Wednesday, September 6, 2017
Blog 3
Telemachos is often described as being unrealistically immature; on any reckoning, he must be 20 years old by the time the Odyssey opens. Does the charge of immaturity seem valid, or is Telemachos a realistic portrait of a young man in his situation? Please use at least THREE references from the story to support your position.
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The way Telemachus acts can be perceived as immature. He was left to be the man of the house when he was just a baby, so he was raised with no father figure. In the time of The Odyssey, the men played such a big role and the women played such a small role, that the lack of Odysseus during Telemachus’ life could have easily have caused him to be immature. Telemachus goes before a council to address his problem with the suitors. He is complaining that the suitors are have come into his house, eaten all of his food and livestock, and by that they have disrespected his father, Odysseus. Homer writes, “He spoke in anger, bursting into teas as he threw the scepter on the ground,” (344). His reaction to anger is very childish. Because he is mad, he cries and starts to throw things. This is one of the first signs of immaturity in Telemachus. A man of his age should not behave in this way. Instead, he would be expected to be calm and well put together. Another sign of immaturity is seen when Telemachus speaks with Athena. He tells her that he is embarrassed because he does not know how to talk to Nestor and ask him if he knows anything about Odysseus. Telemachus asks, “How should I go up to him, Mentor, and what should I say? I’m not used to making up clever speeches” (353). Telemachus is very nervous about asking Nestor about Odysseus. It would be inferred that Telemachus, coming from a father of such great importance, would know how to make a speech. Not only does his lack of knowledge show immaturity, but also his lack of confidence. Compared to the characters seen in the Iliad,(Hector, Achilles, etc.) Telemachus seems weak and childish because of his lack of confidence. When Telemachus first gets to Menelaus’ “house” he is initially taken back with the wealth displayed. Telemachus compares his house to “the court of Olympian Zeus”. (366). Telemachus shows his immaturity here in two ways. First, he recognizes the monetary value of his surrounds before he pays attention to anything else. Second, he compares a mortal to the ultimate god, Zeus. Menelaus even responds but saying that “no mortal man could challenge Zeus” (366). This statement by Telemachus could have easily been seen as offensive by Zeus. Telemachus’ mouth could potentially get him in trouble with the gods because he can not think before he speaks. Telemachus is a grown man, yet still acts like a child. He can not control his emotions, he does not know how to uphold or present himself to anyone of importance, and he does not know how to properly honor the gods. His immaturity does seem valid. Because he was raised primarily by a woman and without his father/male figure, Telemachus could have missed out on lots of lessons the men in that culture were expected to teach.
-Caroline
Telemachus, Odysseus’s son, can be perceived as immature in certain situations in the story of the Odyssey. In my opinion, this is valid. Telemachus was a baby when his father left him and his mother in Greece to go fight in the Greek and Trojan war. Telemachus grew up without a father, and only had a female influence in his life; this would no doubt have a strong impact on how he may handle difficult situations such as the ones he faces throughout the Odyssey. Odysseus has been away at battle for twenty years; therefore, Telemachus is only twenty years old which is most likely not his final state of maturity. He is placed in a vulnerable situation, as he does not know if his father is dead or alive and is forced to raise up as a man in order to somewhat fend off the suitors who are after his mother, Penelope. One particular situation where Telemachus may be perceived as immature is just that: the situation of the suitors. There are many men who have been staying in the court yard of Odysseus’s house awaiting to marry Penelope. Each man hopes that Odysseus, Penelope’s husband, will not return from the war and that they will be chosen by her. The men tend to cause trouble, particularly when they sing a song telling of all the hardships that the Greek soldiers faced upon attempting to return home from the Trojan war. Penelope is great saddened by the song sung by the suitors, as she imagines all that her beloved husband must be going though or was perhaps already killed by. This is when Telemachus in short tells his mother to stop crying and to be tough; he simply does not understand her grief. If Telemachus was more mature he would have empathized with his mother in this situation, as Odysseus is his loved one as well. Another example provided in the text is the fact that the goddess Athena sets out to collect a loyal ship crew for Telemachus, disguised as the young man himself. Whether or not Telemachus did not think to go gather a crew, or Athena knew that she could collect a much better group of men the him, the fact that the goodness knew she had to take this into her own hand shows that she knew Telemachus was not up for it. While gods disguising themselves as loved ones of an individual in order to provide support is no doubt a common theme in Homer’s writings, this seems to occur often with Telemachus. Athena also disguised herself as several of Odysseus’s old friends that Telemachus was familiar with, such as Mentor. Athena had to do this to coax Telemachus to set out on the journey, as well as to provide significant support along the way.
-Karli
In the time period and culture in which the Odyssey is set fathers are such important figures in their children’s lives. Though Telemachus had a strong and confident mother as a role model, he lacked that direction and instruction that only a father can give a son. The claims that Telemachus is immature are valid points, although as the story progresses and Telemachus seeks the advice of various mentors such as Nestor and Menelaus; Telemachus grows into the man that Odysseus could be proud to call his only son. One of the first signs of Telemachus’ immaturity is when he calls an assembly of the suitors and many notable elders of Ithaca to discuss how they should handle the misfortune that has fallen on Odysseus’ house since the Trojan War. Telemachus tells the suitors all of the problems that they have caused Penelope and himself. He becomes frustrated when the suitors will not listen to his requests with the same respect that they show each other. “He spoke in anger, bursting into tears as he through the scepter onto the ground, the crowd was motionless with pity. No one had the heart to respond to him harshly.” (344). The way he handles the situation shows the lack of teaching he has received from a mentor/ father figure and the suitors quickly realize this and do not know how to handle Telemachus’ outburst of emotion. Telemachus later in this assembly shows a small glimmer of maturity when he stops the mindless quarreling between himself and the suitors and decides to seek the advice of some of Odysseus’ comrades from the days of the war Nestor and Menelaus. “I’m done pleading with you Eurymachus, I have had my say. Now all the gods know this and so do the Achaeans. All I want now is a fast ship and twenty men….. I’m going to Sparta and sandy Pylos” (347) this quote shows a small moment when Telemachus stops arguing with the suitors and works to move forward with the mission of finding his father and restoring the kingdom to its pre-war time's prosperity. This realization by Telemachus that he needs the advice of people whom his father trusted is another point that shows the gradual maturing of Telemachus’ character throughout the epic. The advice given to Telemachus by Nestor and Menelaus is very useful in Telemachus journey into becoming a great hero like his father. Telemachus shifts back into his immature and prideful self when he visits Menelaus and Helen in Sparta. “These echoing halls flashing with bronze, with gold, amber, silver, and ivory. This must be what the court of Olympian Zeus looks like. This is unimaginable wealth” (366). Menelaus over hears Telemachus’ remark and reminds him that he should never compare a man’s wealth to that of the gods. “No mortal man could challenge Zeus, my boys. His halls and possessions are everlasting “(366). This statement by Menelaus is meant to remind Telemachus that he is not invincible and will always need help from those around him. Nestor reminds Telemachus of the importance of loyalty and devotion that will carry him throughout the events of the epic. These and many other events tell the back and forth the story of Telemachus' struggle with the obstacles that he faces throughout the epic because of Odysseus' absence throughout the majority of his life.
- Gracie
Even though Telemachus is called immature and childish in the beginning of the story, it can be seen that he handles situations with great maturity. It is understandable the way he is acting. His father left when he was young, and he never knew what truly happened. War is a hard concept for a young kid to accept, especially when you have not heard from your father your entire life. He did not know whether to accept that his father was dead, or to hold hope that he was alive. “My father is not coming home. I no longer trust any news that may come.” (p. 342) He also stood up to the selfish and arrogant suitors who took over his household. (p.344) Telemachus claims that there are two things troubling him: losing his father and the suitors destroying his home. He mentions how they have flung themselves at his mother against her will, and they kill their animals and drink recklessly. Telemachus says something astounding, he says they have lost everything because his father is not there to protect him. He sees that he needs his father. Which at the beginning of the story, he said he did not need his father and that he could take care of himself. He blames the suitors for destroying everything he knows. Sometimes he does throw “child-like” temper tantrums, which can be perceived as immature. Even though he has his immature moments, he again acts like a man when he sets out on his own to find his father. He is mature about it, with not telling his mother and worrying her. He goes on his own and figures things out. (p.351) He leads and commands his crew with instructions to get them to the island of Pylos. He also seeks the counsel of Mentor, which can be seen as mature. He seeks the wisdom of those he looks up to, and asks them what is best. During the feast with Nestor and his people, he feels a great amount of courage from Athena. He stood up and told him his identity and where he was going. “We have come from Ithaca, under Mount Neion, but my business is my own, not the Ithacans.” (p.355) He mentions how he is at their feet asking them if they know anything about the location of his father. If no one is going to find his father, then he is determined to do it himself. He sees how upset it makes his mother that his father is missing, so he decides to take the matters into his own hands. Even though he has an attitude sometimes, he acts like a man. He takes care of his land, even though it is being overthrown by rowdy men. He takes care of his mother, even when she is upset and crying. He also sails across oceans, which he has never done before, just to find his father who he has never met.
Despite the claims made against Telemachus calling him unrealistic and immature and despite the fact that at the beginning of the story Telemachus is only 20, I believe that Telemachus handles many of the situations and hardships that he is faced with with maturity and sophistication. In the story Telemachus is faced with the responsibility of what to do about his lost father and the many suitors that are now trying to peruse Telemachus’ mother, Penelope. Telemachus first displays his maturity when he tries to address the suitors because the suitors are not only a threat to Telemachus and his father but one of them marrying Penelope would mean that they would then become the new king of Ithaca, therefore affecting the rest of the city. Because of this Telemachus calls a meeting with the elders of Ithaca to address the situation (353). While this meeting did not prove to be much help with the suitors, given that some of the suitors were present in the meeting, this still shows maturity on Telemachus’ part; he takes charge and tries to fix and help the situation of the suitors. Due to all the commotion from Odysseus absence Telemachus eventually decides to take charge and set out on a voyage to try to find his father (361). While many people may look at Telemachus’ decision to try to find his father as unrealistic it shows leadership on his part. In the absence of the king and in the midst of the chaos caused by the war Telemachus steps up as the son of the king and tries to find a solution. Even though it may be unrealistic and could possibly have a negative outcome, doing something to solve the problem is better than waiting around and doing nothing while watching the suitors try to marry his mother. Taking action is a sign of maturity and even though as the reader we know that Odysseus is alive, in the case that he wasn’t, this leadership would be good evidence to prove that Telemachus would be a worthy heir to Odysseus as the king of Ithaca. Telemachus’ maturity is also shown through the fact that both of the actions taken to try to find his father in the beginning of the story shows the respect that he has for his father. If Telemachus did not care for or respect his father he would have not taken the time to try to solve the problem of the suitors and to eventually set out on a voyage and risk his life for his father. Of course Telemachus is still young, and throughout the story we see signs of this, like when he meets with Menelaus and starts crying about his father (369), but throughout his journey he matures more, learning from his adventures and the people he encounters.
-Laina
Telemachus is seen as an immature child at the beginning of the story. Throughout the story Telemachus proves himself to be more mature than what everyone makes him out to be. He grew up without a father figure in his life because his father, Odysseus, went off to war around the same time Telemachus was born. His father was in war for ten years and missing for the next ten. Therefore his father has been gone the whole twenty years Telemachus has been alive. His mother, Penelope, has faith that her husband, his father, is still alive and trying to get home. At first, Telemachus did not know whether to believe that his father was alive or dead. It was hard for him to imagine that Odysseus would still be alive after twenty years of being away from home. This was one of the factors that played into Telemachus’ role as being an immature child. With his house full of suitors for his mother, he decided to stand up to all of them in honor of his mother. Standing up against the suitors was the beginning of Telemachus finding his man hood. Since Telemachus is now the so-called “man” of the house, he believes it is his job to do something about his fathers possible returning to Ithaca. He decides to trust his mother’s judgment and believe that his father is still out their trying to find his way home. Telemachus sets out on a journey to find anything he can about his father. His journey will not only result in information on his father, but the adventure of Telemachus finding his man hood. He faced several adversities on his journey that bring out the “childish” aspects of Telemachus. He throws fits when things do not exactly go his way. For example, he blames the suitors in his house for all of his problems vs. taking ownership for the things he caused himself. As he journeys on his own, he is still figuring everything out. Telemachus steps out as a leader for his crew in situations where they need him most. He is beginning to be a leader, just like his mother wants him to be. While he travels, he seeks the wisdom and knowledge form Mentor. Telemachus seems him as a wise individual who would help him on his journey. Mentor gives him stories and all the information he has of his father. This ultimately helps Telemachus in his travels. Telemachus’ journey helped him discover who he truly is and prove his maturity to everyone back home in Ithaca.
-Abigail
Telemachos, son of Odysseus, in Homer's "Odyssey" is apparently seen as immature in the epic. This charge is extremely interesting and was not my first impression of Telemachos when reading the "Odyssey." Upon further readings and analysis of the epic, I completely disagree with the charge and would argue that Telemachos is extremely mature for his age.
One example of Telemachos' maturity is his rebuke of his mother when she becomes sad from the music being played (340). An immature son would agree with his mother and also be sad. Telemachos does neither of these things and realizes that being sad solves absolutely nothing. However, he does not even stop there. He has the maturity to even rebuke his mother and correct her attitude in wise speech. In fact, his speech is so effective, his own mother marvels at it.
Another example of Telemachos' maturity is his ability to quickly call a meeting with the herald's and suitors (343). Telemachos obviously had a problem with the suitors as would any rationale human being. After all, they are destroying either his father's or his "kingdom." Rather than being immature and complaining to his mother, he has the maturity to call a meeting with all the men causing his problems. Furthermore, he does not just sit idly at this meeting; rather he rebukes the men as a wise man would.
In addition, Telemachos shows his maturity in his willingness to go to sea to look for his father (352). Going to sea was not an easy task for even the best of sailors in this time. Not only did Telemachos have to have the courage to go out to sea. He had to have the logistical sense to gather supplies and keep the news from the suitors and his own mother. There is no way an immature kid could do anything close to this task.
Lastly, Telemachos shows his maturity in his knowledge of customs and culture. Not only does Telemachos sail around the western world, but he interacts correctly and according to his culture. Immature kids are not well mannered; this is a well know fact. However, Telemachos never offends anyone in his travel. He carries himself in a respectable way and is never seen by other characters as a immature kid lost without his father. Yes, Telemachos needs his father dearly, but it is not because he cannot function without him.
In conclusion, it is reasonable and even logical to conclude that Telemachos is in fact mature. He constantly shows his traits of courage and leadership throughout the epic. In fact, a reader can even forget that Telemachos young just based on how Telemachos carries himself. He is not scared of anyone and is confident in who he is despite his father's absence. Telemachos obviously longs for his father, but this does not show immaturity on his part. Inversely, it is actually even more mature to long for one's father and go look for him rather than sitting at "home" and crying with your mom.
It is easy to see why Telemachos could be thought of as immature due to some of his mannerisms. However, there is evidence that Telemachos actually was quite the opposite. For example, when talking to Eurymachus he took a stand against the suitors. He was done putting up with the suitors’ behavior and told Eurymachus plainly that he was going to leave to find out information about his father’s disappearance. (347). He could not move on accordingly without having knowledge of the state of his father. If his father had died, Telemachos could proceed running the estate as his own and caring for his mother. If he was alive then Odysseus, himself would be able to return to running his family and his country. This shows great maturity in several ways. Primarily the fact that he was able to keep a level head when dealing with the suitors, he respectfully pleads with them. When this fails, he clearly and calmly tells them his plan to discover what happened to his father. He does not get angry or violent, rather he firmly tells the suitors that once he finds what became of his father he will then bury his father properly and marry off his mother. In addition, Telemachos can be seen praying to the gods several times for strength and wisdom.(257). This shows maturity in a different way. Telemachos knows his place. He is wise in the fact that he knows his place. By asking for help from the immortals, he is showing a great level of maturity. His self-awareness points to an extreme level of maturity and growth especially for someone of his age. He was raised without a father in a time where that was unheard of, especially from someone of his importance. It is hypercritical to claim that Telemachos was immature. It would be rare to find anyone his age that would have carried themselves with such integrity and wisdom. In addition to these points of maturity, there is one point in particular that Telemachos steps up and shows true maturity. When he is mourning his father with Mentor, he suddenly, but swiftly, puts a halt to it. He brings about the point that wishing for Odysseus and the other lost men will not make them return. Not letting his emotions get the best of him, he turns the conversation to the reason he was visiting King Nestor in the first place. He begins to ask questions about the Battle of Troy and the men that fought there with Odysseus. (358). By showing such restraint, he displays an advanced level of maturity. It is hard to suppress ones emotions about a loved one. But Telemachos does so with elegance and strength. Telemachos handles himself better than should be expected of an 20 year old in his situation during that time. He may have shown moment of immaturity but is levels of maturity outshine the other.
-Sterling
Son of Odysseus, Telemachus, is apparently perceived as acting immature throughout Homer’s The Odyssey. However, my first impression when reading about Telemachus was that for his situation while growing up, he turned out to be a intelligent young man. Despite being only 20 years old, he has shown great maturity after meeting and talking with Athena. For example, When his mother hears the song of the Trojan battle that all of her suitors are listening to down stairs, she instructs the entertainer to stop playing the song, because it reminds her that Odysseus is still not back home, or dead. When Telemachus hears what his mother has to say, he then instructs her to go back upstairs and beginning knitting the garment she has been working on. He also defends the entertainer when he says that it is just the popular song of the time and the entertainer means nothing by it. This shows his maturity by first having the balls to stick up to his own mother, and secondly by being able to handle with the uncertainty about his father’s location and whether his father is dead or alive. A second example would be when he has the courage to sail off the only island he has ever known in order to find out where or what has happened to his father Odysseus. When he decides to embark on this journey he decides not to tell his mother about his plan. Most people would see this as a childish thing to do and rather defiant to his mother. Rather I see it as caring for his mother and being able to see that he doesn’t want to worry her anymore then she already is with the suitors banging on her door. On top of that, he doesn’t want to pile with her worrying about not knowing her husband’s outcome after the war. I get this perspective because when I was 10 my dad left my mom and got a divorce. So, I get the perspective that Telemachus is trying to protect his mother, as I would with my own mom. A third example would be his respect and communicative skills with strangers from other lands. When he travels to Sparta to visit Nestor, he is very open and nice to Nestor. After Nestor tells Telemachus all that he knows on his father, Telemachus says that he could stay there all day and in his wonderful home and thanks him for the hospitality. This eventually leads to Nestor’s Son accompanying Telemachus on his journey to find his long lost father. I find it mature of Telemachus to openly speak with people he has never met before. I, for one, would be very shy and hesitant to talk to anyone that I do not know personally, even if they were friends with my dad. I usually am quite and do not talk much when I meet a friend of my dad’s. As you can see from my examples, Telemachus overall has portrayed a maturity that is rar3e in children with his situation. Imagine what kind of man he would be if Odysseus made it home earlier.
Odysseus’ son, Telemachus plays a key part in “The Odyssey.” Many of Telemachus’ critics claim he is portrayed to be an immature and rash young man, I believe his actions are primarily reasonable for the situation he was in. The story begins with a young man, who is only 20 years of age, whose father has been gone for war for the vast majority of young Telemachus’ life. Telemachus begins his book with an obvious sign of immaturity; he addresses the men who seek the company of his mother Penelope, the suitors, (P. 347) whom he despises them for a very good reason. However it was ill advised and immature to confront all the suitors directly and tell them off. They could have confronted him with violence. While this act was an example of Telemachus’ young and immature age, there are many examples of maturity. Soon after his confrontation with the suitors, Telemachus calls a meeting with the town, similar to a government meeting today. This time he addresses the suitors in a calm and mature manner; he addresses his grievances with their stay at Odysseus’ estate. He complains how the suitors take and use his property and his resources without any repayment. While the result of this meeting was not ideal for Odysseus, primarily due to the fact that there was little to no response from the town to his request. While this was not the result he was hoping for, he handled the situation with grace, class, and maturity. Finally perhaps the best example of Telemachus maturity is the journey he takes to find his father, in order to bring closure to himself and his mother. He begins his journey by gathering some of the best men in his town and they set sail to one Odysseus counterparts who fought with him, an elder by the name of Menelaus. Here, Telemachus talks of his father and they exchange stories, eventually it is realized that Menelaus does not know if Odysseus is alive, or where he is, just where he was. After formalities Telemachus thanks him and continues to search for his missing father. This is an incredibly mature thing for a twenty year old to do, despite the unbearable odds against him ever finding his father, he preservers and continues his search for Odysseus. Despite Telemachus moments of immaturity, generally he shows great determination and maturity for a twenty year old.
Jack Brunton
Telemachus is on a quest to find his father who he has not seen in many years. I believe that the very fact he is on this quest is a testament to how mature he is. While he is only twenty, the immature thing to do would not go on a quest for his father and take over the kingdom that his father once ruled. Telemachus instead warns off the suites to protect his house and his mother (347).He is also mature enough not to make the suiters angry. He was out numbered and most of the suiters where rich people who could fight. Telemachus was mature enough to know his goal, which was to find his father. He showed maturity in a situation were a lot of young men would try and fight all the suiters, which woud have been catastrophic for Telemachus. This, however, is only new of the ways Telemachus shows maturity throughout the Odyssey. He seems to be a very skilled young man who without his father has had some form of "discipleship" not many people could just put together a team of sailors and start off to sea. While he had help from the gods, this still would have been a challenge for even the most elder of navigators to build a search and rescue team (358). As he travels to try and find information on his dad he goes to a great warrior who fought with Odysseus, and was even with him in the Trojan horse. Menelaus was a very respectable rich man. He knows a lot of war, and about respect. He takes a liking to Telemachus which, to me, answers this question best. How would a great warrior like Menelaus like a kid who is immature. Menelaus even compliments Telemachus on pg (379) Menelaus says that Telemachus is of "good blood to talk like that". Telemachus is even so mature that he turns a gift of many horses and other things that were very valuable in that day(375). Most immature guys would have taken the best gift but Telemachus mature and wise knew that for his journey he could not travel with horses and other heavy materials that would slow him down and make it harder for him to find his father. Telemachus was worthy of being called a man. While young he acted like a seasoned capitain while on the ship searching for his father.
The charge of immaturity attributed to Telemachos is wrong and unfair for many different reasons. The reader has to truly understand his upbringing and motivations for his actions before saying he is unrealistically immature. There are several specific examples in the text that involve Telemachos acting honorably and maturely. The first time the reader is shown a glimpse of Telemachos’s character is at the very beginning of the story. When Athena visits Ithaca and is waiting in the courtyard, Telemachos spots her and is frustrated that a guest had to wait so long. He greets her and immediately invites her to dinner. This shows Telemachos’s maturity because he is not aware that he is talking with a goddess at first; he thinks she is just an ordinary stranger. Before judging Telemachos, the reader must have a firm grasp of what his situation was growing up. Odysseus was never around from the time Telemachos was a baby; he does not even know for sure that Odysseus is his true father. Telemachos never had a father figure there to teach or train him, and this is why he acts the way that he does and appears immature at first. People also look down on him because he is not the man that Odysseus was, but that comparison is unfair because Odysseus never taught his son how to be a man and lead. That leads to the second example from the text of Telemachos displaying mature and thoughtful behavior. When he begins to speculate that he spoke to a god, he takes the wise advice, and true courage enters his heart for the very first time. His change is clearly seen after his encounter with Athena when he stuns his mother with masterful words. He also speaks boldly and courageously to the suitors for the first time. The suitors were impressed and marveled at how he had spoken to them like a king. This shows his maturity because he immediately changed when someone important gave him advice. He knows that he cannot be a good leader on his own, so he actively seeks advice from prominent characters throughout the story. The reason why he acted the way he did before that encounter was because no one had trained or raised him to be a leader or king. A third sign that Telemachos is more mature than people give him credit for is when he weeps “hot tears” for his father in the presence of Menelaus. This shows that he genuinely cares for his father and is not driven to be king by immature and selfish motives. He is wise in many ways because he seems to know that Ithaca needs Odysseus as king to thrive again. He knows that he is not cut out for the job and realizes that he needs Odysseus to come back and train him to become a good king. While Telemachos has clearly not fully grown up yet, readers misunderstand why he acts the way he does and unfairly claim he is unrealistically immature.
So far, Telemachus has been depicted as immature in the story. This could have been a realistic situation in ancient Greece. At this time, men came of age and were considered adults between the ages of 18 and 20. This is why we can see evidence of both maturity and immaturity in his actions. Telemachus has never had a father to “teach him how to be a man” his life. Odysseus has been at war or traveling home from war all Telemachus’s life. Penelope has problems of her own because she has to entertain her suitors all the time. As a mother with an only child and no husband, she probably spent her limited time with Telemachus spoiling and pampering him. Evidence of this can be seen when he confronts the suitors in book 2. He complains that they are wearing their welcome because they are eating all his food and drinking all his wine, and this is a valid complaint. Homer depicts the suitors in a negative light. They are seen as ungrateful, rude, and lazy. Telemachus then adds that they are disrespecting his father. He does not have enough confidence in himself as the active man of the household to say they are disrespecting him and his mother, so he instead relies on his father’s reputation to invoke fear in the suitors. When his plea went unanswered and ignored, Telemachus burst into tears and threw his scepter on the ground. This is the classic temper tantrum of an immature child. His mother failed him by neglecting to rebuke him as a child. Homer uses the suitors to as a catalyst for Telemachus’s maturity process. In another situation, the suitors sing a song recounting the challenges Greek soldiers face returning home from war. Because of this, Penelope thinks of Odysseus. Her imagination places her husband in all these trials and she begins to cry. Instead of comforting and mourning with his mother, Telemachus orders her to stop crying and be tough. I think he thought he was doing the right thing by showing her strength but it only made her hurt worse. Again, his judgment was clouded by his immaturity Misjudgments and a lack of confidence plague Telemachus throughout the story. However, learning from mistakes is a valuable part of maturing and growing up. There are situations in which Telemachus shows a great deal of initiative and maturity. He displays his maturity when he realizes that a suitor potentially marrying Penelope would become the new king of Ithaca. On his own, Telemachus arranges a council with the elders to discuss the problem. Unfortunately, some suitors were present during the meeting and nothing was resolved. He also shows maturity and initiative when he decides to search for his father. However, he also shows his immaturity because Athena had to gather a crew for him. In Telemachus’s consistent paradox, he shows both maturity and immaturity throughout the epic. He would be a realistic example of a young man reaching manhood in ancient Greece. I believe Homer reflects Telemachus’s journey to manhood with Odysseus’s journey home so that both their quest will be complete when they finally triumph over the suitors.
In the Odyssey Telemachus is not the young boy some readers view him as. With his father gone for ten year, Telemachus had to make the decision whether he should rule the civilization of Ithaca or should wait upon his father’s homecoming. His mother must also make a similar choice on whether to move on with a suitor or to wait for her husband to return after many years. Although he may be seen as immature his way of coping with his father’s disappearance reveals his loyalty to his family, his persistence in finding his father and his leadership to his homeland.
One aspect that shows Telemachus’ loyalty to his family is his relationship with his mother. The relationship they share keeps both strong in the absence of their father and husband. When Penelope is perused by the suitor Telemachus states, “For my mother, against her will, is beset by suitors, own sons to the men who are greatest hereabouts. (Homer 346) This quote shares that although he wishes his father were home for him and for his mother, he wants his mother to be with nobody less than what she deserves.
Another quality that Telemachus expresses that proves he is a mature young man is his desire to find out about Odysseus and what happened to him. Him and his mother hold on hope that Odysseus will return to them. Telemachus goes to find out about his father and along the way he talks to Nestor, a wise old man that shares stories of Odysseus and his involvement in the Trajan war. Telemachus says, “Act quickly now, dear children, and do me this favor, so that I may propitiate first of all the gods, Athena, who came plainly to me at our happy feasting in the god's honor […] go down to the black ship of great-hearted Telemachus, and bring back all his companions, leaving only two beside her” (458). This scene shows that Telemachus wants to best for his mother but also seeks to find his father which shows his persistence in finding his father or to seek the that he is.
The last aspect of Telemachus that shows that his is not immature is the leadership he takes while his father is absence. “Greetings, strangers. You are welcomed here.” (335) This quote from Telemachus might not seem valid to proving that Telemachus is not immature but the relationship between a host and a guest is extremely important in this time period. Odysseus was the type of man that is always welcoming when he is in the position of the host, as we see in his actions to the Cyclopes. His action to the suitors shows his welcoming nature that he obtained by his father’s actions.
Most of all the way Telemachus adjusts to his father’s absence shows that he is not immature. He seeks to find his father, which shows the persistence he has. He also is loyal to his family and is involved his the process of his mother finding a proper suitor to marry. Most of all his makes an effort to welcome everyone as his father did.
The claim that Telemachus is not mature is an interesting one, if not an outrageous charge. Telemachus has more than demonstrated his maturity throughout "The Odyssey" a number of times. One such time includes when he called an assembly to announce his future voyages to Pylos and Sparta in sure of inquiry regarding his father, Odysseus. Here he demonstrated leadership, bravery, and extreme maturity for a man placed in his position. Telemachus may gain this bad reputation from his behavior around the suitors for his mother Penelope. What man wouldn't feel frustrated when he saw his family's hard earned possessions go to waste just for the enjoyment of honor-less leeches? The gods would have never selected Telemachus for the task of searching for information about his father had he been immature, their decisions may be rash but they are not stupid. Athena often compared to an owl for her wisdom is a primary guide for Telemachus, first appearing to him as Mentes and then again as an elder encouraging him to search for his father. Athena herself was impressed by how cultured Telemachus was when he met with Nestor, as Homer notes. Considering he hasn't had a strong father figure for the most of his life, Telemachus has turned out to be a capable young man. Though he may be untampered, he is not the only one. Achilles let stubbornness get in the way of victory and this led to the deaths of many good Greek men. I would even argue that Telemachus is MORE mature than Achilles, whose bratty behavior led to the death of his best friend who took his place on the battlefield. Telemachus may not know how to deal with the suitors, but he does respect his elders and the other heroes of the Trojan war who fought alongside his father. Telemachus and Menelaus equally grieve the displacement of Odysseus, so much so that Helen spikes the wine to get them both to stop grieving. Even if by any chance Telemachus is immature, the journey he is on right now to find his father and reclaim his birthright has shaped him even further, whether that be to the full extent of adulthood, or beyond it into the experienced and wise years. Another strong point to be made would be that Telemachus has worked alongside his mother during this time of uncertainty rather than fighting against her and causing further chaos within the household. Had Telemachus truly been immature, he would have already made the decision to reclaim what is his and take all the suitors on by himself, combining the passion the man has for his family and immaturity would lead to an untimely demise and a much sadder ending to the Odyssey.
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