What Role Does Telemachus Play In The Odyssey

The Odyssey in 2015
In class, we are studying ‘The Odyssey’ by Homer. We are reading the translation of ‘The Odyssey’ by Robert Fitzgerald as well as a different version translated by Samuel Butler. A lot of what happens to Telemachus is relevant to events that families who have a parent/guardian in the military go through today. In ‘The Odyssey’, Odysseus has to leave from his home in Ithaca to fight in the Trojan War. Odysseus leaves as soon as his son is born, so his son Telemachus grew up without a father in his life. Telemachus eventually uses Eumaeus, Odysseus’ swineherd, as a father figure in his life. A lot of times, when the parent comes back, their child does not recognize them. This happened in book 16 of ‘The Odyssey’ This happens a lot in the world today because a lot of military personnel have to go overseas and fight in wars just like Odysseus did. Many of the kids whose parents are in the military grow up without a father or mother figure in their life for some or most of their childhood. You can imagine Odysseus serving in the military and that Telemachus is his kid. Argos is Odysseus’s dog. He was left as a baby when Odysseus left for the trojan war.”Trained as a puppy of Odysseus, but never taken on a hunt before (Homer 17.4)”.The Odyssey also says “ Argos grew old in his masters absence (Homer 17.8)”.
This is a huge task that is placed on a lot of military children today. This is a situation that could happen in 2015 because when someone in the military goes overseas they have the risk of someone invading their house and abusing/mistreating their spouse while they are