Telemachus Insecurity In The Odyssey

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.

Telemachus gives a speech to the suitors scolding them for wrecking Odysseus’ wealth. This causes Telemachus to lose faith in his aptitude to accomplish Athena’s plan. “Look how my countrymen-the suitors most of all, pernicious bullies-foil each move I make…” (Fagles 102). Athena is able to persuade Telemachus through her encouraging and sympathetic words. “Telemachus, you’ll lack neither courage nor sense from this day on.”

As Athena assists him, he listens attentively and becomes driven in his actions. Telemachus first visits King Nestor. The first stop did not give Telemachus the answer he was looking for, but being the new eager and strived person Telemachus has become, he continues his journey by going to see Menelaus. Telemachus insists Menelaus to be truthful and exclaims, “Spare me no part of kindness’ sake; be harsh; but put the scene before me as you saw it” (Homer IV. 351-352).

Prior to the speech Menelaus has no urgency and respect for Telemachus'; he says “I'll escort you myself, harness the horses, guide you through the the towns,” which together imply that Telemachus should not travel by himself because he is still a boy (384). Directly after and because of “that” speech, however, Menelaus says “he told his wife and serving-women to lay out a meal at once,” and subsequently wishes Telemachus safe travels home (384). This contrast shows the effectiveness of Telemachus speech and, because the speech convinces Menelaus’ that Telemachus is capable of traveling by himself, reveals Telemachus’ maturity. Telemachus willingness to single handedly push himself to manhood, in times of personal and familial crisis, stresses his determination. Notably, all the compliments of Telemachus in this scene were from Menelaus and not Homer, once again revealing Homer’s

At the end of the story, it is evident that, the character of Telemachus is fully developed. He is no longer the young powerless and weak boy who his mother’s suitors took advantage of in his father’s absence. At the end of the text, he depicts a character with great change after leaving Ithaca and in his own odyssey; he was able to prove his worth. Telemachus is a character who undergoes constant transformation and development throughout The Odyssey. His expedition was an initiation into the heroic world of his father, and a voyage that managed to endow him with the familiarity and essential virtues needed to become a future monarch.

“Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction.” -Erich Fromm ‘The Odyssey’ by Homer, follows the story of Odysseus, a great Greek hero. It tells of his venture to Troy, to lead his army in the Trojan War, and his separation from loved ones and his kingdom for twenty years. However, the novel mainly focuses on the story of his homecoming and all he, and many others, had to endure while he was returning from abroad.

When Telemachus informs Menelaos that there are suitors residing in Odysseus’ home, Menelaos responds “I pray he comes as once he was... If only that Odysseus met the suitors,/ they’d have their consummation, a cold bed!“ (Homer 4.371-372). Furthermore, when Athena advises Telemachus on how he should handle the suitors, she suggests,

273-275). This shows Telemachus being weak, because he has lost all hope for his father and his return and he also holds belief that his father, Odysseus is dead. This proves that Telemachus is still a boy in the beginning because, he is showing weakness by giving up and believing that Odysseus is dead and will never return. Another example of Telemachus being weak in the beginning is that he continues to lose hope and doubt his father 's return to Ithaca. Telemachus says, “Eurymachus, clearly my father 's journey home is lost forever/

The Relationship between Telemachus and Odysseus his father is very different. First off, Telemachus has really never met his father but there is still some relation there. Telemachus longs to meet his father and have a relationship. It is very clear that Telemachus struggles to come to the fact that his father has been away for so long and questions at the beginning of the books if he will every come home. Once Telemachus is told by Athena in disguise that his father is still alive ( lines 220-228 in Fagles) he longs on a journey to try and find his dad to see if he is alive.

In book two, Telemakhos’ argument caused confusion. Telemakhos’ believes that his father is lost while; the suitors believe that his father is dead. In lines (49-52), Telemachus states “My distinguished

Using her power of disguise, Athena visits Telemachus and informs him of his father’s whereabouts. Disguised as Mentes, Athena expresses to Telemachus that “great Odysseus is not dead. He’s still alive…” (83). Because of this information, Telemachus feels assured that his father still lives, and searching for him will have a positive outcome. Athena further advises Telemachus how he should proceed with this information and how he should find his father and bring him home.

76-98). Similar to xenia, tradition is also shown through their relationship. One example of the traditions passed down through each generation which is proven by Telemachus speaking to Athena as his guest: “My dear guest, you speak to me as kindly as a father to his son. I will not

Before Athena appearing as a Mentor, Homer shows Telémakhos as a shy boy who is having difficulties to live up to his father’s legendary reputation. He is shown as detached, lost and confused. Rather than taking an action, Telémakhos kept on complaining about the suitors’ manipulation of Xenia. In order to reach manhood, Athena calls him to action through making him undergo a journey. This journey, through Homer’s words, is not only meant to pave the way for him to mature by the time Odysseus is back, but also to save him from the suitor’s plot to kill him.

Being disrespectful toward how the old man was perceived would go against the Law of Hospitality. Xenia puts the homeowner on watch 24/7. Telemachus observed Athena and hurried over embarrassed that she was held back by the gates. Telemachus wasn’t aware that Athena would be coming to visit him. WIthout knowing she would arrive, he was shocked that no one provided assistants to her.

He then announces his wants to visit Sparta and Pylos to search for Odysseus, his father. This is the first journey away from home, showing the distinction from boyhood to manhood (2.30). Continuing into book 3, Telemachus is taught of the concept called xenia. Nestor, the king of Pylos, goes by the social contract of xenia, and shows Telemachus a good time while he is there. Nestor tells Telemachus stories of Odysseus during the Trojan War as well as Orestes, praising him immensely.