The Odyssey - Telemachus Journey - 1219 Words

When does a boy become a man? This rite of passage is explored in Robert Fagles translation of Homer s epic poem, The Odyssey. Odysseus (king of Ithaca) fought in the Trojan War for ten years and after the fall of Troy he spent the next ten years trying to get home. He left behind an infant son, Telemachus, and a devoted wife, Penelope. Although they longed for Odysseus return, Penelope and Telemachus were the perfect hosts to wayward strangers - even as their estate became overrun with arrogant suitors - men intent on marrying Penelope and taking possession of the throne. Athena, goddess and daughter of Zeus, is instrumental in encouraging Telemachus to begin his journey to adulthood saying, You must not cling to your boyhood any†¦show more content†¦At which time, Helen, daughter of Zeus and wife of Menelaus, enters the room and gazes upon her husband s visitors, her proclamation, directed to Telemachus, confirms Nestor s beliefs: ... My heart tells me to come right out and say I ve never seen such a likeness, neither in man nor woman - I m amazed at the sight. To the life he s like the son of great Odysseus, surely he is Telemachus! The boy that hero left a babe in arms... (4, 155 - 159) This statement is very telling as it defines not only the appearance of the great Odysseus, but also the son he left behind. Furthermore, it begins to develop a timeline of actions by announcing that Odysseus left home when Telemachus was only a baby. Nestor recognizes that Odysseus appearance, vivacity, and personality are apparent in his progeny, Telemachus. This is encouraging to Telemachus as he hears that he resembles the great king Odysseus. As Telemachus presses for news of what has become of his father, Telemachus learns that his father may yet be alive and held captive by a goddess-nymph named Calypso. He then glorifies the strong will of Orestes and encourages Telemachus to do the same: And you, my friend - / how tall and handsome I see you now - be brave, you too, / so men to come will sing your praises down the years. (3, 226 - 227). Just as The Odyssey focuses on Odysseus as a mighty soldier it also progressively hints that Telemachus willShow MoreRelatedComparing and Contrasting the Journeys of Odysseus’ and Telemachus’ in The Odyssey 863 Words   |  4 PagesOdysseus’ and Telemachus’ journeys or nostos were both very similar and different. They parallel each other in some ways but they are also completely different at other times. Telemachus starts as a younger, less mature boy, and without the presence of his father during his childhood, he becomes a timid, shy and spineless boy who is greatly pampered by his mother. He has even more to achieve, being the son of a world-famous father, and this is a very difficult reputation to live up to. His journey, and afterRead MoreThe Odyssey By Robert Fagles926 Words   |  4 Pagesof the Odyssey delineates a journey as both a transformative and life-changing experience that does not necessitate physical travel. Such characters as Odysseus , Telemachus, Penelope, and Athena have undergone physical, imaginative, spiritual, and emotional travel, which has had a telling influence on their lives. The journeys have played a critical role in shaping, transforming, and developing the characters. This paper will detail the journeys undertaken by various characters in the Odyssey. OdysseusRead MoreThe Aeneid Of Virgil And Virgil1512 Words   |  7 PagesHomer, in The Odyssey, has the lack of a real relationship between Odysseus and Telemachus due to the fact that Odysseus has not been in a majority of Telemachus’ life. On the surface, The Odyssey and The Aeneid of Virgil and their father-son relationships may appear different but they are both significant in the fact that both of the fathers are what motivate their sons to go on their journeys and help them become the men that they are by the end of the text. In The Odyssey, Telemachus has had to growRead MoreThe Odyssey By Homer And The 1997 Movie Analysis1265 Words   |  6 Pages The Odyssey Gabi Pervis Mr. Peden Pre AP World History 19 October 2017 The book The Odyssey by Homer and the 1997 movie The Odyssey portrayed many real world learning aspects into each take of the story. The book and the movie both had many big ideas that were expressed as the same but had many detailed and specific ideas that were different. The role of family is extremely valued in The Odyssey. Chaos might strike a family, but it always comes back to an initial pointRead MoreOdysseus As An Epic Journey In The Odyssey By Homers Odyssey900 Words   |  4 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚   Influenced by the title of The Odyssey by Homer, an Odyssey is defined as an epic journey. The Odyssey, by Homer and translated by Robert Fagles, explores the epic journey of the title character Odysseus on his voyage home from the Trojan War. However, the first four books of The Odyssey focus on Odysseuss son, Telemachus, and his journey to become â€Å"the true son of Odysseus† (2.2). This role requires Telemachus to emulate the qualities that Odysseus held while the king of Ithaca prior to theRead MoreOdysseus V Telemachus Essay1469 Words   |  6 PagesJon Dunlap 3/8/12 Odysseus v Telemachus Period 2 â€Å"Maturity has more to do with what types of experiences youve had, and what youve learned from them, and less to do with how many birthdays youve celebrated.† – Anonymous (Thinkexist.com). Maturity is a key theme during the journeys of Telemachus and Odysseus. In Homer’s Odyssey the journeys of Telemachus and Odysseus have many similarities and differences such as their common goal and the lessons they learn; and only by overcomingRead MoreAthena In The Odyssey1592 Words   |  7 Pages The story of homer s epic poem the The Odyssey takes place ten years after the Trojan War is over. There are many heroes of the war that come home to their families, however there are even more that are lost through the long struggling years of the war. Of the few who stayed behind, Odysseus goes through battle after battle, problem after problem, and has had the most trouble coming home. The story opens in the tenth year since the war has ended, almost 20 years since our mighty hero OdysseusRead MoreThe Odyssey By Homer, Annotated Bibliography Essay1234 Words   |  5 Pageshe Odyssey, as written by Homer, intricately and excitingly weaves Colin Renfrew’s Subsystem Theories throughout the entire play. Many of the five subsystem theories can be seen and support understanding of the novel. Of the five systems, trade/communication, social/ political hierarchy and symbolic subsystems will be the focus of analysis in this paper. All of these subsystems come together in The Odysse y to explain the characters and their lives, and also how they fit into the society which theyRead MoreThe Iliad and the Odyssey1510 Words   |  7 Pagesand the Odyssey are two classic stories told by Homer. Within these two stories the roles of the gods are very important to the story line and how they affect the characters throughout. In the Iliad, more gods are involved with the characters whereas in the Odyssey there are only two major gods that affect two major characters. The roles of the gods in the Iliad are through two different stances of immortal versus immortal and mortal versus immortal. The roles of the gods in the Odyssey are throughRead More The Maturation of Telemachus in Homers Odyssey Essays890 Words   |  4 PagesThe Maturation of Telemachus in Homers Odyssey       The Odyssey was a great book in which many characters were brought out and developed.   The most significant development that occured in the epic was the development of Telemachus.   Telemachus is a very complex character that Homer develops from beginning to end.   From the beginning when is a mere shadow of his father to near the end in which he is considered just as courageous.   Many factors influence Telemachus as he matures into