Odysseus’s story is a story of a man finding his way back home; Telemachus's story is about a man finding his way forward. Telemachus has only heard about his father through legend and notices how much of a leader he is, but he does not have those qualities in himself. Throughout his journey in finding his father, he also is on a journey in finding himself. Telemachus’s physical path begins at infancy when his father left to fight in the Trojan War. The Odyssey Book One picks up ten years after the fall of Troy, and Odysseus is still gone. Telemachus is unhappy when his manner is overrun with noisy lustfull suitors that desire to marry his mother, Penelope. He exclaims, “You suitors / who plague my mother… / no more shouting now” (1.422-425).
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The suitors ignore this sign and remain. Therefor Telemachus requests a ship and crew to find news of his father, so that the suitors have no choice but to leave. At night, him and his crew leave on the ship and set out to Pylos and Sparta. When they arrive at Pylos, they are taken in by Old King Nestor and were invited to feast and pay tribute to Poseidon. Nestor gave hope to Telemachus with saying that his father may return. Therefor, he gave him horses, a chariot, and his sons. Athena then left in the form of a hawk, which proved that the gods are on Telemachus’s side. When Telemachus arrives to Menelaus, he tells Telemachus about his grief for his friends that died in Troy. The next morning, Telemachus tells Menelaus about the suitors and asks if he knows anything about Odysseus. He …show more content…
During his journey, he takes on the identity and leadership qualities of his father; he is no longer a child. He is multiple times referred to as “the son of Odysseus”, stressing how he is inheriting his father's qualities. However, he soon becomes his own independent self and no longer needs to have an association with others. Athena tells him, “You must not cling to your boyhood any longer- / it’s time you were a man.” (1, 341-342) This completing the first part to becoming a man, for it is opening Telemachus’s eyes into viewing himself as a man to begin with. He is now aware of his ability to blossom as a person. In his determination to banish the suitors, he takes it upon himself to seek for his father. Not even his mother knows about this, which proves he is becoming independent. He also learns an important lesson by King Nestor: hospitality. He was politely greeted, and was thankful for their generosity. This is a stark contrast to the greedy suitors back in
The suitors ignore this sign and remain. Therefor Telemachus requests a ship and crew to find news of his father, so that the suitors have no choice but to leave. At night, him and his crew leave on the ship and set out to Pylos and Sparta. When they arrive at Pylos, they are taken in by Old King Nestor and were invited to feast and pay tribute to Poseidon. Nestor gave hope to Telemachus with saying that his father may return. Therefor, he gave him horses, a chariot, and his sons. Athena then left in the form of a hawk, which proved that the gods are on Telemachus’s side. When Telemachus arrives to Menelaus, he tells Telemachus about his grief for his friends that died in Troy. The next morning, Telemachus tells Menelaus about the suitors and asks if he knows anything about Odysseus. He …show more content…
During his journey, he takes on the identity and leadership qualities of his father; he is no longer a child. He is multiple times referred to as “the son of Odysseus”, stressing how he is inheriting his father's qualities. However, he soon becomes his own independent self and no longer needs to have an association with others. Athena tells him, “You must not cling to your boyhood any longer- / it’s time you were a man.” (1, 341-342) This completing the first part to becoming a man, for it is opening Telemachus’s eyes into viewing himself as a man to begin with. He is now aware of his ability to blossom as a person. In his determination to banish the suitors, he takes it upon himself to seek for his father. Not even his mother knows about this, which proves he is becoming independent. He also learns an important lesson by King Nestor: hospitality. He was politely greeted, and was thankful for their generosity. This is a stark contrast to the greedy suitors back in