Odyssey Telemachus Trial Essay

The Odyssey is a masterwork of storytelling, with an intriguing plot, fleshed out characters, and a multitude of conflict, however within the fantasy world of “The Odyssey” with its Sirens and Cyclops, we could perhaps interpret a meaning to the adventures of Odysseus and his son. While the trials of Odysseus’s son, Telemachus, are often debated, I believe that the first trial that takes place in The Odyssey is Telemachus in attempting to take care of the suitors. In this trial, Telemachus finds that an abundance of suitors are attempting to marry his mother Penelope in an attempt to claim the house that should be given to Telemachus by inheritance. The suitors use the excuse of Penelope never leaving the house in order to take residence in the home. Telemachus, with the

This all ties back to the meaning of his adventure by conveying the single mindedness and strength of character that Telemachus possesses. The next trial in the book is Odysseus and his crew's experience at Ismarus. In this trial, the wind brings Odysseus and his men to a city named Ismarus in which they pillaged and helped themselves to all the wine, food, and treasure in which they divided evenly among themselves. The conflict makes itself known when despite the pleas of Odysseus, the crew rest and drink too long and give the rest of Ismarus time to regroup and find reinforcements, due to this the natives are able to outnumber Odysseus and his crew and drive them out. With the death of many of their crew in the survivors hands, the crew grieves. The meaning of this trial is to teach Odysseus and his crew that greed is a temptation that they must overcome in order to make it back to Ithaca