Odyssey Telemachus Character Analysis

The Odyssey opens with the story revolving around Telemachus, making it seem that he was a character as important as Odysseus. As the story progresses, Athena becomes more and more of a central character. She is the only female character featured throughout the epic. Athena was not only the most influential female character in the epic, but she was even more important of a character than Telemachus, himself.
Athena helps Telemachus towards the beginning of the book with her true identity concealed by taking the form of a friend of Odysseus’ family, Mentor. She inspired Telemachus to go out in search of news of Odysseus telling him to ask King Nestor of Pylos and King Menelaus of Sparta. By telling Telemachus to search for his father, Athena takes him out of the danger posed by the suitors and keeps him safe throughout his journey. (Books 1- 4)
Although Athena helps Telemachus at times, she helps Odysseus on many more occasions. When Odysseus found himself trapped in a cave with a man-eating cyclops named Polyphemus and he didn't know what to do. It was Athena that gave him the tools to escape. She gave him unmixed wine,

After the slaughter of the suitors Eupeithes is outraged when he hears the news of his son, Antinous’ death. He leads an angry mob towards Laertes, Odysseus’ father’s, house. This is where Penelope, Telemachus and Odysseus have decided to lay low until the parents of the suitors have calmed down. Athena then inspires Laertes which gives him strength to kill Eupeithes. After the death of Eupeithes, Odysseus and Telemachus charge into battle planning to attack the rest of the angry mob, but Athena stops them and forces them to make peace. (Book 24) Athena probably realized that if Odysseus and Telemachus had killed off all the noble families in one day a civil war would breakout within Ithaca. On the other hand, Athena was also protecting Odysseus and Telemachus who found themselves outnumbered once