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Telemachus Journey To Maturity In Homer's Odyssey

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Journey to Maturity The Odyssey by Homer recognizes the importance of maturity throughout the epic poem, applied from Telemachus, as he grows from a weak, scared boy to a strong, responsible man who develops newly found skills, overcomes various obstacles, and reflects on his need to approach his problems as Homer showcases Telemachus as a prime example of maturation as he finds his father and fights alongside him to slay the suitors. Telemachus expresses maturation by achieving his goals, learning from his mistakes and experiences, taking risks, being strong, courageous, and confident, as well as enduring hardship to claim honor in the end. Telemachus trains to achieve his goal of finding his father. He matures with the help of many characters …show more content…

As Athena assists him, he listens attentively and becomes driven in his actions. Telemachus first visits King Nestor. The first stop did not give Telemachus the answer he was looking for, but being the new eager and strived person Telemachus has become, he continues his journey by going to see Menelaus. Telemachus insists Menelaus to be truthful and exclaims, “Spare me no part of kindness’ sake; be harsh; but put the scene before me as you saw it” (Homer IV. 351-352). He displayed himself to Menelaus as a strong, courageous man as he asks for a real and honest answer that he was prepared to hear. The visit helped Telemachus mature because it was a moment where he had to be responsible and not expect for things to change by …show more content…

In his journey, he gets help from Athena and wise knowledge from Menelaus. He takes risks, shows strength, confidence, and responsibility towards the end as he fights alongside his father. After enduring hardships and overcoming obstacles, Telemachus evidently matured into a man who made his father

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By Telemachus realizing that the elders respect him he now knows he must be a leader and not let the elders down. The elders are realizing that Telemachus now taking a man of the house role and begin to support him which makes Telemachus feel more mature. All of this supporting from the elders is making Telemachus feel like he is gaining a lot of power and responsibility. By preparing to look for Odysseus Telemachus gains a lot of maturity. Even Athena is telling Telemachus how to go out on his adventure he is about to take part in.

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160 Words | 1 Pages

The Relationship between Telemachus and Odysseus his father is very different. First off, Telemachus has really never met his father but there is still some relation there. Telemachus longs to meet his father and have a relationship. It is very clear that Telemachus struggles to come to the fact that his father has been away for so long and questions at the beginning of the books if he will every come home. Once Telemachus is told by Athena in disguise that his father is still alive ( lines 220-228 in Fagles) he longs on a journey to try and find his dad to see if he is alive.

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555 Words | 3 Pages

In lines (86-88), when he threw his sword and burst in to tears, it showed that he was weak and could not hold his ground. However, he put his foot down and let the suitors know that their recklessness is bad behavior. He also stood up for his mother Penelope to prevent her from marrying a suitor. Even though Telemakhos grew up without his father (Odysseus), he stuck up for his dad in front of the suiters for ruining the house, although growing up, his father was not there to teach him how to be a

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839 Words | 4 Pages

It relates in the way how military children today have to deal with their parents being away and have to grow up without them being there. Not knowing if they are safe where they are. They have to wonder if they are coming home, when and if they are still alive. He has had to become the man of the house like most kids today have to make up for the fact that a parent is missing and has to do the things they would normally help with. Telemachus has struggled to do that because he has been without a father for so long

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342 Words | 2 Pages

Telemakhus The Odyssey, written by Homer, tells the story of the adventures of Odysseus's journey. During his return, Odysseus encounters treacherous waters, horrifying beasts, and angry gods. The story also focuses on his family and friends that wait for his return back home in Ithaca. One character that shows the qualities of a hero is Odysseus's son, Telemakhus.

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1524 Words | 7 Pages

273-275). This shows Telemachus being weak, because he has lost all hope for his father and his return and he also holds belief that his father, Odysseus is dead. This proves that Telemachus is still a boy in the beginning because, he is showing weakness by giving up and believing that Odysseus is dead and will never return. Another example of Telemachus being weak in the beginning is that he continues to lose hope and doubt his father 's return to Ithaca. Telemachus says, “Eurymachus, clearly my father 's journey home is lost forever/

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688 Words | 3 Pages

The Odyssey by Homer revolves around the character, Odysseus, and his ten-year struggle to return home after the Trojan War. As the epic’s idol, he displays the combination of a clever, handsome, and courageous man popular among the mortals as well as the gods. Essentially, he embodies the ideals of the ancient Greek culture, being adorned with many favored characteristics of the era. However, an intriguing aspect of Odysseus lies in his personality. As the protagonist, he does not manifest the entirety of a stereotypical hero because Odysseus has a fatal flaw—his arrogance.

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1004 Words | 5 Pages

After the warm and touching union father and son embraced, Odysseus directs Telemachus to go home and not speak a work of his return. Odysseus plans on defeating the suitors and gaining back his kingdom, and in order to do so, he conducted a detailed plan that needs to be followed to the word. He strictly orders Telemachus to go back home. Odysseus wil go back home too, however, dressed as a beggar, with the swine herder. Once in the castle, the suitors will mock and abuse of him, however, Telemachus needs to remain and stay calm and guard his temper. «

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1318 Words | 6 Pages

Before Athena appearing as a Mentor, Homer shows Telémakhos as a shy boy who is having difficulties to live up to his father’s legendary reputation. He is shown as detached, lost and confused. Rather than taking an action, Telémakhos kept on complaining about the suitors’ manipulation of Xenia. In order to reach manhood, Athena calls him to action through making him undergo a journey. This journey, through Homer’s words, is not only meant to pave the way for him to mature by the time Odysseus is back, but also to save him from the suitor’s plot to kill him.

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712 Words | 3 Pages

Athena disguises herself and reveals to Telemachus that his father is alive but tells him to sail in search of more information, “Do you hear me: As a goddess, yesterday/ you came to us, command me to sail/ across the shadowed sea, that I might learn/ about my long-gone father’s coming home” (32). Athena has Telemachus best interest at heart and by commanding him to find his father she played a big role in helping him shape himself and grow into the man he was destined to be. He takes Athenas’ advice and finally comes to the realization that he needs to stand up to the suitors, “Throughout all those years/ when I was still a boy, you suitors squandered/ the riches that were mine. But I am grown;/ and listening to the words of others, I/ can understand…” (33). Telemachus then sets off to find more information on his father and his possible whereabouts “I’ll come fetch what you’ve prepared.

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677 Words | 3 Pages

As a result, Telemachus embarks on the search for his father and brings him home, ultimately preventing his mother from marrying one of her

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1474 Words | 6 Pages

At the end of the story, it is evident that, the character of Telemachus is fully developed. He is no longer the young powerless and weak boy who his mother’s suitors took advantage of in his father’s absence. At the end of the text, he depicts a character with great change after leaving Ithaca and in his own odyssey; he was able to prove his worth. Telemachus is a character who undergoes constant transformation and development throughout The Odyssey. His expedition was an initiation into the heroic world of his father, and a voyage that managed to endow him with the familiarity and essential virtues needed to become a future monarch.

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1064 Words | 5 Pages

When creating a story, many great minds will use a pattern to enthrall readers and shape them into a hero. Established by Joseph Campbell, The Hero 's Journey is the iconic template many utilize to plan their imaginative tale. The Hero’s Journey is the cycle in which the protagonist ventures into an unknown world where he or she will go through a series of adventures and learn moral lessons. Heroes in ancient myths such as Homer 's epic poem, The Odyssey follows this formula since the protagonist, Odysseus, faces hardships throughout different regions that ultimately change his once arrogant character. Throughout Homer 's monomyth, Odysseus undergoes challenges that teach him the importance of humility.

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1332 Words | 6 Pages

Prior to the speech Menelaus has no urgency and respect for Telemachus'; he says “I'll escort you myself, harness the horses, guide you through the the towns,” which together imply that Telemachus should not travel by himself because he is still a boy (384). Directly after and because of “that” speech, however, Menelaus says “he told his wife and serving-women to lay out a meal at once,” and subsequently wishes Telemachus safe travels home (384). This contrast shows the effectiveness of Telemachus speech and, because the speech convinces Menelaus’ that Telemachus is capable of traveling by himself, reveals Telemachus’ maturity. Telemachus willingness to single handedly push himself to manhood, in times of personal and familial crisis, stresses his determination. Notably, all the compliments of Telemachus in this scene were from Menelaus and not Homer, once again revealing Homer’s

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402 Words | 2 Pages

Telemachus learns and appreciates the ways of his father, and so decides to follow the story of Orestes, and kill the suitors to take back his father’s home (3.52). Lastly, in book 4, Telemachus visits Menelaus in Sparta. In this part of the journey, we learn more details of the Trojan War, and also that Odysseus is still alive but captured by Calypso (4.71). Menelaus continues, talking of tales about Odysseus’ bravery and cunningness, educating Telemachus about the heroism is father had, which he believes he should also

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