Analysis of Telemachus in Odyssey

Analysis of Telemachus in Odyssey

In the Odyssey, Telemachus, son of great hero Odysseus, who grows up in the world of greed and disrespect where the suitors take over his palace and court his mother, is one of the most significant character throughout the whole epic. His father, Odysseus, leaving the land Ithaca for 20 years, is the only warrior alive in Trojan war who hasn’t make his return home. During Telemachus’ expedition to search for the news of his father, he is under a process of maturation from the beginning in which he is mere a shadow of his father to the end in which he becomes more and more like him in terms of initiative, sensitivity and socialization.

Although he has come into his adolescence at the beginning of the book, however, growing up without a father still makes him somewhat pathetic without initiative. As the suitors show uncertainty about Odysseus’ return home, he presents no incentive and resolves to expel the suitors since he has long lost the faith that his father is still alive and will return home someday. As he said to Athena in book one:”Mother has always told me I’m his son, it’s true, but I am not so certain. Who, on his own, has ever really known who gave him life” and ” But now, no use, he’s died a wretched death. No comfort’s left for us…not even if someone, somewhere, says he’s coming home. The day of his return will never dawn.”(Homer 1.194 & 1.249) He does nothing but weep over his misfortune instead of standing out against them as a master in the house and protect his own estate while they are reveling in the palace by wasting his property. Not like his father, as one of the leaders in the Trojan war, who is not only adept in making decisions and giving orders to soldiers but als...

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Apart from the oral ability, his maturation of socialization is further developed later. When they encounter each other in swineherd’s house, a funny thing happen, both of them demonstrate great politeness and humility. Although at that time, Odysseus is merely a beggar for him, Telemachus, as a prince of Ithaca, refuses to take the seat the beggar offered, which, in turn, shows his bearing in socializing with other people regardless of their identity (“Odysseus' Relationship with Telemachus in Homer's Odyssey”).

From the analysis above, although he never fully matches Odysseus either in wisdom or courage, we cannot deny their highly resemblance in initiative, sensitivity and socialization. Influenced by his father not only by hearing the great deeds spread by people but also fight with him for vengeance, he follows his father’s step and comes to his manhood.