The Role Of Telemakhos In Homer's Odyssey

“Growing up is hard to do”, this saying relates to Telemakhos, especially in books 1-4 of the Odyssey. When we first get introduced to Telemakhos, he is scared to stand up to the suitors who are trying to take the place of his long gone father, Odysseus. He wants to step up to the plate, but still has not found the courage or motivation to do so. Telemakhos is not fully mature yet and still has much to learn to take on the challenge of defeating the suitors. It upsets Telemakhos to see the suitors eating away his families’ food and drinking their wine. “For my mother, against her will, is beset by suitors, own sons to the men who are greatest hereabouts. These shrink from making the journey to the house of her father Ikarios, so that he might

For Telemakhos a step like that is a big improvement towards proving he is ready to accept even more responsibility and show more courage. Once he gathers the Greek me for the assembly, he tells of the problems he has with the suitors. While the assembly takes place, Zeus decides to send two eagles (omens of death) to fly over the suitors. Telemakhos says to the suitors that they should know: “How from my father should I vengeance dread! How would my mother curse my hated head”, he wants to show he can be mature, and fight off the suitors. Telemakhos says “'[…] fear also the gods' anger, lest they, astonished by evil actions, turn against you. I supplicate you, by Zeus the Olympian and by Themis who breaks up the assemblies of men and calls them in session: let be, my friends, and leave me alone with my bitter sorrow to waste away; unless my noble father Odysseus at some time in anger did evil to the strong-greaved Achaians, for which angry with me in revenge you do me evil in setting these on me.'” Telemakhos reminds the suitors what they have been doing is not only very annoying and insulting towards him but it is also offending the gods. Through all of this Telemakhos starts to develop a stronger presence, he is now showing that he should be taken seriously by the suitors. Telemakhos sort of tells the suitors of by saying to them that they should: “You should be ashamed yourselves, mortified in the face of

Telemakhos does not tell his mother about hi going on this journey; he chooses to keep it a secret from her, so that she won’t feel any grief. By Telemakhos choosing not to tell his mother about his journey, he is doing something not only cunning but honorable as well. When Telemakhos sets on his journey he goes to Pylos, and Athena tells him he should speak with Nestor and ask about Odysseus. When Telemakhos gets to Pylos he sees that Nestor’s people are sacrificing bulls I honor of Poseidon, the god. Athena keeps encouraging Telemakhos and how he is maturing throughout his journey. Athena’s encouragement can be seen as a half and half: half her divine meddling and half her trust having good faith in Telemakhos. While in Pylos, the people of Pylos offer Telemakhos food, they also follow the custom of hospitality which is to offer the stranger food and drinks then ask for their