Prompt
Topic 1: The Odyssey begins not with the adventures of the hero Odysseus himself but instead with four books devoted to the plight and travels of Telemachos. Within these four books (which are often called the "Telemachy"), we see Odysseus ' son undergo a transition in which he goes from being a helpless victim among his mother 's suitors to a young man actively winning a good reputation among other Greek heroes. Describe this process in which Telemachos matures, paying close attention not only to how Telemachos acts but also to the ways in which others around him (and the poet as well) react to these actions and his character in general. Although you may bring in information concerning Telemachos ' character from later in the
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Od.3.138). Here, the king is comparing the expressions of both Odysseus, the father, and Telemachos, the son. When he says that no teenager could ever converse like Telemachos, he means that though the way he spoke was not as a result of his sailing, Telemachos was for sure growing into a man - at least he has the words of one. King Nestor narrates more stories about the battle in Troy of him and Odysseus yet he fails to offer any information regarding Odysseus and his condition from when his ship blew.
Without any relevant information concerning the whereabouts of his father in Pylos, Telemachos settles on travelling to Sparta. It is here that he meets with Helen and Menelaus. Helen distinguishes Telemachos from his physical likeness to Odysseus. Soon, Telemachos finds what he was looking for. Drunk, Menelaus narrates a tale he heard from the Old man of the sea. From that story Telemachos gets the knowledge of the place where his father should be. He learns that his father is held in an island as a sex slave to the nymph Calypso with no way of escaping. Paying attention to the advice given to him by king Nestor, “Don’t stray too long from home, nor leave your wealth unguarded with such a set of scoundrels in the place” (Hom. Od.3. 314), together with the just gained knowledge of his father’s continued existence, he then moves to Ithaca.
On his way back to his homeland, Telemachos is facing Athena once again; she informs him that the suitors are
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.
Despite his youth and inexperience, Telemachus portrays himself with poise and dignity in the presence of these legendary figures. He engages in thoughtful discourse with Menelaus and Helen, eagerly inquiring about his father and attentively listening to their tales. This serves as a testament to Telemachus's maturity and adeptness in navigating unfamiliar social settings with elegance and composure. In Book 5, we see Odysseus becoming stranded on the island of Ogygia and meeting the nymph Calypso, who holds him captive for seven
Telemachus stands up against the suitors for invading the palace and seeks his father’s whereabouts, displaying his loyalty. Telemachus' loyalty was important to Odysseus's journey because he would sneak Odysseus (disguised as a beggar) to successfully regain Ithaca. If Telemachus had not intervened or gone to Pylos, Odysseus would have found Ithaca in turmoil and struggling, or be defeated when he got home. In addition, Penelope’s loyalty to Odyssey has proven to be critical when Odysseus wants to regain Ithaca from the suitors who attempt to marry her and rule over
Odysseus’s wife, Penelope lives back in their town, Ithaka, is being pressured by unwanted suitors. Their son, Telemachos, is visited by the goddess Athene. Athene was quite close with Odysseus, and she tells Telemachos to go looking for his missing father. He travels to Pylos to see the King, Nestor. Nestor takes him in, gives him dinner and then tells him to go see King Menelaos in Sparta. Telemachos does as he’s told and travels to Sparta to see King Menelaos. He tells him that his father Odysseus is alive and is being kept captive on Kalypso’s island. He also tells him that his brother, King Agamemnon, has been murdered by his own wife, Klytamestra, and her lover Aigisthos. But, Agamemnon’s son, Orestes has killed his father’s murderers
Soon he is urged to return home by Athena where he is united with his father, to fight side-by-side for his mother to eliminate the suitors (Clarke 283-85). It was made clear that the odysseys both the men had endured had similar effects, the father and son pair were both able to challenge the men trying get back the most import women in their life, and they were successful. Long before Telemachos' journey it would not have been clear if he could have been a hero in the situation he was in with his father.
Prince Telemachus, from Homer’s The Odyssey, is not a weak character. Although he may seem like a bit of a vulnerable hero, the absence of his father plays a large role in that version of his character. The Trojan War had just ended, and Ithaca’s King, Odysseus is missing. His son Telemachus, who was just a baby when his father left for war, is now a young adult, with his father nowhere to be found.
Throughout the course of Homer’s epic The Odyssey, Odysseus and his son Telémakhos both share a passion for each other and courage, yet also differ in that Odysseus has a seemingly higher intellect and is not as careless as his child. The term “Like father, like son” paints an accurate portrayal of the relationship between Odysseus and Telémakhos. The devotion they have for glory and their family is shown constantly. They also share a distain for the suitors that have invaded their home. However, Telémakhos lacks his father’s wit and cunning and is prone to mistakes, showing that he is yet to develop fully as an adult. Their relationship is still a very strong one though, because as soon as Telémakhos realizes the beggar’s true identity,
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).
His new commanding attitude becomes more and more similar to Odysseus. Odysseus often does what he thinks is best because of his experiences. Since Telemachos has grown up with the suitors and their constant torment and ridicule towards him he is sick of it.Telemachos is looking for a change and knows he must do it on his own. Now he must find the strength and courage to go off on his own. Telemachos has always been with his mother, but now he must leave her and become more independent to be the man he wants to be. In book 3 goes against his mothers wishes of staying with her and goes on his own adventure. On this adventure he must prepare himself for the worst, to hear that his father is no longer alive. He is no longer in Penelope’s shadow. Penelope has always sheltered him and now he has to experience things on his own. This is why he continues o with his plans and goes on his journey. On his journey he meets Nestor, a man who does not lie and has once traveled with Odysseus. He tells Telemachos that he did not know where Odysseus was at this exact time or if he was alive but he was with him at the time they were traveling together. This makes telemachos feel better knowing that someone knows of his father’s whereabouts. Nestor isn’t the only one that he encounters who knows of his father, Menalayus and Helen both traveled with Odysseus. They said that when they parted with Odysseus that he was still alive but that they too had no idea of where he was now.
Through modern culture, most people are familiar with the whole storyline of The Odyssey. Odysseus leaves Troy and embarks on an epic journey filled with adventure and fantasy. However, most readers are unaware that there are actually two journeys that are unfolding simultaneously throughout Homer’s epic. Telemachus’ journey greatly differs from that of his father, Odysseus. While it might not be filled with as much adrenaline and adventure as his father‘s journey, Telemachus’ quest is certainly one that should be noted since the first four books are dedicated to him. It is the story of Telemachus’ coming-of-age as he matures into a more capable young man. However, it is debatable if he will ever become the man that Odysseus is.
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
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
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
Menelaus greets Telemachus with a great reception, and he is recognized as Odysseus' son before a large gathered crowd at the palace. Menelaus takes very good care of Telemachus as his guest. Athena (still in disguise as Mentes) was not treated as well as her goddess status afforded her to be. After another recollection of old stories, and war legends, Telemachus was able to once again set sail, still in search of his father, Odysseus.
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