Homers’ Odyssey first introduces this hero with the words “….a boy, daydreaming” (1. 139-142) and states him as “But clear-headed…” (3.24-25) later on as the epic poem goes on. This hero is first pictured as a young and immature boy but as the epic goes on this boy turns into a great leader and a great man. Who is this hero? He is Odysseus’s son prince Telemachus. Telemachus is young at first and just sits wondering about his father and can’t help himself neither his mother from the suitors but with the help of Athena he starts his voyage to find his father and faces obstacles and challenges in his voyage which makes him more strong physically and mentally. This epic is mainly about the Odysseus but the way the character of Telemachus is presented, it is really fascinating. He plays a lead role in this epic with his father Odysseus. Odysseus is already a brave man, great leader and a great hero and he has to face the obstacles to get back to his home. But, the character of Telemachus is really inspiring to the reader because he goes through lot of things in his life and emerges as a better person. His character tells the reader about his growth from an immature person to a mature person and a great leader. At the outset of the epic, Telemachus is a young boy who can do nothing on his own. He starts a quest to search his father and starts to run things as the epic goes on. And, at the end of the epic he turns into a fully-grown man.
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At the beginning of the Odyssey Telemachus is characterized as a dreaming boy who can do nothing but sit and dream about his father’s return. While Athena talks to him in the feast he says “…there’s no help for us in someone’s hoping” (Homer, Odyssey ,1.201). He is just hoping that his father would come and throw all the suitors away from the Ithaca. He can do nothing about it on his own. Athena, daughter of Zeus has to inspire him to find his father and bring him back home. He is scared and don’t know what to do. After he reaches the island with his men he asks Athena who is disguised as a mentor, “Mentor, how can I do it, how approach him? I have no patience in elaborate speeches, and for a young man to interrogate an old man seems disrespectful…”(Homer, Odyssey, 3.25-28). He is scared to handle the situation on his own.
But, as the epic goes on this young boy grows some qualities in him of his father Odysseus. He starts to gain some positive changes. He becomes brave, a great leader and a strong person physically and mentally just like his father.
For the first time in his life he stands up for his father, mother and his kingdom. He calls an assembly in book two and speaks in front of all the Ithacans. He says, “No need to…”(Homer, Odyssey, 2.42-84). He is responding to the situation like a mature person now. He is answering the suitors and making them quiet. At the end in book twenty-two he goes to lock all the women in one room and tells Eurykleia to look after them (Homer, Odyssey, 22.410-415). He is sensing the responsibility of him towards his family and kingdom. This shows he is gaining the quality of a leader. He is on his way to become a great leader and continue the legacy of his father.
With the help of Athena he starts his voyage and gets to the pylos to get the news about his father. First he is hesitant but later on he goes to talk to the Nestor. He is talking with the Nestor saying, “Nestor, pride of Akhaians…”(Homer, Odyssey 3.85-108). Telemachus is now heading towards the palace of Menelaus. Menelaus tells Telemachus that he is exactly like his father in book four. He says, “My lad, what you have said…”(Homer,Odyssey,4.215-225). Telemachus is more confident now than he was before. He is now becoming brave and courageous just like his father.
Later on when his father returns to Ithaca he helps his father to fight with the suitors, kill them and take over what was always of their family. While suitors are having a competition to string a bow, he is almost about to string it but he withdraws from the competition and faces the humiliation (Homer, Odyssey, 21.360-367). He also has to face all the suitors in his own without any help from Athena after Odysseus unmasks himself in front of the mass (Homer, Odyssey, 22. 240). He is now becoming stronger physically and emotionally.
Telemachus is really a fascinating character in Odyssey. Reader gets to know how an immature boy turns into a brave and courageous man. He is scared, unintelligent, and emotionally and physically weak at first. He stands on his feet, calls for the assembly in Ithaca, tell suitors about his quest to find his father, starts his voyage to find his father and gathers the news of his father. And, when his father returns to Ithaca he partners with his father and helps him to defeat and kill the suitors and maids. He characterizes a brave man, a great leader and strong person to the reader. He also defies a good son by helping his mother in absence of his father and looking after the kingdom for his father. The character of Telemachus also inspires me. The background where I am from, the son in the family has to look out for his family from his young age. He has to be mature soon enough to know things and handle things around him. Telemachus is doing the same in the epic peom which makes me follow this great hero in my real life.
Work Cited
Homer. The Odyssey. The Norton Anthology of World Literature: Beginnings to A.D. 100. Ed. Sarah Lawall. New York: W.W. Norton and Company. 2002. 228. Print.
Homer. The Odyssey. The Norton Anthology of World Literature: Beginnings to A.D. 100. Ed. Sarah Lawall. New York: W.W. Norton and Company. 2002.247. Print.
Homer. The Odyssey. The Norton Anthology of World Literature: Beginnings to A.D. 100. Ed. Sarah Lawall. New York: W.W. Norton and Company. 2002.229-230. Print.
Homer. The Odyssey. The Norton Anthology of World Literature: Beginnings to A.D. 100. Ed. Sarah Lawall. New York: W.W. Norton and Company. 2002.237. Print.
Homer. The Odyssey. The Norton Anthology of World Literature: Beginnings to A.D. 100. Ed. Sarah Lawall. New York: W.W. Norton and Company. 2002. 493. Print.
Homer. The Odyssey. The Norton Anthology of World Literature: Beginnings to A.D. 100. Ed. Sarah Lawall. New York: W.W. Norton and Company. 2002.248. Print.
Homer. The Odyssey. The Norton Anthology of World Literature: Beginnings to A.D. 100. Ed. Sarah Lawall. New York: W.W. Norton and Company. 2002.492. Print.
Homer. The Odyssey. The Norton Anthology of World Literature: Beginnings to A.D. 100. Ed. Sarah Lawall. New York: W.W. Norton and Company. 2002.500. Print.
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