Analysis Of Homer 's ' The Odyssey '

These two actions show the beginning of Telemachus' maturity. When Athena came in disguise to help Telemachus, the name Mentor was appropriately fitting. Before Mentor approached Telemachus, no one was trying to control the suitors or make them leave. But, the advise Mentor gave Telemachus encouraged him to take action against the shameless suitors. He proves to be the man of the house by standing up to his mother so he could address the crowd. He is learning how to take control of a situation, which he does not stand for, and how to stand up for himself and his family.

A hero isn’t shaped by his strengths but by the values he possesses. Homer’s epic, The Odyssey, reveals the moral and ethical constitution of the ancient Greeks. Over time, certain cultures have grown to value a number of human characteristics. Those who acquire such values become respected heroes. After the fall of Troy, the protagonist of the epic, Odysseus, set sail for his home, Ithaca, where his faithful wife and son were waiting for him. Over the course of his journey, Odysseus faced some of the most ferocious opponents known to the Greeks. Even through this formidable journey, Odysseus and his family have stayed true to the diverse aspects of the ancient Greeks. The Odyssey exemplifies the human ideals of hospitality, loyalty and

Still he searches out for clues and any information of the possible demise of his father. He is willing to go far and wide just for the knowledge of his father's whereabouts. He is a faithful son and aids his father in all possible ways as Odysseus returns and reclaims what is legitimately his. Telemachus is there to fight side by side with his father whom he has only loved in his heart and mind. Some would call that blind faith. Just as the God whom we serve today calls us to love and serve him without seeing him with our eyes, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29). Although Odysseus is Telemachus' earthly father, one can see the parallels. He is as devoted to Odysseus as Penelope is; yet he has no actual memory of his father what so ever.

In The Odyssey, the hero Odysseus shows many heroic traits, the one I think is most important is loyalty.

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.

He shows loyalty to his family by risking his life on the search for the knowledge of Odysseus’ situation. He journeys to Pylos and Sparta to seek news of his father whether he is dead or lost. This shows loyalty to Odysseus because he risks his life to know of his well being. This also shows loyalty to Penelope by journeying to Pylos and Sparta, even though his path may be dangerous, just so he can find knowledge of Odysseus and ease his mother’s pain. He also shows loyalty to Penelope by trying to protect her and keeping the suitors away from her. During the final battle, Telemakhos shows loyalty to his father by fighting side by side with him against the suitors even though he knows he might die in battle.

Loyalty has always been seen as a commendable trait, not only in human beings but in any creature, all through history. Soldiers have admired their enemies for their loyalty to fallen comrades, thousands of stories have been written about the intense loyalty animals portray for their owners, and even companies in the workforce look for loyalty in potential employees. Loyalty has been seen as something that distinguishes the trustworthy from the untrustworthy, and something that sets the great apart from the good. The archetypal hero commonly has a cause, whether it be another person or personal beliefs, that they are loyal to, and this unwavering loyalty is what makes them appear so highly in the eyes of the reader. Loyalty can be found in practically any work of literature, but within The Torah, The Odyssey, and Inanna is the idea that true loyalty, although a rare attribute, is the key to a successful relationship.

In The Odyssey, the theme of loyalty relates to Odysseus’s physical journey back to Ithaca. Many characters in the epic are loyal and faithful, like Penelope, Telemachus, Eumaeus, and even Odysseus himself. Penelope remains loyal to her husband, by not choosing a suitor during the 20 years he’s gone. “And there she [Penelope] sat down with the case on her knees and burst into sobs as she drew out her husband’s bow,” (Homer 317). Just carrying out Odysseus’s bow with such sorrow shows how in love she was with Odysseus and how the thought of choosing a new husband moved her to tears. As Penelope remained loyal to Odysseus and

The suitors show him no respects as he is till a child and does not have the intimidating presence like his father. Feeling dejected, Telemachus leaves and prays to the gods for guidance. Athena the goddess appears. She encourages and advises by telling him that since he is his father’s son, he should have courage like him. He should also have faith that the suitors will soon get what they deserve.

Telemachus does not overreact when he wants to speak. He was angry but still remained calm. He was able to keep his frustration under control. " Odysseus' son rejoiced; the boy could sit no longer- fired up to speak, he took his stand among the gathered men." Telemachus is calm even though he is upset. He is upset that he is not getting answers about his dad. To come of age means to make rational decisions even when your upset. " Adults experience their emotions but when it comes to their actions, they make rational decisions on the basis of self-interest and moral concerns." Adults hardly get upset and when they do, they keep it under control and have self discipline. Telemachus managed his emotions without stressing out and showing his irritation. He also, later on he stops expecting people people to feel sorry for

Telemachus is brave enough to do what he believes is right for him and his family them and do what he believes is right for himself and his family, although the odds are against him. Telemachus shows that he is determined to resist their demands when he tells the suitors, “I’ll stop at nothing to hurl destruction at your heads, whether I go to Pylos or sit right here at home” (2. 351-352). Telemachus’ warning to the suitors makes it clear that he will stop at nothing to force them out of his home. His determination shows his courage and bravery, two traits which are continually illustrated throughout the epic

Telemachus, Odysseus only son, shows his loyalty to his father by going on a voyage to search and investigate his father's destiny. Telemachus comment's "He father me, left me behind at home, and from me he got not joy ( Homer, Book XVI, 135). The author clearly demonstrates how this character, despite of never -----with his father, stays true to his cause: finding his father. Many times the author states Telemachus's will to bring back Odysseus, "If men could have all they want, free for the taking, I'd take first my father's journey home ( Homer, Book XVI,135).

Now we return to the re-encounter of the father and the son. They spend twenty years apart from each other undergoing trials and hardship that poise them for their final confrontation. Telemachus and Odysseus both arrive on the island of Ithaca within more or less the same time period. And they both, out of prudence and devotion, seek safety in the swineherd's security; in this they are analogous. Odysseus' restraint is shown when he abstains from revealing his identity to his son until Eumaeus has exited. Before father and son first recognize each other, and before Telemachus knows that he is talking to his father, an interesting phenomenon occurs in which both father and son demonstrate their humility and likeness to each other. The event involves Odysseus offering his seat to Telemachus and Telemachus refusing the offer. The significance of this event is that Odysseus, who is in disguise as a beggar, is a more dominant man than Telemachus and modest enough to offer his seat. Telemachus in turn knows that he is a better man than a beggar but refuses chivalrously to take the beggar's seat. The

Through his journey to Pylos and Sparta, Telemachus, who was born into a very privileged and high ranking family, learns how to use his inherited social status and connections for his own interests, which will help him mature into manhood. Telemachus was never old enough to remember what it was like when his father was around. Since Odysseus left, he has lived with his mom and nurse. However, for three years, he has been overwhelmed by suitors, who have taken over his house. Odysseus was never able to show Telemachus how to stand up for himself. Telemachus has been less than passive when going about doing things to get what he wants. When Athena comes and tells him that his father is going to come home, he realizes he has been ignoring what he knows is wrong, such as the suitors throwing parties every night, and that he needs to stop them. He doesn’t have any idea of how he is going to find his father when Athena comes, but he along his way finds that he has many resources and connections at hand that will allow him to find out what happened to his dad. Athena, disguised as Mentor, an old friend of Odysseus, encourages Telemachus to talk to Nestor. "Telemachus, no more shyness, this is not the time!/ We sailed the seas for this, for news of your father —// So go right up to Nestor...// Press him yourself to tell the whole truth:/ he'll never lie — the man is far too wise"(3.16-22) Here, Athena is encouraging Telemachus to be assertive, to get what the needs to know to find his father. Telemachus responds, "How can I greet him, Mentor, even approach the king?/ I'm hardly adept at subtle conversation./ Someone my age might feel shy, what's more,/ interrogating an older man."/ (3.23-27) He is intimidated. The irony is that he himself is of the higher class, and if Odysseus had been home, he would be accustomed to these interactions. This is Odysseus learning that he has high social status and can enjoy the privileges he was born with, such as being able to talk to the king. While there, Telemachus learns of the fate of the family of Agamemnon. Agamemnon came home to find his wife in love with Aegisthus, and together they kill him. Orestes, one of Agamemnon’s sons, avenges his father’s murder and kills

If Telemachus were able to read the Telemachy, the most important lesson he would learn is how to become a man by following three important virtues. The first of these three virtues would be to always be kind and hospitable to others. The second is to always have faith in the things you believe in. Lastly, always be courageous.