Theme Of The Suitors In The Odyssey

Within The Odyssey, an epic poem by Robert Fagles, an argument between Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, and the suitors of Penelope, Telemachus’ mother, occurs. While the suitors argue their justification for the destruction they have caused on Odysseus’ palace and the gods, Telemachus addresses the suitors’ immoral conduct and the adverse effect that the suitors had on the palace. In this argument in Book 2 of The Odyssey, Telemachus constructs a stronger argument than the suitors by using ethos, pathos, and logos to emphasize the damage taken by the suitors invading his palace. To begin, Telemachus’ use of ethos within this argument addresses his point, as his anger of the destruction caused by the suitors is delivered to the men invading the palace. Throughout the quarrel, Telemachus’ tone remains authoritative and challenging toward the suitors; Telemachus is taking after his father, becoming the prince he is, and using a tone that clearly expresses his anger. Telemachus acknowledges the suitors’ destruction, claiming that “it’s intolerable, what they do - [a] disgrace”, that “[they] should be ashamed

When the suitors tell Telemachus that they are not to blame, but rather Penelope is for tricking them, they use a diversion to plant the blame on Penelope and defend themselves. Telemachus then asks a logical, rhetorical question asking “‘how can [he] drive [his] own mother from [their] house, against her will..?’” (Book 2, 97). By asking this question, Telemachus is convincing in the aspect that he should never have to do such a thing, that the suitors will not make him force his own mother to break her loyalty to Odysseus, his father. The suitors continue arguing against Telemachus, continuously using diversions to redirect the conversation, but Telemachus’ use of logos through logic, reason, and rhetorical questions allows him to override the suitors’