Preview

Odyssey Telemachus Character Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
280 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Odyssey Telemachus Character Analysis
The Odyssey is an epic poem describing the main character, Odysseus’ adventures trying to return to his family, as well as Telemachus, his son, trying to find him. The classic epic poem includes many different and beloved mythological tales. The story includes gods, goddesses, and mythical creatures as well as kings, suitors, and friends.
Telemachus is one of the first characters introduced in the book. Unlike his grieving mother, Penelope, he is not only loyal but determined. He will risk his life to look for his missing father. Telemachus’ motives are practically always centered around bettering his family. Not only does he care deeply for his family. He says that no matter what, he would search “in quest for his father who has so long been

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The main character of Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus, is a cunning man. The Odyssey is a tale of Odysseus' long and trying journey home after fighting in the Trojan War. On his way home, he upsets Poseidon, god of the sea, by blinding Poseidon's son. In retaliation, Poseidon strives to make Odysseus' sail home to his kingdom as hard as it can be. During this odyssey, Odysseus' encounters many enemies and must use his cunning to keep himself and his men alive.…

    • 594 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When Telemachus meets Athena she exclaims how he looks remarkable similar to the hero she patronized, "You must be, by your looks, Odysseus' boy?" (8), through her description of their similarities readers are able to be introduced to Odysseus without even meeting him. The effect of comparing father to son brings a dramatic element that leaves readers awaiting for the reunion of the two. Elaborating on Athena's guidance to Odysseus, and eventually Telemachus, her help shows that the gods are reoccurring throughout the epic and in Greek…

    • 402 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Greek Gods In The Odyssey

    • 2166 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Homer the Odyssey tells the tale of a journey of the hero Odysseus and the journey…

    • 2166 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Telemachus started at the beginning of the epic as a weakling and a coward, and was a prey for the vultures before Athena helped him out. He was first introduced in the epic as “Prince Telemachus,/ sitting among the suitors, hearts obsessed with grief.” (Homer. 1. 132- 133). That was the first impression he had on Athena when she arrived to his palace. No wonder he needed help, being helplessly surrounded by his enemies and spending his days worrying what was his father’s fate. He is further characterized as indecisive, self-pitying and doubtful, supported by his quotations: “ ‘Mother has always told me I’m his son, it’s true,/ but I am not so certain…… Now, think of the…

    • 1025 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    A. Throughout the first four books Telemachus faces the struggle of trying to find his father. He is in search if his father and is searching around and talking to different people to find out information about his father and is doing what ever he can to find him.…

    • 371 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Odyssey and Telemachus

    • 365 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Telemachus, son of Odysseus is a main character in the book the Odyssey. Throughout books 1-4 Telemachus begins to discover who he is. Not having a father as a child severely affects Telemachus. He becomes a timid, shy boy who is pampered by his mother. Although Telemachus is the son of a world-famous father, it does not help him in anyway. In the beginning, when the suitors are eating away Telemachus' fortune, all he does is whine. It is not until Telemachus receives divine attention that he matures the least bit and decides he must take stand. Athena comes to Ithaca to encourage and advise Telemachus on what to do. Athena tells Telemachus he must get rid of the suitors in his house, get on a ship to find his father, and that it is time for him to act like a man. With Athena's help, Telemachus slowly begins to mature. For example, after talking with Athena, Telemachus decides to go on a journey to find his father. Furthermore, throughout his journey, Telemachus sees new sights and encounters new situations. When Telemachus sees Menelaus' house and his beautiful wife, he is humbled. Throughout his travel, Telemachus becomes a young man who discovers his identity. Athena disguises as mentor and guides Telemachus through his journey to find his lost father. In addition, Telemachus learns how to behave in front of Greek leaders. By the end of book four Telemachus learns he is the son of Odysseus and he begins to act like a matured man with the help of the divine goddess Athena. The majority of the epic follows Odysseus, of course, but the final few books call for his Telemachus' reappearance. He does stand up to the suitors and he does help his father regain control of the palace from the suitors. He changes from a little boy into a man, in the beginning he had just been born, and in the end, he was helping his dad Odysseus fight off the suitors. By the end of this epic, a once shy, timid, incompetent boy has matured into a thoughtful and brave man that lives up to…

    • 365 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Obstacles in the Odyssey

    • 540 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Odyssey, written by Homer, shows many triumphs and frustrations of human life. Odysseus, the hero, endures battles and obstacles on his twenty year journey home. There is tragedy and victory throughout. Inevitably, some of these obstacles are caused by his men and their desires while others are caused by Odysseus himself. From physical obstacles to emotional obstacles, many parts of The Odyssey represent the challenges in life, such as decision making, temptation, and self restraint.…

    • 540 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The reason that he is approaching Telemachus the morning after is because the previous night, Telemachus did not reveal the true reason of why he was there because he became nervous in Menelaus’ presence, and now Menelaus wanted to know. This time though Telemachus was not nervous, he was poised (On his toes, ready). He told Menelaus the true reason upon his arrival, which was to get information on his father. He did this by telling Menelaus that he came in search for news of his father, and that he wanted him to hold nothing back and tell him every…

    • 547 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey battles internal and external conflict to take part in the Trojan War. The main character Odysseus departs for the war and leaves his wife and child behind. Ten years after the war, Odysseus retraces his steps back home. By that time, his son Telemachus is twenty and living with his mother Penelope in Ithaca. His mother has to deal with the suitors, who are boisterous and set in their ways that she should agree to marriage. Athena, the goddess of wisdom, pilots his way for his voyage back home and persuades his son to start…

    • 1862 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Odysseus went on a 9 year journey for home on a ship. The name of the book is Odyssey written by Homer. During the journey Odysseus and his men get captured and escapes, he also went through boat wreckage and almost gets killed by different types of gods and monsters. Odysseus deserves the title of a hero because he sacrificed a lot for his crew and he also shows courage and loyalty to his men as well. He sacrificed a lot to get to his beloved penelope…

    • 379 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The engrossing story, The Odyssey, tells the tale of the heroic Odysseus’ journey to reach home after the Trojan War. In the first four books, the reader learns about Odysseus through other characters eyes. They follow the footsteps of Telemakhos, the son of Odysseus, and his awakening to save his father. Telemakhos’s house is being overrun by his mother's’ suitors, however dear Penelope can’t help change that. Telemakhos is then visited by Athena, in which she arouses him and gives him the confidence and steady mind to search for word on his father. Telemakhos and the reader can interpret from the stories told about Odysseus that he was an important warrior and is thought to be dead. Therefore he is held to a higher respect than most Trojan…

    • 264 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The Hero's Journey is never an easy one. This particular journey, as detailed in Homer's The Odyssey, is one of struggle, loss, heartache, pain, growth and triumph. It is comprised of many steps that Odysseus has to overcome and battle through in order to achieve his final goal of reaching his home and his loved ones. From the Call to Adventure to the Freedom or Gift of living, Odysseus conquered them all. The story begins in the middle of the story, as many of the oral Greek traditions did, with the Journey of Telemachus to find his father. Although Telemachus has not yet met his father, it is almost as if they are journeying together, where the end of both of their journeys results in being reunited. Telemachus journeys from being a boy to becoming a man, while out in the sea Odysseus is battling Poseidon to return to the home that wife that he loves and the home he has left behind.…

    • 1910 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Telemachus begins by mentioning the loss of Odysseus and how he was a good and caring king and he expresses that the continued occupation of the suitors is almost worse than the loss of his father. The suitors are greedy, rude, and fail to adhere to the rules of hospitality laid down by Zeus. Furthermore, Telemachus is too young and inexperienced…

    • 1098 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    (1) Athena spurs Telemachus to develop his heroic traits by inspiring and assisting him. Prior to the goddess’ help, Telemachus is timid and submissive towards his mother’s suitors. Thus, Athena descends to Ithaca to “rouse Telemachus/to a braver pitch [and] inspire his heart with courage” (Book 1. Line 105). She emboldens him by telling him to “not cling to [his] boyhood any longer” and sending him on a quest to find news about Odysseus (1. 341). Furthermore, she references Oreste’s glorified revenge as an inspiration for Telemachus. Consequently, Telemachus becomes motivated and calls for an assembly where he rebukes the suitors. Athena then abets the prince by “lavish[ing] a marvelous splendor on [him]” to make the entire audience amazed by the prince’s magnificence (2. 12). Another intervention by Athena is that she “showers sweet oblivion over the suitors” so Telemachus can effortlessly escape (2. 436). As Athena and the prince reach the ship, the divinity helps by “assum[ing] the pilot seat [and] send[ing] them a stiff following wind” (2. 458, 461). Athena’s assistance permits Telemachus and his crew…

    • 907 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Homer first depicts Telemachus, “sitting among the suitors heart obsessed with grief. / He could almost see his magnificent father here... / … / and drive these suitors all in a rout throughout the halls.”(page 81) (Homer. United States of America. Viking Penguin, 1996. Print.) Clearly, Telemachus is helpless and immature. He is moping around hoping for someone to drive the suitors out of his house, when he himself is fully capable of getting rid of them. Basically, Telemachus lacks independence and self-confidence. However, when Athena comes disguised to inspire Telemachus, he seems to show a shred of hope. He is still slightly unsure of himself, but Athena encourages him to take initiative in getting rid of the suitors. Telemachus finally decides to drive them out, and he states, “Isn’t it quite enough that you, my mother’s suitors, / have ravaged it all, my very best, these many years, / while I was still a boy? .../ … / … / I’ll stop at nothing to hurl destruction at your heads,.” (page 103) Telemachus is at his first turning point in maturation. Additionally, Homer is foreshadowing that Telemachus will slowly grow and change into a man of…

    • 842 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays