Odyssey and Telemachus

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 the legacy of Odysseus.