In the time period of The Odyssey, the people of Greece worshipped the gods for advice and guidance. The gods then decided if they were going to help or ignore their people. This is seen in The Odyssey where Athena decides that she will help save Odysseus. To help save Odysseus, she first decides to talk to his son, Telemachus. Athena, the goddess of wisdom, gives advice to Telemachus. As of this point on, the reader observes a change in Telemachus. From a shy and timid boy now becomes a confident and self-assured man. Telemachus then takes immediate actions and surprises everyone, even his own mother because of his superiority. However Telemachus wouldn't have been responsible for his actions if one individual didn't give advice to him, Athena. Therefore Athena, or the gods in general were responsible for Telemachus' actions by setting up a crew for him to travel and also telling Telemachus to drive away the suitors and to seek information about Odysseus. Telemachus had no control of his palace or anything in fact before Athena had come. Athena, who was disguised as Mentes, was one of Odysseus' friends and spoke with Telemachus. At first the two talk about small matters such as discussing who they were and what their stories were. But their conversation moves to Athena giving advice to Telemachus, '"At daybreak summon the islands lords to full assembly, give your orders to all and call the god's to witness: tell the suitors to scatter, each to his own place (Book 1, 315-317)."' This is the first part of Athena's advice, to get rid of the suitors. The suitors have been taking control of the palace and no one is stopping them. If Athena hadn't said anything, Telemachus would still be sitting there looking absently i... ... middle of paper ... ...end her a swift ship. He gladly volunteered (Book 2, 422-427)." Athena helped Telemachus get a crew and also get a boat for him to travel. Athena was very kind to Telemachus and gave him very wise advice. Without the gods, Telemachus wouldn't have followed through his actions. The gods answered the prayers of Telemachus and were very kind to do so. Athena gave Telemachus very good advice and guidance while Zeus allowed Athena to do so and also answered Telemachus prayer by showing a sign to amaze the assembly. In the beginning of the novel, Telemachus is portrayed as a shy and timid boy but with the gods help Telemachus is shown as the true prince of Ithaca. Therefore the gods are responsible for Telemachus actions by giving advice to Telemachus, answering his prayers and showing a sign when Telemachus needed it the most, and setting up a crew for him to travel.
As long as Telemakhos followed Athena and did what she said, she was with him and helped him. She would disguise herself to help and protect Telemakhos as he began his journey.
Right at the beginning of The Odyssey, the reader is shown the hospitality that Telemachus has. Athena arrives, disguised, and he invites her into his home by saying: "'Greetings, stranger! / Here in our house you'll find a royal welcome. / Have supper first, then tell us what you need'" (1.144-46). His address to Athena shows right away that he is an extremely hospitable character. Despite his house being overridden by the suitors, he is still welcoming of this stranger. When she is about to leave, he offers that she stay longer and wants to treat her with honor (1.352-60). Telemachus has no idea who Athena is, yet he still shows extreme generosity towards her. Telemachus is a perfect role model for xenia. Even though the suitors have been pushing him around for years, he still finds it in his heart to provide strangers a lovely experience when they visit him. It seems as though he has seen how terrible it is to be treated with bad xenia and he in turn wants to treat his guests the way that he hopes to be treated.
...ks, the distaff and the loom, and keep the women working hard as well.. I hold the reins of power in this house'” (Homer 89). With a shock, his mother followed his order and this shocked some suitors as well. “Discreet Telemachus took command: ' You suitors who plague my mother, you, you insolent, overweening... You must leave my palace! But if you decide fare is better... carve away'” (Homer 89). He still hasn't quite won yet because he wasn't able to actually throw them out by himself, so the suitors still look down on him. However, a huge change was shown through Telemachus. He actually gained the courage to say something, which is a really good sign. After he said something, he finally took action to go look for his father himself. Without a doubt, Athena's visit was the element that allowed Telemachus begin doing something about his life and make some changes.
Throughout The Odyssey Telemachus grows in character from an unprepared teen to a young man who could one day rule Ithaca. He has many experiences traveling to learn more about his father and many that occur on Ithaca once Odysseus returns. All of these events help to shape him into the assertive young man he becomes.
Telemachus does not know his father when Odyssey begins as he was an infant when his father left for Troy. As a maturing man, he is dedicated several books to the study of his father and is entirely dedicated to his mother and to maintaining his father’s estate. He, however, is uncertain on how to shield his mother and property from the suitors whose actual plans he discovered recently. A meeting with Athena was turnings point for him as she educated him on the ways of a young Greek prince. After an encounter with Athena, he becomes more responsible, assertive and courageous and able to confront the suitors on their intentions and abuse
To begin with, Telemachus was afraid to even approach the suitors of his mother about his yearning for them to be gone. He has also lost hope that his father is still alive, because he truly does not know him. “My mother says indeed I am his. I for my part do not know. Nobody really knows his own father.” (32. 215-216) He speaks these words to Athena who in turn tells Telemachus about his father, and what he should do to find out some information about his father’s whereabouts. According to Solon, Telemachos should be at his mental and physical prowess but instead he is simply a boy who cannot even lead his own house. He needs the push and advice of a stranger for him to decide what to do.
Consider in the second book where he expresses the problems he faces: “There are two evils. I have lost a noble father, one who was a king once over you here, and was kind to you like a father; and now a greater evil, one which presently will break up the whole house and destroy all my livelihood.” Although Telemachus conveys that the problem of the suitors is the greater evil, being the immediate issue, the root of the whole problem lies in Telemachus’ inability to lead because he has “lost a noble father.” His lack of fatherly discipline causes him act like a boy, throwing his scepter on the ground in a fit of tears in front of the assembly. It is clear from this scene that Telemachus is not yet fit to lead the people of Ithaka because he has had no training. Peisistratos, son of Nestor, says this explicitly to Menelaos in book four: “For a child endures many griefs in his house when his father is gone away, and no others are there to help him.” Clearly, Telemachus needs a father figure, and so Menelaos will teach him how to lead, using his own example and the stories of his
Telemachus is just a mere weak boy who can’t stand up to the suitors and wishes that his father, Odysseus, would return to be rid the suitors from their house, but, the warrior goddess of wisdom, Athena, convinced Telemachus that it was time for him to change his ways and take action against the problems he faces. Evidence about Telemachus’ childish behavior is seen in this excerpt from book
...e gods and goddesses who changed his fate (ex. Poseidon, Calypso, Circle). He learned very many valuable lessons over the course of the epic all thanks to these unfortunate events. Telemachus was also affected by the suitors, who were the biggest reason for his change into a man. They were the main conflict in the story for him and they also played a small role in affecting the changes of his father. Without the suitors, abuse of xenia could not have been displayed, Telemachus would not have had much reason to mature and there would not have been as much interest in the book for readers.
The gods are first responsible for establishing the conditions under which the story begins. While the Greek soldiers had returned home from Troy, Odysseus remained trapped as “the brightest goddess, Calypso, held him her hollow grottoes” because “she wanted him as a husband” (Homer, Odyssey 1.5, Translation by Allen Mandelbaum). Calypso traps Odysseus on her island of Ogygia and “keeps the sad Odysseus there—although he weeps. Her words are fond and fragrant, sweet and soft—so she would honey him to cast far off his Ithaca” (1.7). He remains on Ogygia for years, leaving the care of his home to his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus. Because Calypso keeps him away for years, Odysseus is presumed dead and his absence invites suitors to his home. These suitors look to win the hand of Penelope, Odysseus’ wife. This state of affairs is the overall cause of Telemachus’ departure. If ...
At the end of book four, the reader is left to feel that Telemachus is a good and, in all likelihood, a virtuous young man. Athena, it is assumed, would not have gone to the trouble to assist in his cause if this were not the case. By the time he reaches Sparta, however, he remains untested. Athena tells him where to go and with whom to meet, she teaches him what to say, and she even physically grooms him for the role. One suspects that there are likely to be trials that lie ahead for him. Athena tells Telemachus that his actions will be a combination of instinct and divine guidance. One can only hope, if the goddess is not by his side, that these instincts will see him through these upcoming struggles.
Throughout the Odyssey, Telemakhos journeys to come to terms with the character that his lot in life necesitates. While he realizes who this identity is at an early stage, it is not until he gains the confidence largely through the support of Athena, and ultimately from his father, that Telemakhos is able to achieve self-discovery. The strength of his coming of age story heavily emphasizes the Odyssey as tale of identity.
At the beginning or the story Telemachus was naive and sheltered from the outside world. From his experiences at Pylos and Sparta a hero was born. Telemachus gained insight on the way a Greek nation should be governed as well as maturing as a person. The morals and values Telemachus gained will make him a better monarch when it is his turn to take the throne.
He says, “I might as well-might better- see my treasure/ and livestock taken over by you all/…I’d press my claim; you might make restitution./ This way you hurt me when my hands are tied” (II, 80-85). In the end of his speech, Telemachus is saying that if no one is going to do anything about this he might as well just give up, but then he switches back and says that ultimately everything is up to the audience. He has done his part, he made that call for help, but if the Ithacan leaders don’t do anything to help his situation then it’s all their fault. By this attitude of giving up Telemachus does not give off a strong and confident
If not for divine interference, neither Odysseus nor Telemachus would have journeys to make. The gods are first responsible for establishing the conditions under which the story begins. While the Greek soldiers had returned home from Troy, Odysseus remained trapped as “the brightest goddess, Calypso, held him in her hollow grottoes” because “she wanted him as a husband” (Homer, Odyssey 1.5, Translation by Allen Mandelbaum). Calypso traps Odysseus on her island of Ogygia and “keeps the sad Odysseus there—although he weeps. Her words are fond and fragrant, sweet and soft—so she would honey him to cast off his Ithaca” (1.7).