CLUSTER 4

TEXT: THE ODYSSEY

FILM: O' BROTHER WHERE ART THOU?

INTRODUCTION

"The Odyssey" by Homer is a story about the journey home of Odysseus to meet with his family especially his wife Penelope after the war of Troy and after he was kept in captivity for about 13 years. Odysseus is the hero of this story had to go through several challenges and tests during his journey home and before he could reach home. While at the same time Penelope was facing dilemma due to many other men wanted her to be their wife. Their son, Telemachus, also made a journey to look for his father with the help of Athena, one of the Goddess. Similarly, Telemachus also had to face hurdles and challenges in his journey. They met with all sorts of tests particularly Odysseus who was tested on his loyalty to his wife. He met with the sirens for examples and he had to really refrain himself from the seduction of the sirens. As a man,who has been away from his wife, I think this is very challenging. However, Odysseus has been portrayed as a good man by Homer.

"The Odyssey" is the basis to the movie "O' Brother where art thou?" This movie is a modern version of Homer's. This is a comedy movie about three man, who were chained , ran away together while working in a road construction. One of the ,Ulysses has his own agenda while the other two are just the since they are chained together.

THEME REVIEW

The difference between Odysseus and these three chained men is that Odysseus is clever but they are not. Ulysses mission is to go back to his family and wife. During the journey they encounter with few challenges and there are few occasions where it is almost the same as what Odysseus has gone through such as the meeting with the sirens. All the occasions and events that they went through during the journey have taught them to be a better person. Odysseus, for example even though he is well known for his intelligence and endurance he becomes more loyal to his wife and wiser in taking actions. He disguised as a beggar to test Penelope. For the three chained men (Ulysses, Delmar and Pete) they learned how to be loyal to their friends. They value their friendship more than other thing. Their relationship have turned into brothers. That's how the journey that they have gone through has changed their lives. They want to become better people and live the life same as others.

CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, there is an idiom in Malay which if it is translated more or less means "the further your journey, the wider your experience will be" (Jauh Perjalanan Luas Pengalaman).