Disguises Part Two

The New Sheep

To escape from Polyphemus Odysseus and his crew hid under Polyphemus' sheep to exit his cave. 

During the film the Everett, Pete and Delmar disguise themselves in the white KKK hoods and dresses to escape detection from the other members in a hope to save Tommy, who is about to get lynched.

This is a clear allusion to the sheep disguises used by Odysseus. Though the disguises for Everett and his crew do not work as Big Dan smells Everett's hair pomade, highlighting his tragic flaw of pride (another link to Odysseus), and alerts his other KKK members of their presence.

The Racist Underworld

The Journey to the Underworld

Odysseus' journey to the underworld is symbolically shown in the film in the KKK scene. The three escapees descend down into the KKK meeting to save Tommy from the lynch mob. The landscape is made up of stone and a lot of fire rages, most prominently from a flaming cross at the head of the procession. All of these symbols allude to the fiery depths of the Underworld

The Test

The Bed Test and the Ring

When Odysseus does finally return home and show himself to Penelope she does not believe it is him so she asks to move the wedding bed, but only Odysseus knows that it cannot be moved and when he says this to Penelope she knows it to be him. 

Likewise in the film Penny tasks Everett to get the wedding ring from the shack in the valley. This object will give some legitimacy to their relationship and portray Everett's love for Penny. Everett does end up finding the ring and marrying Penny again. This is just a modern allusion to Odysseus' bed test. 

A Man of Constant Sorrow

Both Odysseus and Everett are described as a " Man of Constant Sorrow". Throughout The Odyssey Homer refers to Odysseus as the man of constant sorrow whilst in the film Everett and his crew form the Soggy Bottom Boys and perform the bluegrass song "Man of Constant Sorrow."

The suffering of the wandering hero then becomes a major motif in both texts. 

Sneak Greek

Is that Greek Architecture I See?

In the scene where George Nelson and the trio are having a campfire a collapsed Greek column can be seen in the background.

Sneaky Coen Brothers

Media Res

The Basic Plot Structure 

Bothe The Odyssey and O Brother, follow the structure of  in media res, which means "in the middle of things". The Odyssey begins with by telling of Odysseus trapped on the island of Calypso without describing how he got there. Likewise the film begins with Everett, Pete and Delmar escaping out of prison without viewers knowing how they arrived there in the first place. 

Offspring

Offspring and Suitors

In the film Everett first meets his three daughters who at first don't believe it is him as their mother told them he had been hit by a train and died. He meets his daughters before he even sees his wife Penny. This is a clear parallel to Odysseus meeting with his son Telemachus, who as well thinks his father died at war , before he meets with Penelope.

This scene from the movie also gives a nod to its Latin and Greek influences. In the dialogue between Everett and his daughters one describes Everett as not "bona fide", Latin for good faith, to which Everett replies that he is the "pater familias", aslo Latin for father of the family. 

The daughters later describe Vernon, Pennys new fiance as "Bona Fide" and the word "suitor" is mentioned twice. This alludes to the suitors in The Odyssey who Odysseus ends up killing to win his wife back. In this scene Everett attempts to fight Vernon but is badly beaten.