Telemachus Coming Of Age Analysis

In Homer's epic poem The Odyssey, translated by Allen Mandelbaum, reveals the theme of coming of age through Telemachus. Telemachus starts off as a quiet young boy that is stepped all over by the suitors and then later grows to a brave and mature young man. He stands up and takes charge when he comes to realize enough is enough along with the help of one god in particular, Athena.
After Telemachus’ father, Odysseus, had left for war and never returned several suitors began to move in in order to obtain Penelope’s, Telemachus’ mother, hand in marriage. They are rude and act as if the house of odysseus belonged to them, eating food, drinking and making a mess. Telemachus calls an assembly to address the problem with the suitors “How arrogant

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. For I/ will sail to sandy Pylos, then to Sparta,/ to gather any news of my dear father” (33). By doing this he meets with Nestor of Pylos gains the courage to finally speak to the king and discovers that his father has been captured and kept at the nymph Calypso’s island but is still