telemachus
In the tangled yet well-developed plot of The Odyssey, Homer harmonized several subjects. One of these, was the quest of Telemachus, in correlation with the journey of his father Odysseus. In this, he is developed from a childish, passive boy, to a young man preparing to stand by his father's side. I find this to be directly connected to the voyage of Odysseus, in that they both lead to the same end, and are both stepping stones towards wisdom, manhood, and scholarship. Through these voyages, certain parallels are drawn concerning Odysseus and Telemachus: the physical journeys, the mental preparations they have produced, and what their emotional status has resulted in. These all share a tremendous role in the way the story is set up, stemming from the purpose of each character's journey, their personal challenges, and the difficulties that surround them.In the case of Telemachus, his emotions shaped his well being. For example, had it not been for Athena giving him confidence, he would have never thought of taking such a voyage, therefore, Telemachus would have never participated in his "final test" against the suitors either. His sorrow and anger from
Odysseus's situation was only slightly different. He, like Telemachus had his worries about family-life, and his kingdom at stake, but also had concerns about his wife, possibly triggered by the mention of Agamemnon by Proteus, who was killed by the hands of his own wife. These factors probably had taken their toll on Odysseus. At the same time he had the anger of Poseidon to struggle with. Another factor which could have also lead to this worry could have been his struggles, and in his entire journey, losing friends and comrades regularly. In The Odyssey, Homer created a parallel for readers, between Odysseus and Telemachus, father and son. Telemachus was learning the role of his father, the king of Ithaca, to follow in his footsteps. The two are compared in the poem from every aspect. However, in analyzing The Odyssey, one may also presume that Homer did not intend for Telemachus to be as great a hero as his father. This may be due to the fact that he never had a Trojan War to fight, his setting is in a time of peace unlike his father's, and more notably--although matured-- Telemachus never really learned true leadership or courage as his father did.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Odysseus Telemachus, Polyphemus Zeus, Agamemnon Proteus, Odyssey Homer, Trojan War, Sparta Odysseus's, , odyssey homer, odysseus telemachus, final test, stand father's,
Approximate Word count = 786
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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