Odysseus Telemachus and His Journey Term Paper

3. The Hero Telemachus

There are numerous features possessed by the Greek heroes. One of these features is their annexation or even relationships with the gods of the time. The characters in the Greek poems are generally simple men with exquisite qualities, but who are just as weak and mortal as all humans. This is also characteristic of Telemachus. He is a courageous man, descended from gods (he is the descendent of Hermes, from his father's side), but he is neither immortal, nor holy. His personal characteristics are revealed throughout the entire Odyssey, prominently throughout the first four chapters, or the Telemachy.

Aside from his personal characteristics and the guidance and protection of the goddess Athena, the making of the Telemachus hero is due to two interconnected elements: the magnitude of his father's heroism and the journey to find Odysseus.The journey is in fact the means of entering his father's heroic world and also the boy's growth.

The journey is once again the young boy's duty towards his community and his family. Towards his community, he has the obligation of returning Ulysses, their rightful leader, or in case of his death, Telemachus has the obligation of becoming himself an adequate leader of Ithaca. Towards his relatives, Telemachus has the obligation of preserving the family name.

The quest for Ulysses has led to the transformation of the boy into a hero. The final act of the transformation was achieved with the killing of the suitors. Through punishing the rude wooers, Telemachus passed the last challenge and earned his noble glory.

Bibliography

Homer, 800 B.C.E. The Odyssey

Homer, 800 B.C.E. The Odyssey, Book….....