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Telemachus Mature In The Odyssey

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Since the beginning of time, children have grown and matured. Their development may come from many influences from people all around, some having a more significant impact than others. In Homer’s epic, The Odyssey, Telemachus, the young prince of Ithaca, is troubled with a missing father, Odysseus, whom he has never seen in his lifetime. He spends his childhood living with suitors, who beg for his mother, Penelope's, hand in marriage. He watches them drain his riches, eating and living gratuitously. From above in Olympus, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, watches Telemachus suffer from all his adversities. Feeling remorse for the child, she begs Zeus to permit her to go to Ithaca and guide Telemachus. Telemachus' growth from a child to a mature adult is largely influenced by Athena’s teachings and advice. She inspires him to be more like his father, Odysseus, provokes him by comparing him to his more outstanding peer, Prince Orestes, …show more content…

Upon seeing him at first sight, Athena immediately exclaims, "'you're truly Odysseus' son? You've sprung up so!/ Uncanny resemblance ... the head, and the fine eyes'" (Homer 1.240-241). After describing to Telemachus his remarkable resemblance of Odysseus, Athena goes on to tell Telemachus of Odysseus' heroic accomplishments and his contributions to Greece's victory in Troy. As the son of a hero of the Trojan War, Telemachus is inspired to not only resemble his father physically but also through his actions. In addition to emboldening Telemachus, Athena also hints to Telemachus what Odyessus would do if he was in the palace, by saying "'he'd lay hands on all these brazen suitors . . . a blood wedding, a quick death would take the lot'"(Homer 1.297,308). Not only did her wise words illuminate Telemachus, but also influenced him to act more like his

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“The Essential Odyssey”, A story about Odysseus and his journey to get home after the war and to save his family from the suitors who have invaded his home. The author uses loyalty as a common theme throughout the book, but the strongest showing of loyalty is Telemachus and his loyalty to his family. A clear example of loyalty is in the character Telemachus, the son of Godlike Odyessus and Penelope. He is smart, selfless, and a skilled strategist, but the most common trait he shows in this book is loyalty. Although he is not a strong warrior, he finds other ways to protect his family through his courage and intellect.

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(book 1 line 389,392-3) " This quote shows how Telemachus doesn’t fear the suitors and this finally sparks his mission to get rid of the suitors and to bring his father back home to his mother and to help him fight off the

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I my opinion I think that the Goddesses Athena gives the best advice to Telemachus for finding his lost father who was out at sea while he was on his voyage home. She goes in disguise from Mount Olympus and tells Odysseus son the pivotal news in this story that his father may be alive. She keeps on telling him news that him develop a mindset that is father is alive; therefore, he gains hope and is eager to find him at sea. Since Athena was able to change the pace of Telemachus hope for finding his father, and since it set the poor for the rest of the book. For this, Athena the Goddess of wisdom gives the most helpful advice.

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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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In The Odyssey by Homer, Homer introduces the epic with a struggle between Odysseus’ son, Telemachus, and the suitors. Suitors plague the household, once inhabited by the missing Odyssey, devour all of its food, and amuse themselves within its vast halls. There, they try to wed Penelope, Odysseus’ wife, yet she refuses to do so. Telemachus and the suitors engage in a grand debate over the suitors’ use of the palace. Telemachus argues for their removal and the suitors argue to stay until Penelope agrees to marry.

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In the novel, The Odyssey translated by Robert Fitzgerald, Telemachus gives a speech to Ithaca. He argues to the suitors about disrespecting his father Odysseus’ home even though they think Odysseus is dead and will never come home. Courageously, from the heart, Telemachus goes up against the suitors to state control over the key social practices of marriage hospitality. Telemachus’ speech was effective because it showed pathos, logos, and ethos. Telemachus looks and acts the part of his father, astonishing those who presumably knew him as a boy.

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This shows how Telemachus is no longer hesitant to take charge of his own life and stand up for himself. Through his journey, Telemachus demonstrates how he overcomes obstacles and becomes the kind of leader his father would be proud of. In conclusion, although accomplishing goals can be difficult, Telemachus successfully fulfills this leads into another goal of hers that is becoming more independent. This is shown when Telemachus develops a sense of self-awareness and realizes his potential to mature and become more like his father. This is evident when he says, "Who has known, after all?

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Telemachus, Odysseus’s son, goes out on a journey to find his father, but Athena stops him and tells him to return to Ithaca. She also tells him not to return to his mother straight away because he will be murdered by the suitors. She is a very important supernatural aspect because she saves his life and leads him to where his father is, which lets the story’s plot unravel. She also helps Odysseus stay away from the suitors and in turn keep his life. She turns him into a beggar to fool the others and to get Penelope back safely.

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Telemachus Growing into a Strong Mature Man Samuel Ullman, an American businessman and poet, once said, “Maturity is the ability to think, speak, and act your feelings within the bounds of dignity.” Samuel’s words hold true in Homer 's The Odyssey. In this extraordinary poem, Telemachus, the Son of Penelope, queen of Ithaca, and Odysseus, king of Ithaca. While Odysseus is at war fighting, Telemachus losing fait about his father coming home. He soon starts to question that he could be dead or alive.

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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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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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She instructs him to “sail in quest of news of your long-lost father.” (86). Using her disguise, Athena reaches Telemachus and offers him wisdom. Telemachus takes this advice to heart and sets out to find his father. By offering this information about Odysseus, Athena inspires Telemachus.

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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).

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