Based on the graphic novel by. Road to Perdition is like a Greek tragedy, dealing out remorseless fates for all the characters. Some tragedies, like Hamlet, are exhilarating, because we have little idea how quirks of character will bring about the final doom. But the impact of Greek tragedy seems muted to me, because it's preordained.
arÂ·duÂ·ous. adj. 1. Demanding great effort or labor; difficult: the arduous work of preparing a Dictionary of the English Language (Thomas Macaulay). 2. Testing severely the powers of endurance; strenuous: a long, arduous, and exhausting war. 3. Hard to traverse, climb, or surmount. [From Latin.
Noun. An expedition involving the acquisition of some good, usually perceived as essential, when in fact completely unnecessary. Because errands involve a component of travel, they are often confused for a leisure activity. From the root, errant, aimless.