Telemachus’ Odyssey - 1218 Words

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. It is the story of his coming-of-age. Telemachus greatly matures into a more capable young man. However it is debatable if he will every become the man that his father is. When the reader first encounters Telemachus†¦show more content†¦/ We have no strong Odysseus to defend us / and as to putting up a fight ourselves / we‘d only show our incompetence in arms. / Expel them, yes, if I only had the power.† (2. 62-66). At this point, he still only wishes he had the confidence and power to expel the suitors. The journey Telemachus takes to Nestor and Menelaus greatly influences him in Books Three and Four. When he speaks to them, a sense of greater maturity and confidence can be seen within him. For example when Menelaus offers him gifts to take back to Ithaca, Telemachus responds, â€Å" As for your gift, now, let it be some keepsake / Horses I cannot take to Ithaka / let me bestow them back on you, to serve / your glory here.† (4. 641- 644). This really impresses Menelaus and he compliments Telemachus of his excellent manners and how well-spoken that was. Both men reveal crucial information that they pass along to him. From Nestor, Telemachus learns about the events that occurred after the Trojan war. He is heartbroken to hear that everyone has made it home besides his father. Once again, the story of Agamemnon’s horrifying nostos is brought up to warn Telemachus of what could come t o pass if he does not act soon enough. Orestes had to â€Å"man up† to avenge his father. Telemachus needs to use him as a role model and learn how to defend himself and his mother. His presence from Ithaca must can only go unchecked for so long until the suitors seize control what is left of his father’s palace. When heShow MoreRelatedTelemachus in The Odyssey1340 Words   |  6 Pagespeople 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 sinceRead MoreThe Odyssey - Telemachus Journey1219 Words   |  5 P agesboy become a man? This rite of passage is explored in Robert Fagles translation of Homer s epic poem, The Odyssey. Odysseus (king of Ithaca) fought in the Trojan War for ten years and after the fall of Troy he spent the next ten years trying to get home. He left behind an infant son, Telemachus, and a devoted wife, Penelope. 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Throughout the poem, Telemachus finds his place in the world and becomes a more well-rounded person. Although Telemachus never quite matches his father Odysseus in terms of wit, strength, agility, his resilience does develop throughout the text. In the epic, The Odyssey, by Homer, the young boy TelemachusRead MoreTelemachus Change in the Odyssey Essay899 Words   |  4 Pages Emergence of Telemachus’ Heroic Traits in the Telemecheia Joseph Campbell’s ten archetypal heroic traits appear in many literary protagonists. Physical strength, eloquence, leadership, and ties to supernatural forces are characteristics that are pervasive among heroes. King Gilgamesh, in the Epic of Gilgamesh, possesses the Campbellian traits of unmatched physical strength, confident leadership, and ties to gods. 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In The Odyssey both Odysseus and his son Telemachus go through rough times to experience their spiritual growth just as in psychology it is known that traumatic events or hardships also cause changes in our personality. Odysseus through the whole Odyssey was tested far more than anyone else. Beginning with him stuck on Calypso s island with everything but happiness while his true desire was simple to return home to his family. Homer started out showing Odyssey s mood and spiritsRead MoreTelemachus As Metaphors In The Odyssey1462 Words   |  6 PagesThe Odyssey proves to be a metaphor for a man’s life through comparing the different characters present in the novel; Telemachus - the young - Odysseus - the middle-aged - and Laertes - the old. Telemachus, to begin with, is weak, left on his own by Odysseus’s unknown fate. â€Å"He would have left a great name for his son to inherit. But there was no famous end for him. He has left nothing but sorrow and tears† (31). Because of his father’s hazy outcome, Telemachus’s mother has been left in social