Oddyssey
In Homer's "The Odyssey", Odysseus is portrayed as an epic hero like Everett McGill in the movie O Brother Where Art Thou; however, Odysseus' role as a hero is a more aggressive and authentic one, whereas Everett McGill's role is more of a common character who is portrayed as a hero by the virtue of the luck he possesses. An epic hero, defined according to Webster's dictionary, is a "mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability extending beyond the usual or ordinary." Odysseus is truly an epic hero; due to his experience as a fighter in the Trojan War, he possesses true heroic qualities, such as battling immortal characters and rescuing himself from the midst of the ocean. On the other hand, Everett McGill journeys with a group of three fugitives who have escaped from prison and are in the midst of a struggle to find their way home as soon as possible. Everett McGill just happens to be the wisest, only when compared to his other two partners; he is therefore known as a hero amongst the three convicts, whereas Odysseus has the potential to be a hero in any given situation. Due to his role in "The Odyssey", Odysseus can definitely be classified as an epic hero. In his jou
Clearly, as exemplified by his experiences and accomplishments, Odysseus definitely qualifies as a true epic hero due to his "great strength...extending beyond the ordinary" (Webster's Dictionary), whereas McGill only is portrayed so, because of the role luck and fortune play on his side. Evidently, Odysseus' actions during the Trojan War, his journey home, and his encounter with Cyclops, required much more effort, than those that Everett McGill engaged in during his journey. Everett McGill, on the other hand, qualifies as a hero only when compared to his partners on the voyage, who did not qualify as a hero whatsoever. One must keep in mind, however, that both characters are definitely heroes, although one more innately than the other. McGill is recognized as a hero amid the three convicts, whereas Odysseus has the potential to be a hero in any given situation, at any given time. Although Everett McGill is not as courageous as Odysseus, he too is portrayed as an epic hero in the movie 'O Brother Where Art Thou'. Unlike Odysseus though, Everett McGill's heroic traits are not innate; instead; he is a hero by luck. In simpler words, McGill is viewed as a hero by comparison only. For example, in McGill's case, it does not take much skill to escape from prison and journey home especially with the help of two comrades-a situation in which each one of them can help the other. Yet, it takes much more courage and valor to journey home unaccompanied, and face life-threatening obstacles-such as being shipwrecked or being forced to battle with a giant monster-as in Odysseus' case. In addition, another point that differentiates between the heroic aspects of McGill and Odys
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Approximate Word count = 1136
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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