind railway worker. The prophecy tells them “Seek a great fortune, you three who are now in chains, and you will find a fortune. Even if it isn't the luck you're looking for. But first, first you have to travel a long and difficult road. A road full of dangers, you will see things. You will see a cow on the roof of a cotton house, and oh, how many surprises. I can't say how long this road will be. But do not fear obstacles in your path, for fate has guaranteed your reward. Even though the road may be tortuous and your hearts may grow weary, you will still continue to follow the path that leads to your salvation.” (Joel Coen, O Brother, Where Art Thou? First Scene). The fact that the group had never seen or met this man surprised them. Through the story, they see the treasure that Odysseus supposedly hid while working on the armored car he claimed to be doing. After Odysseus reveals to the group that no treasure ever existed. The journey that showed them growth. They risk their lives to save Tommy, their new friend, from almost being killed by the KKK group. When they were separated from Tommy and Pete, both members of this group, they risked their lives to save the people they cared about. Ulysses shows moments of care for his group. He uses teamwork with his men to outsmart Polyphemus. He understands the risk of having to sacrifice men to complete the tasks at hand. It shows that he cares about the men he is on this journey with. "My friends! We will not go down to Hades yet, no matter how sad we are, before the fateful day. Come on, since we have food and drink on board, let's not let ourselves die of hunger; now it's time to eat!". This shows that he takes a moment to care for the men around him. His leadership qualities are shown when he takes a moment to make sure his men take a moment to rest and feed. He has earned their respect for being the leader they feel they need in their eyes. Ulysses has great short-term memory qualities in battle. He understands that losing men and keeping the group focused is one of his tasks..