FREE ESSAY ON TELEMACHUS' ODYSSEY

TELEMACHUS' ODYSSEY

Telemachus' Odyssey
The Odyssey, though named for the great warrior and story focus Odysseus, cannot be soley
regarded as a single man's journey. The growth in intellect, maturity, and strength the
Odysseus undergoes is reflected distinctly in his son, Telemachus. In the first books,
other characters continue to treat him much as a child, and in many respects, Telemachus
still acts like one. The first few books illustrate the relationship between Telemachus
and his father, a father he has barely known. When Odysseus left his wife and child,
Telemachus was still an infant. For his want of a father, Athena acts as a mentor to him;
particularly when she gives him the courage to journey from his home in search of his
father. Had he not the courage here, he could not have stood against the suitors' wills
in the final books.
Telemachus's emotional growth is key to the paralleling storylines. When Menelaus
mentions his father, the young Telemachus breaks down in tears, betraying his immaturity.
However, the pride he feels leaving Sparta hints at the courage he shows in later books,
aiding Odysseus against the suitors.
Odysseus faces a similar situation. He, like Telemachus, worries about his family -
Penelope in particular - and kingdom, possibly triggered by Proteus' mention of
Agamemnon, who was killed by his own wife. The titular hero of this epic romance laments
his seeming fate and the deaths of his crew, but continues with the courage and hope of
reaching home. It seems that Odysseus learns little, unlike Telemachus, but not by any
fault of his own, I think. He may simply be the epitome of Greek standards, clever and
noble as he often is, and actually has little room to grow.
For Telemachus, the goals he sets reflect the maturity he gains: to reach a level of
adulthood and to stand by his father's side, to protect his family and kingdom, and most
importantly, to be respected as a man. At the story's onset, Telemachus can bee seen as
an inactive young prince. When the challenges rise, however, Telemachus himself rises to
meet them. He challenges the suitors with his divinely-inspired courage, and, though not
completely effective, he surprised them a great deal with his authority - as he did with
his own mother in later books. Telemachus undoubtedly gains a new awareness, not only
about his father, but also about the kingdom, his mother, and the role he needed to play.
By the end of his long emotional journey, Telemachus realizes what it takes to be a man;
a feat which could not have been possible without his escapades to Pylos and Sparta.
The key moment, the point at which Telemachus exceeds even his own expectations if not
dreams, comes when Penelope offers the challenge of Odysseus' bow. Each of the suitors
tries and fails, but Telemachus makes the same bid for his birthright; he could have
strung the bow, but for his father's signal not to. Had Telemachus succeeded, he would
have been fully grown, but at the mercy of the vengeful suitors. Odysseus' revelation
catches them off-guard enough to make his assault. Telemachus, we can safely assume, will
someday assume his father's place as hero and king of Ithaca, because he undergoes
parallel ordeals and is a match in strength and courage.
The Odyssey creates a parallel for readers, between Odysseus and Telemachus, father and
son. Telemachus learns the role of his father, the king of Ithaca, in order to follow in
his footsteps. The two are compared in the poem from every aspect, Telemachus at home
often acting as a distant foil for Odysseus. However, in analyzing The Odyssey, one may
also presume that Homer had not intended for the Telemachus to be as great a hero as his
father had. This may be due to the fact that he never fought in the Trojan War (his
setting, unlike his father's, is a time of peace); but more notably, although he has
matured, Telemachus never has the opportunity to learn through hardship, like his
father.