Ulysses And Odysseus Comparison Essay

Odysseus and Ulysses Legends are often alluded to in modern works of art. The Odyssey is a collection of stories detailing the adventures of Odysseus, the great hero of the Trojan War. Odysseus is alluded to in several books and movies, including O Brother, Where Art Thou?. In O Brother, Where Art Thou?, a character named Ulysses Everett McGill closely resembles Odysseus. The movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? adapts Odysseus from The Odyssey to create a witty and proud character named Ulysses. Ulysses is based on Odysseus in that Ulysses is also a shrewd, and often arrogant, leader who changes throughout the story. Because Odysseus is a clever person, he often formulates plans in order to escape danger and keep his crew from harm. However, his wit also causes him to be arrogant. For example,
Odysseus usually creates plans that benefit himself, but the movie further emphasizes the trickery of Odysseus in its adaptation of Ulysses. Ulysses cheats a blind radio station operator of his money, even though the blind man did not do anything to harm Ulysses. Although Odysseus often insults his enemies, “stinging taunts” at them and calling them “blithering”, he does not cheat innocent people or harm them in any way (Homer 226). Ulysses, however, steals a gold watch from Pete’s cousin, and he is constantly portrayed as a thief and a cheater in the movie. Furthermore, the end of The Odyssey and O Brother, Where Art Thou? both show a change in Odysseus and Ulysses. They both appear to conquer their pride and try to become a better person. Odysseus humbles himself by transforming into a beggar to get rid of the suitors, while Ulysses, although he still has a smart mouth, learns from his mistakes and strives to place his family first. O Brother, Where Art Thou? adapts Odysseus from The Odyssey to create a character that closely resembles Odysseus’s personality traits and transformation from the beginning to the end of the