The Transformation Of Telemachus In The Odyssey

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In The Odyssey, Homer shows the transformation of a naïve boy Telemachus undergoing a transition that showed him becoming a man. Telemachus was just an infant when his father Odysseus left Ithaca, their home for a war in Troy. He has grown up without a father figure devoted to his mother and his father’s estate. At the beginning of the book in book 1, the author shows Telemachus as weak, indecisive and hopeless. But as the book goes on and with the guidance of goddess Athena Telemachus is shown to take his rightful place as the man of the house. From a boy who was shown as imagining things to happen he became a man that made things happen. The first impression Homer seems to show his readers about Telemachus is that he is weak and in grief. …show more content…
Telemachus replies to her lecture in book one, lines 352 to 355, “Oh stranger, indeed I will. You 've counseled me with so much kindness now, like a father to a son.” This shows the first sign of Telemachus’ change. A couple lines later you see Telemachus telling his mom to go back to her quarters and tend to her own task while leaving the task of giving orders to the men. His mom was astonished and returned to her room. Here the text is clearly showing a shift from boyhood to manhood by Telemachus taking control as the man of the house and realizing he holds the reins of power in the house. Telemachus took command and tells the suitors, “You must leave my palace!” For the first time in his life he stands up for his father, mother and his …show more content…
Before he leaves he calls upon an assembly to address the people of Ithaca. Homer shows us Telemachus is taking his father’s seat. Aegyptius is the first to speak and he says that we have never held an assembly since Odysseus has left and he goes about talking about why has this boy called an assembly. Telemachus could sit no longer he fired up to speak and took his stand among the gathered men. He starts off by saying that this meeting has nothing to do with any public matter it has to do with a personal problem. “No, the crisis is my own. Trouble has struck my house—a double blow.” Here you can see Telemachus finally showing responsibility. He is no longer going to stand the disaster that will soon burn his house down. He states that the suitors plague his mother against her will. Here he shows his love for the woman who gave him life and also showed his responsibility as a son and most importantly a

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