Penelope V. Penny (Quarter 2 BM revision) Q4 BM

We were reading the "Odyssey" at one point, and then watched a movie  ( "O, brother where art thou?") that based it's story line off of the "Odyssey". As a benchmark, we had to take two characters from the book and the movie and compare/contrast them. I chose Penelope who was the wife of Odysseus/Ulysses.

Victoria Yarbrough

Penelope v. Penny

 

Authors and directors have very different ideas on the way a character should be portrayed. However, it can confuse a viewer or a reader and make things a tad bit hard to follow. In The Odyssey, Penelope is viewed, as strong while Penny in “O, Brother Where Art Thou” is viewed as mean. A viewer may wonder why a director would change her character, but the differences in the two are important as well. Even though Penelope is portrayed in both “The Odyssey” and O, brother where art thou? She is stern towards Everett in “O, brother where art thou”, while Penelope is more loving, and understanding in “The Odyssey”.  However, both these characters challenge Odysseus and Everett, which leaves the viewer with a bad taste for Penny in O, brother where art thou? and makes it hard for Odysseus and Everett to settle down and be home.

 

In O’ brother where art thou?, Penelope is strict and hurt by the fact that Everett left, but she conceals it with anger. For example, when Everett comes back to his hometown and sees Penny in the store, she gives him the cold shoulder and disowns him in front of some of the townspeople and his own children. This shows that she does not want anything to do with Everett. There is a moment of intensity and attraction when Everett grabs Penny, but she quickly goes back to being stubborn and not giving him the chance to tell her all that had happened. This proves that she still has feelings for him, but is upset that he left her on her own. Instead of being understanding, she lets her “suitor” challenge Everett in a fight, which he loses and causes him to get thrown out the store. Viewers do not respond well to this because Everett is the main character and went through all of his triumph and adventure just to be with Penny, and in response, she acts like he is a stranger and not the man she married.

 

However, in “The Odyssey” Penelope is more loving and understanding. For example, through the whole entire book Penelope is faithful. There are countless times where she weeps for Odysseus, stands up in his name, and tricks her suitors to buy time for Odysseus. On Page 393 [99-104] Penelope says “ “Make no mistake you brazen shameless bitch… how well you knew that I meant to probe this stranger and ask about my husband… my heart breaks for him.” Penelope rages at one of her maids for being rude to a stranger who has information on the whereabouts of Odysseus. This is evidence that Penelope still yearns for Odysseus and is faithful no matter how far away he is. If she wasn’t faithful, then she would have never spoken to Melantho in that way.

 

Together, both Penelope’s challenge Odysseus and make it somewhat hard for him to fully return home. In “O, Brother Where Art Thou”, Penny – after much convincing- remarries Everett. However, she will not marry him without her old wedding ring, which is all the way back in their old home. This task is challenging for Everett because the house is far away and the ring may not even be there.  Also, in the “Odyssey” Penelope challenges Odysseus to see for herself if it’s really her husband. In the “Odyssey” Penelope says,  “ Come, Eurycleia move the sturdy bedstead out of our bridal chamber- that the master built with his own hands …”  (Page 461 lines 198-200) she says this to test Odysseus because only he would get upset by her saying this.

 

The differences in both these women make the character of Penelope hard to follow at times. However, the differences are what make the “Odyssey” and “O, brother where art thou” tie together in the end. It shows how an author thinks the way Penelope should be. A viewer would ponder the reason why the author of the book, and the director of the movie would make Penelope different, but in all, the sternness of Penny and the cunning way of Penelope help to make both the movie and book a good read and an attention keeping film.

REVISION:

Victoria Yarbrough

Penelope v. Penny

 

Authors and directors have very different ideas on the way a character should be portrayed. However, it can confuse a viewer or a reader and make things a tad bit hard to follow. In The Odyssey, Penelope is viewed, as strong while Penny in “O, Brother Where Art Thou” is viewed as mean. A viewer may wonder why a director would change her character, but the differences in the two are important as well. Even though Penelope is portrayed in both “The Odyssey” and O, brother where art thou? She is stern towards Everett in “O, brother where art thou”, while Penelope is more loving, and understanding in “The Odyssey”.  However, both these characters challenge Odysseus and Everett, which leaves the viewer with a bad taste for Penny in O, brother where art thou? and makes it hard for Odysseus and Everett to settle down and be home.

 

In O’ brother where art thou?, Penelope is strict and hurt by the fact that Everett left, but she conceals it with anger. For example, when Everett comes back to his hometown and sees Penny in the store, she gives him the cold shoulder and disowns him in front of some of the townspeople and his own children. This shows that she does not want anything to do with Everett. There is a moment of intensity and attraction when Everett grabs Penny, but she quickly goes back to being stubborn and not giving him the chance to tell her all that had happened. This proves that she still has feelings for him, but is upset that he left her on her own. Instead of being understanding, she lets her “suitor” challenge Everett in a fight, which he loses and causes him to get thrown out the store. Viewers do not respond well to this because Everett is the main character and went through all of his triumph and adventure just to be with Penny, and in response, she acts like he is a stranger and not the man she married.

 

However, in “The Odyssey” Penelope is more loving and understanding. For example, through the whole entire book Penelope is faithful. There are countless times where she weeps for Odysseus, stands up in his name, and tricks her suitors to buy time for Odysseus. On Page 393 [99-104] Penelope says “ “Make no mistake you brazen shameless bitch… how well you knew that I meant to probe this stranger and ask about my husband… my heart breaks for him.” Penelope rages at one of her maids for being rude to a stranger who has information on the whereabouts of Odysseus. This is evidence that Penelope still yearns for Odysseus and is faithful no matter how far away he is. If she wasn’t faithful, then she would have never spoken to Melantho in that way.

 

Together, both Penelope’s challenge Odysseus and make it somewhat hard for him to fully return home. In “O, Brother Where Art Thou”, Penny – after much convincing- remarries Everett. However, she will not marry him without her old wedding ring, which is all the way back in their old home. This task is challenging for Everett because the house is far away and the ring may not even be there.  Also, in the “Odyssey” Penelope challenges Odysseus to see for herself if it’s really her husband. In the “Odyssey” Penelope says,  “ Come, Eurycleia move the sturdy bedstead out of our bridal chamber- that the master built with his own hands …”  (Page 461 lines 198-200) she says this to test Odysseus because only he would get upset by her saying this.

 

The differences in both these women make the character of Penelope hard to follow at times. However, the differences are what make the “Odyssey” and “O, brother where art thou” tie together in the end. It shows how an author thinks the way Penelope should be. A viewer would ponder the reason why the author of the book, and the director of the movie would make Penelope different, but in all, the sternness of Penny and the cunning way of Penelope help to make both the movie and book a good read and an attention keeping film.