Ulysses
Everett McGill, O' Brother Where Art Thou (2000) Web Source: John's Entertainment
Have you ever heard a story from a
grandparent that just seems too
far-fetched to be true? Well if so, I ask you to open your mind to a
new and exciting world of imagination as we explore Homer's Odyssey. We
will travel with brave Odysseus on his adventures home as he departs
from the great city of Troy. We will encounter a fierce man-eating
Cyclops, evil magicians and much, much more. Some scholars believe that
the story of the Odyssey would have taken place around the 12th Century
B.C.E. It covers a vast expanse of water and land, spreading from the
Aegean Sea (by mainland Greece and the shores of modern-day Turkey) all
throughout the Mediterranean Sea.
This story is Greek in origin, and
tells us of Odysseus after he and
the Greeks sack Troy. Odysseus is the King of Ithaca, and he helps
Menelaus in his war to rescue his wife Helen from her Trojan abductor
Paris, the Prince of Troy. Odysseus, a very clever and cunning man,
plays a key role during the war as it was his idea to build the Trojan
Horse, the colossal wooden horse full of Greek soldiers that leads to
the end of the great city of Troy. The war lasts a costly ten years,
and his journey home another ten. The stories that will be told are
from Odysseus’ ten year journey home.
Old Grandpa Odysseus will be
telling his story to the children of
Ithaca. He will be recounting his journey and we will be sitting in and
enjoying his adventures with all of the children gathered around him. This is, however, a long story. Because
of this we will only be able to
listen to some of the more important chapters of his journey.
One of the stories that we will
hear is that of the Cyclops. The
Cyclops' name is Polyphemus and he is the son of
Poseidon. This is
where our story begins. Odysseus and his men are trapped in Polyphemus'
cave, and it is here we will see just how clever Odysseus was in his
younger years, which is all I can say without giving away the story.
Another story that we will hear
from Odysseus involves his encounters with Circe.
Circe is a minor Greek goddess of
magic who
will cause some problems for Odysseus and his men, but will
eventually
put him on the right path home.
The Blind Seer, O' Brother Where Art Thou (2000)
Web Source: Youtube
(Screen Shot)
For the next part of the story we will hear about Odysseus' Journey Home, beginning with his
journey to the Underworld, where he will learn which route he needs to
take to get home. Odysseus will then tell us of his encounter with the
Sirens and how his ship was wrecked leaving him stranded alone on
the
Island of Calypso. All of this leads to his eventual arrival in Ithaca.
The Sirens, O'
Brother Where Art Thou (2000)
Web Source: Box
Office Report
Ulysses
Everett McGill (The Soggy Bottom Boys), O' Brother Where Art Thou (2000)
Web Source: Brisbane
Times
Once in Ithaca, we will hear
about his meeting with his wife Penelope, and
Her Suitors. This is his final
task, reclaiming his kingdom after all of these years away. Will he
outwit them all, or will he be bested and be forced to live a new life
as "no man"? This will be the exciting conclusion of his epic
adventure.
