Analysis Of Homer 's Odyssey, The Story Of Odysseus And His Son

The Odyssey written by Homer highlights the character development of Odysseus, the epic hero, in his journey of self-discovery. Odysseus is accredited with many strong traits including his nobility, smarts, and bravery. Having one tragic flaw, being his arrogance, was put to the test throughout his heroic journey. Homer stripped the protagonist of his arrogance as the story goes on, by giving him many challenges, giving dire consequences for his mistakes, and allowing him to continue to overcome obstacles. The main purpose of Odysseus’ journey was to reach his home as a humbled man. The hero’s journey can be used as a way to look at life’s morals. The reader is able to see the protagonist continue to make mistakes, because of his arrogance and continue to be punished by the gods. Once he overcame this, he is greatly awarded with the security of his home. This essay will analyze the arrogance of Odysseus along with his extraordinary traits, the molding of his identity, and his new found lesson of humility.

Telemachus was the son of Odysseus, mighty king of Ithaca and hero of Athena. Telemachus was a mere infant when Odysseus set sail for Troy where he helped to conquer the Trojans and retrieve Menelaus’ wife Helen. Despite emerging victorious from the Trojan war, Odysseus hadn't succeeded in returning home to Ithaca, and so twenty-one years after his departure for Troy, his family and kingdom believed him to be dead. Telemachus had lived his entire life without his father and as the Odyssey begins, although twenty-one years of age, Telemachus seems to be a child and not a powerful young man. Telemachus was first portrayed as a somber young lad who's heart was stricken with grief for the loss of his father. He was daydreaming and keeping to himself

Three traits that Odysseus and Telemakhos share are clear-headedness, eloquence, and showing strong emotion. They are portrayed with these traits in the Odyssey, composed by Homer. Odysseus is a renowned military strategist, warrior, and the King of Ithaca. He was forced to go to war against Troy twenty years ago, and since then has traveled all over the Aegean trying to find a way back home. Meanwhile, his son, Telemakhos, has developed into a full-grown man from the mere infant he was when his father left for war. He has searched far and wide for news of his father, still hoping, along with his mother, Penelope, that Odysseus is still alive somewhere and somehow, even though most have assumed he is dead. Through his ventures, Telemakhos

In the Epic, “The Odyssey", spoken by Homer, conveys a heroic tale of an epic hero named, Odysseus, who faces many challenges as he sails to get home. One of the tasks Odysseus faces is, "The Sirens", who challenge Odysseus 's will power. Another challenge Odysseus encounters is, “The Cyclops", who torments and slaughters some of Odysseus 's men due to his curiosity. One of the hardest threats he had to confront was, “The Land of Dead" which tested his self-restraint, and revealed his human weaknesses of sorrow. The Epic Hero, Odysseus, struggles with many challenges such as, the taunting Sirens, the brutish and cruel Cyclops, and one of the arduous territories Odysseus has ever crossed, The Land of the Dead.

In the beginning of The Odyssey, Telemachus is not yet a man and not sure of himself yet. Embarking on a mission to find his father, he matures from a child to a strong, single-minded adult. Throughout the poem, Telemachus finds his place in the world and becomes a more well-rounded person. Although Telemachus never quite matches his father Odysseus in terms of wit, strength, agility, his resilience does develop throughout the text. In the epic, The Odyssey, by Homer, the young boy Telemachus changes from an insecure teen into a confident and poised young man as he travels the seas in search for his father, whose bravery and intelligence proves to be comparable to his own.

In the Odyssey Telemachus has varying relationships with his mother, Penelope, the suitors, and his nurse, Eurycleia; a mother and son but also head of household and subordinate member of the household, a young boy and superior men, and a son and mother but also a master and servant. In the poem, Telemachus must find out what became of his father, Odysseus, who never returned home from the Trojan war. Meanwhile suitors from various places try to force his mother, Penelope, into marriage while they deplete all of Odysseus’ resources and destroy his house. With all of these complicated situations, Telemachus must take on a variety of different roles depending on who he’s interacting with. Based on the text, Telemachus has superior, strained, and complex relationships with his mother, the suitors, and Eurycleia.

Odysseus’ and Telemachus’ journeys or nostos were both very similar and different. They parallel each other in some ways but they are also completely different at other times. Telemachus starts as a younger, less mature boy, and without the presence of his father during his childhood, he becomes a timid, shy and spineless boy who is greatly pampered by his mother. He has even more to achieve, being the son of a world-famous father, and this is a very difficult reputation to live up to. His journey, and after that the killing of the suitors who took advantage of him really show how his journeys and problems throughout the book mature him from being a shy, timid boy into a mature man. Odysseus’ journey also taught him about many things

Odysseus is the main character in an epic poem called the Odyssey. In the poem Odysseus has had some bad luck getting home, with some of the gods helping him and some hindering him; his journey towards home is a constant struggle. In this poem we see a man being broke and rebuilt, through constant irony his faith was damaged and without the help of Athena he probably would have given up on his journey. Through his hard work and wise spirit he finally does achieve his goal.

In The Odyssey, Homer shows the transition of Telemachus from a childish and a passive young man to a man worthy of being Odysseus’ son. Through the help of Athena, he learns different character traits and qualities such as bravery and cunning that helps him to mature into a man worth the title of a prince of Ithaca. Telemachus learns how to be authoritative, mature, display pious and exhibit humility. He is also influenced by the return of his father. Telemachus’ transition from a young man to a man worthy enough to be Odysseus’s son is shown as he acquires these traits.

“You must not cling to your boyhood any longer— / it’s time you were a man,” Athena tells Telemachus when giving him advice before he his begins his journey (1.341-342). In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, “The Telemachia” are the first four books of the epic poem. They focus on Odysseus’ son, Telemachus, and his struggles as he goes on a quest to find any news of his missing father, Odysseus. Telemachus’ development throughout his journey in the first four books of The Odyssey help us to understand the Greek ideal of manhood.

Homer, in his epic The Odyssey shows, Telemachus, son of the great Odysseus on a journey to manhood, honoring the greek value of revenge and showing appreciation and pride as he protects his father’s honor. In order to be considered a real man in traditional Greek culture, one must have complete confidence in one’s identity and uphold one’s status with strength and dignity. Telemachus is becoming a man, but finds himself lost in the dark, due to his father being away at war for his entire life. Therefore, he has had no guidance on how to become a man of worth and values. When Telemachus is first introduced, the reader may perceive him as a passive middle age man with no sense of authority.

According to both Greek and Homeric values humans should have reason, but very often they express passion, which leads to contradictory emotions and obstacles in life. Odysseus, a man with a complex life, struggles with many internal, personal contradictions that have a collective impact on his decisions throughout his existence. The most important contradictions Odysseus faces are loyalty and betrayal; humility and hubris; and wisdom and folly,

This statement is very telling as it defines not only the appearance of the great Odysseus, but also the son he left behind. Furthermore, it begins to develop a timeline of actions by announcing that Odysseus left home when Telemachus was only a baby. Nestor recognizes that Odysseus ' appearance, vivacity, and personality are apparent in his progeny, Telemachus. This is encouraging to Telemachus as he hears that he resembles the great king Odysseus. As Telemachus presses for news of what has become of his father, Telemachus learns that his father may yet be alive and held captive by a goddess-nymph named Calypso. He then glorifies the strong will of Orestes and encourages Telemachus to do the same: "And you, my friend - / how tall and handsome I see you now - be brave, you too, / so men to come will sing your praises down the years." (3, 226 - 227).

We all go through challenges in our lives that tend to lead us to some sort of growth in the end. It is in that growth we learn more about ourselves and decide the type of person we want to be. The Greek’s felt no differently, they were in pursuit to fulfill one’s destiny and spiritual growth brought about that freedom. Homer, as little as we know about him, seemed to want to tell a great story of adventure, spiritual growth and triumph. It is said that “the Greek view offers humankind the greatest hope for change, growth, and freedom, because it claims that there are no restrictions upon our growth. Humans choose their particular fate and are therefore free to see their limitations and transcend them” (Apatow 81). Homer 's story explains just that, in order to experience the most growth and strength we must be tested and weakened. In The Odyssey both Odysseus and his son Telemachus go through rough times to experience their spiritual growth just as in psychology it is known that traumatic events or hardships also cause changes in our personality.

Within a father and son relationship, there are certain things that are to be expected: a longing to be with one another as well as trust in one another. This common thread is no different from the father and son relationship between Telemachus and Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey. It is through these attributes of longing to be with one another as well as trust for one another that we know how strong the bond between these two men is.