By Evan Wind & Rhett Cardwell

Telemachus’s Growth

Step 1: First he was shy, he had the epithet of “self-possessed Telemachus”. He would give in to the suitors needs and not stick up for himself.  Later on in the in Book One, Telemachus talks to grey-eyed Athena and understands that the information that she shared with him is vitally important and he wishes to gain more wit and knowledge from Athena AKA Mentes. The quote that backs this statement would be in Book One, line 354, “I won’t forget a word”. We also feel that Athena thinks that Telemachus is actually very mature for his age and for his position.

Step 2: Now, Telemachus sees his father for the first time and it doesn’t say it out loud that Telemachus now believes that he is the son of Odysseus. Like his father, he becomes becomes a fighter, he begins to stand up for him and his family.  An example of this is when all the suitors are in the dining hall and Ctesippus throws a ox hoof at Odysseus but he dodges it and feels resentment.  Instead of Odysseus flaring up Telemachus tells Ctesippus he is lucky the man dodged the hoof and that if anything like that happens again to the guest he will kill them.  Also another passage which shows the dark side of a warrior is when his dad tells him to stab all the maids to death.  Instead, he hangs them to give them a more respectful death.  Well respected warriors do not shameless torture others but give them a honorable death.



Step 3: The Telemachus we begin to read about is rather curious to the world but also quite hesitant. He is hesitant in the regard of he hasn’t had a father or a father figure to help teach him the ways to help him grow as a man. Telemachus needs a father figure or a mentor if u will. When Athena comes along in the form of Mentes, Telemachus even me mentions the fact that, “You’ve counseled me with so much kindness now, like a father to a son”. That quote is found fairly early in Book on lines 352-353. At the end of Book Four, Telemachus has pounds of anxiety due to the fact that Mentes has told him information that his father is still alive. But, after all that Mentes has told him, talking to King Nestor and King Menelaus, Telemachus has become very mature and is ready to take on the real world.

In Book 20, Telemachus and Odysseus are planning on how to end the suitors lives. For a young and inexperienced Telemachus, he has to have nerves bothering him all day and night. Suitors wanting to put an end to his life. He has to be very worried. Lucky for him, he and Odysseus are being surveyed by Athena and she mentions in Book Twenty that, “But I am a goddess, look, the very one who guards you in all your trials to the last”. (Quote found on line 50-51). Then, through the next few books he slowly starts to adapt to what his father has been dealing with. Basically, Telemachus starts to be able to grow and become more mature. He witnesses his father’s great cunning aspects and slowly begins to comprehend on how Odysseus does this. In Book Twenty-four, Telemachus has already slain the hundreds of suitors that were dying to wed his mother, Penelope. A changed man, Telemachus has gone through a huge transformation. He is taught things by word and in action. Understanding what the great Mentes has told him, watching his witty father trick and deceive other common folk, and joining in on the massive slaughter-fest that had just occurred in his home. Telemachus has changed from a growing boy, to a matured man.




Step 4: Telemachus grows in his courage and his maturity.  His courage grows and a prime example we already used is when he stuck up to the suitors after they threw a hoof at the “stranger”.  Since his courage grew his maturity grew without him knowing.  Telemachus in the beginning is a young boy who is scared and timid but in the books twenty through twenty-four he  begins to act like a man.  He acts like a man for defending his family and standing up against the suitors.



Step 5: A passage we selected from Book One is when Telemachus has just about finished talking to Mentes, he acknowledges the fact that he understands what Mentes has told him. But, he also mentions on line 355 that, “But come, stay longer keen as you are to sail,”. As you can notice, Telemachus wants Mentes to stay longer so he can help teach him more lessons and help him understand more aspects. This passage shows that Telemachus is starting to become more matured but also shows that he is quite scared of what the future holds and he is eager to learn more from his new found mentor. Both of the young, child-like Telemachus and the matured, adult Telemachus’ are brought forth in this passage. The product from Mentes little lessons promoted Telemachus to try to learn and become an adult. In the end of the epic, Telemachus finally becomes what he had been searching for which is belief in himself.