Are The Similarities Between Telemachus And The Suitors In The Odyssey

There is controversy in the classical scholarly community on the subject of why the first four books of the Odyssey focus on Telemachus. Jenkins claims it’s a tribute to

Odysseus because Telemachus is a part of him. I disagree because though the Odyssey primarily depicts Odysseus’ nostos, it is also driven by Telemachus’ maturation in tact and intelligence to significance beyond simply coming of age.

There are several scenes in the first four books and the last quarter of the epic in which Telemachus make speeches with key similarities that invoke identical responses from Penelope and the suitors. In two separate instances in books one and 21,

Telemachus’ “masterful words” cause “Penelope [to be] stunned” (1.379, 21.377). Homer uses identical

The same sentence is used over a dozen chapters later to describe the suitors’ reaction to Telemachus dismissing them “whenever [the suitors] are ready”

(18.445-451). Homer repeats the suitors’ initial reaction to the speeches so that the consequences of Telemachus’ words are contrasted. In book one he angers the suitors enough for them to finally plot his death; on the other hand, his feigned hospitality in book 18 deceives them so that, when they finally choose to call it a night, he and

Odysseus can plot the slaughter of the unsuspecting suitors. It could be argued that he has become more like Odysseus in the presence of his father. Yet Odysseus attributes the pardon of Phemus and Medon during the battle to Telemachus when he says,

“[Telemachus] has saved you”, exhibiting esteem for Telemachus as well as creating a distinction between father and son (22.357-397). His transformation exceeds just coming of age as he expresses “boldness” in both speeches towards the suitors. The shift from reckless to tactful treatment of the suitors indicates the same change in Telemachus himself. Odysseus needs to recruit Telemachus, who matures beyond simply coming