Gorgon's head on a silver coin
used with permission
Classics 215:

Mythology

Fall 2005


The god Apollo on a gold coin of Syracuse
image courtesy of Edgar L. Owen, #3803

Topics for "Final" Papers, i.e. Papers # 6 & #7


Due  on  Friday, December 9 at 5 pm

Directions: Choose from the following topics (always cite correctly and sufficiently):

1. Apart from the song "I am a man of constant sorrow," examine the importance of song in both the Odyssey (as given in Powell) and the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? As always, make sure you give specific examples to back up your conclusions.

2. Compare and contrast the "character" of Odysseus in
both the Odyssey (as given in Powell) and the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou. As always, make sure you give specific examples to back up your conclusions.

3. From the point of view of a book/movie critic, evaluate the changes the Coen brothers made with regard to at least 2 (option 1) or 4 (option 2) of the following:
Menelaus--Pappy O'Daniel
one suitor--many suitors
Telemachus--young female children
bard--Tommy, the guitar player
Poseidon--warden

In your conclusion address why the changes were successful or not. As always, make sure you give specific examples to back up your conclusions.

4.  Evaluate how alike Penelope and Penny are using their initial decisions to be faithful to or leave Odysseus/Everett as the starting point for your discussion.
As always, make sure you give specific examples to back up your conclusions.

FYI: If you wish, you may use a text of the Odyssey or the following internet translation (click here) or the script of the movie (click here)  Citing either of these:
Print version: Standard bibliography at the end of the work; book and line numbers at the end of sentences, i.e. (Bk 1, 113-135).
Internet: Script of the movie--put (script) at the end of sentences when you quote directly from the movie. Translation of the Odyssey--put (Bk #, ICA) at the end of sentences--ICA=The Internet Classics Archive. As I have provided the links, no biblio needed.