Tales from the Public Domain

"Tales from the Public Domain"
The Simpsons episode
File:Tales from the Public Domain.jpg
Episode no.	Season 13
Directed by	Mike B. Anderson
Written by	Andrew Kreisberg Josh Lieb Matt Warburton
Original air date	March 17, 2002
Episode features
Chalkboard gag	“Vampire is not a career choice”
Couch gag	The Simpsons rushing to and sitting on the couch is animated in flipbook style, with the pages flipped by real hands.

“Tales from the Public Domain” is the fourteenth episode of The Simpsons’ thirteenth season. The episode aired on March 17, 2002 in the US. This episode has Josh Lieb's only writing credit despite serving as co-executive producer for many years.

Plot

Homer is told that he has an overdue book from the library, which he checked out when Bart was a baby. He says that he had intended to read to Bart every day, but various things had gotten in his way. (“Mostly car-related,” he remarks. “Piece of crap.”) Before he returns it, he reads from the book, telling three stories.

D’oh, Brother Where Art Thou?

In this story, Homer is Odysseus, and delivers the King of Troy (Ned Flanders) a Trojan horse. He and his crew, including Apu, Lenny, Moe, Professor Frink and Carl, kill all of Troy’s citizens and win. However, he refuses to sacrifice a sheep, angering the gods, Zeus (Mayor Quimby), Dionysus (Barney), and Poseidon (the Sea Captain). Dionysus tries to destroy Odysseus with a lightning bolt, but misses and instead destroys the Atlantis island. Poseidon literally blows Odysseus and his crew to the Sirens (Patty and Selma) and visit Circe (Lindsey Naegle), who turns his crew into pigs, whom Odysseus eats. Circe orders Odysseus to go through Hades, crossing the River Styx (which has the Styx song, Lady playing during the crossing), in order to go home so he can see Penelope (Marge) and Telemachus (Bart). When he arrives back to Ithaca, he spears all of the suitors (Krusty the Klown, Kirk Van Houten, Groundskeeper Willie, Mr. Burns, Disco Stu, and Sideshow Mel) trying to please Penelope. Penelope decides to take him back, though he leaves to go to Moe's (despite that Moe was eaten by Homer on the island of Circe).

Hot Child in the City

Lisa is Joan of Arc, who leads the French against the English in the Hundred Years’ War, which Homer implies was also called "Operation Speedy Resolution". Despite her family's concern, she joins the army, where she has new ideas about defeating the enemy. She meets the King of France (Milhouse). During a battle, the English capture Joan and put her on trial. She is accused of witchcraft, and sentenced to death. When Lisa claims that she was following God’s will, Groundskeeper Willie reveals that he too was chosen by God, but to lead the English armies against the French. God’s voice then excuses Himself by revealing that the two were never supposed to meet.

As they read the end, Joan of Arc is being burnt at the stake. Shocked, Lisa asks Homer “They didn't really burn her, did they?” Marge then interrupts, and rips out the last page of the book, claiming that Sir Lancelot rescues her, and they escape and live in a spaceship (Marge then eats the page, remarking that it is easier to chew than the video of Bambi).

Do the Bard, Man

Bart is Prince Hamlet in this Simpsons version of William Shakespeare’s classic. His uncle Claudius (Moe) marries Gertrude (Marge) after killing King Hamlet (Homer) by way of poison. The King returns to his son as a ghost, telling him of the betrayal and requesting that his death be avenged. Prince Hamlet, with the help of a professional actor (Krusty), puts on a play to make Claudius reveal himself to be guilty; however, Hamlet's reaction leads everyone to believe that he is crazy, so Ophelia (Lisa) decides to “out-crazy” him by prancing around and singing a stupid song, eventually jumping out the window and into the moat where she drowns. Because Hamlet knows what he did, Claudius attempts to kill him. Hamlet, aiming to kill Claudius, accidentally kills Polonius (Chief Wiggum). His son, Laertes (Ralph Wiggum), proposes to duel Prince Hamlet for revenge. As his “practice stab,” Laertes kills himself, and Hamlet proceeds to murder Claudius. Rosencarl and Guildenlenny (Carl and Lenny), meanwhile, have been covered in poison and kill each other with a high five. Hamlet walks away to celebrate, but he slips on some blood and dies. Seeing a big mess she does not want to clean up, Gertrude commits suicide by hitting herself in the head with a mace.

Bart thinks Hamlet was boring despite every character dying, but Homer tells him that the story led to the film Ghostbusters, and all the Simpsons dance to the theme.

Cultural references

• The title “D’oh Brother, Where Art Thou?” is a play on the film title O Brother, Where Art Thou?, itself based on The Odyssey. A previous episode from an early season of The Simpsons was titled “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?” which was a reference to the fictional movie in the film Sullivan’s Travels, and an episode of Season 21 is called "Oh Brother, Where Bart Thou?.
• The title “Hot Child in the City” comes from a song by Nicky Gilder.
• The title “Do the Bard, Man” is a play on the song “Do the Bartman” and the fact that Shakespeare is also referred to as “the Bard”.
• The song “Lady” by the band Styx plays while Homer passes the river Styx, to which Homer remarks “Oh, this truly is Hell!”
• When Homer sees the letter about the overdue book, he claims it is “the biggest frame-up since O.J.” He then realizes that the O.J. trial may not have been a frame-up, referring to the blood in the Bronco, the gloves, and the Leno monologues.
• Dionysus (Barney)’s reference to Zeus (Mayor Quimby) turning into a cow to pick up chicks is a reference to Zeus’ kidnapping of Europa. Also, the circular pillared courtyard that Zeus, Dionysus and Poseidon stand in references the film Clash of the Titans.
• The sirens sing an altered version of the song Copacabana.
• Captain McAllister says "Ain't I a stinker" when moving their ship a clear reference to the looney Tunes cartoon Duck Amuck when Bugs Bunny reveals himself to be the animator tormenting Daffy Duck
• Bart makes a reference about Steven Bochco being able to kick Shakespeare's ass.
• The line "Now throughout history when people get wood, they'll think of Trojans" is a reference to Trojan brand condoms.
• At the beginning of "Do the Bard, Man" before reading Hamlet Lisa makes a comment that the story begins with Hamlet's father being murdered. Bart then asks if he gets to marry his mother, to which Homer says "I dunno, but that would be hot." The two are indirectly referencing the story of Oedipus Rex.
• Bart, as Hamlet, takes a line straight from the play when he states that "The Play's the thing" after which he tells Moe off for hearing his soliloquy.
• In the scene where Ophelia goes crazy and ultimately jumps out of the window, she sings "Hey non nony, nony, hey nony", which is a direct quote from Hamlet (IV/5).
• At the end of the episode, Bart questions how a story (Hamlet) where everyone dies could be so boring. Homer agrees, but says that they made it into a great movie called Ghostbusters. The Simpsons then dance to the Ghostbuster theme song. Also, when Hamlet's father passes through Hamlet's wall, he left green slime, a reference to Slimer.
• Joan of Arc (Lisa) calls the King of France (Milhouse) the "true dauphin". Dauphin was actually a term used to refer to the heir apparent to the French throne, not the king (which is correct, since the French were unable to get to Reims for the proper coronation, so Milhouse - as Charles VII of France - was still technically not king).
• Lisa had a brother, but Joan of Arc actually had a sister.
• On her pray, Lisa said bless Coco Chanel, a pioneer to French brand, Chanel.
• In the Joan of Arc at the beginning when we first see the French version of Marge she has no sleeves but in the next scene she has sleeves.
• Marge said that Joan married Lancelot, one of the Knight of the Round Table to fake the ending.
• There is a possibility that Joan of Arc (Lisa) was actually burned because the story takes place before a spaceship was invented and in real life Joan of Arc was actually burned at a stake. Also Marge eats the last page meaning the ending she said was false
• Bart says that every character dies in Hamlet but Krusty,Mel, Krusty's monkey, and citizens, survive

External links

• Simpsons episode guide from Fox