Who Is Telemachus A Good Husband

For ten years of Odysseus’ journey to Ithaca, all he wanted was to be a good husband to Penelope. One of Odysseus’s characteristic is being protective to his loved ones such as his wife and son. For Odysseus, family was his important mission, the reason of why he had to be home to Ithaca, knowing that the disgraceful suitors didn’t understand what “love and value” is Odysseus explained to them that Penelope is not just a woman, but also a human who deserves respect and love. Telemachus may not be the same as Odysseus, may not be skilled in battles and doesn’t have the knowledge about battles but Telemachus is his son and he is part of the family. With that say, while Odysseus was still traveling home by seas, the suitors Antinous and Eurymachus were the ones who had always schemed a plan how to kill Telemachus and how to win Penelope.

With these reasons, when Odysseus finally got to Ithaca, Eumaeus informed Odysseus who was disguised as a beggar, about what was happening in the home of the beloved son of Laertes.

Odysseus was raged with anger and calmly initiated a plan with Athena how to get rid of the suitors. A good husband will always wish for the best for his family. “Listen to me, you lords who are courting the illustrious Queen, while I say what I feel. A knock or two, when a man fighting for his own property, his oxen or white sheep, is nothing to cry about or resent. But this blow from Antinous was all because of my wretched belly, that cursed thing is responsible for so many troubles of mankind. If there are any gods and avenging furies for beggars, I hope Antinous will be dead before his wedding day” (Rieu, 268). It wasn’t just Antinous that he hated, but also the others. When the Suitors finally discovered that the beggar was Odysseus, they were in shock and in horror seeing him again as to what they had assume that the son of Laertes was already

dead. Odysseus spoke to them and explained that what they had done inside the home, was betrayal of trust, greediness, and lust, and was therefore the result of their deaths (“Homer”). Odysseus wanted his family to be safe from all troubles and heartaches he might give so before the battle, Odysseus ordered his son Telemachus to hide all weapons except for the ones that they are going to use. Penelope, his wife, asked him a bunch of questions about his whereabouts and when he will come back to his city, as Penelope didn’t know that the man she was talking to was Odysseus. Odysseus misguided her with a story that was very unrelated to him (Weigel). Odysseus protected his family by making up lies about who he was, to protect them from all the worries and heartaches.