Homer’s epic, the Odyssey, tells the story of the famed war hero Odysseus, but the epic starts with the focus on his son, Telemachus. Although the Odyssey’s main focus is not on Telemachus, Odysseus’s story starts with him for a reason. Telemachus plays his own unique, important role in the story. Telemachus has been separated from Odysseus since his infanthood. Since the whereabouts of Odysseus are unknown to Telemachus, Telemachus worries for his father, and for all he knows, he might be dead. Telemachus is thus in a position where he is about to grow up and take charge of his household lacking the asset of a father figure. When he realizes that his father is probably alive, it greatly affects him, because Telemachus has an unconditional love for his absent …show more content…
This new, positive side of Telemachus presented to the reader is one that helps the reader realize the importance of Odysseus to Telemachus. When the goddess Athena comes to Telemachus under the disguise of Odysseus’s old friend Mentes to let Telemachus know that Odysseus is probably still alive, Telemachus expresses a spark of unprecedented hope and gratitude. For one thing, when first speaking to Athena, he has a very pessimistic outlook on his father and father’s story, telling her to “think of the most unlucky mortal ever born—since you ask me, they say yes, I am his son” (1.254). Athena gives him details about Odysseus and reassures Telemachus that he is not, in fact, dead, and Telemachus reacts with incredible happiness. He tells Athena that she’s “considered me with so much kindness now, like a father to a son” (1.353-354). After all, Athena gave him something he felt he had been lacking and longing his whole life—fatherly advice. The importance to Telemachus of having a father figure is what is ultimately expressed with his happiness and gratitude towards
The son of the Odysseus, though he has never seen his father, valiantly defends and believes that he is not dead. He also tries to step into his father’s shoes. He is inexperienced, nonetheless. Yet, this is soon resolved though interactions with Athena and his journey to Pylos and Sparta. Telemachos does not have just hope that his father is alive, but sound faith. We as Christians in the same manner, have faith that our Heavenly Father will come someday to take us home to eternal felicity, our eternal family. In addition, In the Odyssey, we see how the family regards growing up. As head man of his father’s estate Telemachos regards his mother with courtesy and respect. He does, however, rebuke her at times. When she comes down from her bedchamber moved by a barb’s song to tears, Telemachos reprimands her, saying if she did not wish to hear the song, she should go to her own quarters. Thus, Telemachos assets growing into adulthood by the way he interacts with his mother, taking control of the relationship.
And let’s spare the Herald, Medon, Who used to care for me when I was a child, if Philoetius had already killed him–Or the swineherd–or if he didn’t run into you as you were charging through your house. (book 22, Line 380-5)” Telemachus’ heroism, standing up in this situation, is another way he shows his loyalty to the people who have been around him and cared for him his whole life. He shows loyalty by stopping his own father, who is out of control, in order to protect his friends. Telemachus has a clear goal of saving his family and eliminating the suitors, but
Nestor teaches Telemachus how to uphold Greek cultural identity by showing him the value of a son who avenges wrongdoing to his father. Nestor tells Telemachus the story of Orestes, the hero who avenged the murder of his father Agamemnon. Nestor speaks of the vengeful bloodshed and exclaims “ah how fine it is, when a man is brought down, to leave a son behind!”. Nestor’s diction indicates that when a man is unjustly killed, it is his son's duty to avenge him. In addition, the connotation behind the phrase “ah, how fine it is” shows that Nestor feels relief when a son is left behind. Nestor feels relieved because a man’s son is valuable and is able to seek fulfilling justice, otherwise not possible. After Nestor tells Telemachus the legend
Telemachus, who was raised without his father, demonstrates loyalty by setting out on a
Telemachus, in the Odyssey by Homer, is a young man who has disregarded his responsibilities as a god and son. He is to take on the land that his father, Odysseus, left behind when he supposedly died after the journey back from the Trojan War. He learns later on that his father may not even be dead, and that he may be captured by the people of Calypso. Soon as he hears the news, Telemachus begins to recognize his obligation and then accepts the qualities it takes to become a hero that the people of Ithaca and other countries are looking for. He also learns about gaining respect from these countries takes treating others with admiration. Close to the end of Book IV, the audience sees a character who has taking initiative in his life, shifting towards maturity, 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.
This shows that from traveling to Pylos and Sparta to speaking to the blind prophet Tiresias in the Underworld, Telemachus demonstrates his unwavering commitment to finding his father and bringing him back home. As a result, his willingness to embark on this dangerous and uncertain journey proves his bravery and loyalty to his family. Thirdly, Telemachus may be perceived as cowardly by some, but his actions throughout The Odyssey speak volumes about his true courage and bravery. This shows that, from standing up to the suitors, to fearlessly speaking to powerful leaders, to going to great lengths to seek his father, Telemachus proves himself to be a character of immense strength and resolve. As a result, he may not possess the physical prowess of his father, Odysseus, Telemachus' bravery shines through in his unique way, making him a truly admirable and courageous character in this timeless epic
This is important because it shows how he is starting to develop into a character and an independent young man. He is showing the suitors that he is much more than Odysseus' son, and they can't just disrespect him because he is young. As a result, people should take an example of this and should have enough self worth to not take disrespect from anyone, and to always take notice of those around you and their intentions. Telemachus, determined to seek news of his father’s return, sets out to organize a ship and crew. With the help of Athena, disguised as Mentor, he gathers a group of loyal men including the noble Athenian, Pisistratus.
It was a Herculean task for a young man to be put into such a situation, yet Telemachus rises to the challenge. He gives a dramatic speech that sets the tone for the epic story that is about
In The Odyssey, the reader is easily able to distinguish that Odysseus is a hero in the story. He is a god-like figure. Odysseus’s wife, Penelope, is a hero and seen by many readers as such especially females. Both possess characteristics of heroes and they deserve to be considered such but that does not mean that they are the true hero of the story. Their son Telemachus is the true hero in The Odyssey. The reader should be able to identify with him the most and realize everything that has happened in his life and he deals with it with extreme heroism. He handles the situation in his life the way every human being should.
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).
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
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.
Telemachus’s coming of age, however, is incomplete because he lacks the most important masculine influence: a father. He is unable to fully become a man without Odysseus present; he cannot kill the suitors on his own, and feels abandoned and weak without his father. He says of Odysseus, “He’s vanished, gone, and left me pain and sorrow...All of the nobles who rule the islands...are courting my mother and ruining our house. She refuses to make a marriage she hates but can’t stop it either” (Homer 8). The reason Telemachus’s life is so out of control is because his only parental figure is his mother, Penelope. The text portrays Penelope, untempered by the presence of a husband, as the cause of disorder in the home of Odysseus; she refuses to choose a husband, but is too weak to stop the suitors’ advances. A father figure, Odysseus, is needed to create order in young Telemachus’s life, because only a man can impose such order.
Before Telemachus begins his journey, the goddess Athena watches over him from Olympus and decides to help him. However, she does not make herself know to Telemachus, instead she disguise herself as familiar faces to him. And it’s these disguises that bring out Telemachus’ character. Her first disguise is as an old friend named Mentor. “Then bright-eyed Athena, assuming Mentor’s form and voice once more called Telemachus out of the palace to her side. ‘Telemachus,’ she said, ‘your well-grieved companions are sitting at their oars, waiting for your word to start’”(Homer 25). This scene explains how Telemachus views Mentor. He not only sees him as a man to be trusted, but also heed the words of. Telemachus doesn’t dissuade him or any of the like; he listens to his words and follows his instructions. Thus painting the idea that Telemachus knows this man well enough, that he is willing to follow his will in the middle of the night. However, there is something else that goes on. And that is the silent relationship of Telemachus and Athena. Touched on by Michael Murrin is his article Athena and Telemachus he goes into detail of the complex relationship between the two and explains, “In her disguise as Mentor, Athena does just what she promised to do in the divine assembly that begins The Odyssey. She stirs up Telemachus and gets him to act on his own. She does so with concrete