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Qualities of a hero
Characteristic of a hero
Characteristic of a hero
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Qualities of a hero
Characteristic of a hero
Characteristic of a hero
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
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.
By setting the two characters up as literary foils, Homer is able to build upon the classic familial trope of “like father, like son”, but still establish Telemachus as a strong force that can stand alone from Odysseus. The lack of constraint that Odysseus shows, especially in the murder of the suitors, paints Telemachus, who doesn’t let emotions cloud his judgement, in a more favorable light in terms of who will be a better king. Odysseus and Telemachus are parallels of each other in that they share similar plot points and both change for the better, yet are on two distinct paths. Through his incredible power and hardships turned accomplishments, Odysseus’ path leads to being an epic hero, whereas Telemachus’ understanding of people and gallant mind make him fit to be a great
loy·al·ty ˈloiəltē/ noun the quality of being loyal to someone or something. a strong feeling of support or allegiance. Loyalty is very strong and very meaningful, like true love or brotherhood. Loyalty has to be earned, not just given away. In The Odyssey, the epic poem by Homer, Odysseus’ crew is steadfastly loyal to him and follow nearly his every direction, even though they are given many reasons not to be.
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
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/
1. Book 3 shows the importance of Odysseus leaving his home and taking action, so that he could learn about his father and most importantly, grow up. It was important that Telemachus went to visit old Nestor, because his journey would teach him how to live independently and force him to take charge of his life and Ithaca. During his journey, Telemachus would have to overcome all of the problems that he faces by himself. This would teach him many valuable lessons and force him to mature into a young adult.
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. «
The emphasis on obedience proves how important the idea of allegiance was to the audience. As a whole, The Odyssey uses loyalty as a universal theme to show the importance it holds with the audience. “Stranger,” this is what the once powerful king, Odysseus, is pronounced as when he returns to his “native soil. ”(Book 17:526,359).
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.
All through The Odyssey, the characters develop in a certain way that interchanges the outcome of the book. Odysseus is able to develop knowledge and wisdom to deal with his men during the battle and the suitors who were frustrating his wife. In addition, he came back home as a hero after the Trojan War. Telemachus developed into a mature man who could deal with any problem in his father’s absence. However, based on the story, it is evident that, Telemachus demonstrates a great change basing upon the times the characters were away from Ithaca.
Loyalty is the glue that holds marriages or friendships together. Without loyalty there would be no trust in one another, and all of these relationships would be broken. Loyalty is quite simple to fulfill, but at times can be even easier to fail. Specifically, in marriages, loyalty is not just remaining married to one’s spouse, but is also staying true to all the promises one made, and putting oneself before the other. Loyalty plays a key role in Odysseus’ and Penelope’s marriage in the epic poem “The Odyssey” by Homer, translated by Robert Fagles, but it is debatable if Odysseus is truly loyal to his selfless wife, Penelope.
In The Odyssey, temptation is a theme repeatedly explored by Homer. The issue of temptation is constantly providing the protagonist, Odysseus, with conflicts. From the very beginning of the epic tale, with Paris’s lust for Helen, temptation causes mayhem in the lives of the characters. It repeatedly prevents Odysseus from achieving his main goal of returning home to Ithaca.
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
A major theme in the Odyssey is reciprocity: people getting what they deserve. Reciprocity is an important theme in the Odyssey because it explains why Odysseus’ journey was very long and treacherous. Eurylochus, Antinous, and Odysseus all suffered consequences due to poorly made actions. Each of them made the wrong decisions which lead to death and a long/adventurous journey. Eurylochus was the first to be killed by Odysseus and his men due to his actions.
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