Odyssey- Telemakhos Essay, Research Paper

Telemakhos Becoming a Hero

In an epic called The Odyssey, there is a character named Telemakhos who is learning to be a hero. Through each event that he faces, he is transformed more and more into a hero, but still encounters one problem: he is afraid. ?Afraid or what?? one may ask. The answer to this is that Telemakhos is afraid of being a true leader. Without his father, he cannot defend himself against the dangers such as the suitors, men who have taken over his father?s palace. Doubting himself, he believes that he is powerless. His solution to this problem is to go on an adventure to find his Odysseus, his leader. Telemakhos understands that if he finds his father, he will not be alone in the battle against these greedy men. Once he can find this man, he will gain strength and hope. Only then will he be able to progress in his transition from a man into a hero. Alike a hero, he has self control. When Telemakhos swears to his Odysseus that he will not tell anyone that he is disguised as an old man no matter what foul treatment he goes through, he shows that he can control himself. This self-control was shown when he resisted fighting against Antinoos when a chair was thrown at Odysseus. ?Telemakhos, after the blow his father bore, sat still without a tear, though his heart felt the blow. Slowly he shook his head from side to side, containing murderous thoughts.? To not carry out his thoughts of murder gives Telemakhos a quality that not only makes him civilized, but also more like a hero. He has courage and bravery inside him along with determination. When he wants to accomplish something, he will not give up until he has solved the problem. Telemakhos?s apparent determination is shown when he tells the disguised Athena, ?I want news of my father, Odysseus, known for his great heart, and I will comb the wide world for it.? This tells one that he will not give up or surrender to the great quandary that has been brought forth to him. When he does find this leader, Telemakhos is able to come into his own, giving him the ability to become a hero. Through the lessons that he learns in his adventures, Telemakhos, slowly begins to learn how to be a hero, a man with self-control, bravery, and determination.