Buy essay on Telemachus’ Transformation from Boyhood to Manhood

Telemachus, being not the leading character in Homer’s Odyssey, still plays a very important role in the plot development and serves as a great example of character formation and transformation from boyhood to manhood.
At the very beginning, Telemachus is a weak helpless boy who is waiting for help from his father, Odysseus. He is not able to protest the suitors at home and is very dependent on his mother. At that time he is not able to act as an independent strong personality, Father’s image is the only hope for him: “He sat among the suitors…imagining in his mind his great father, how he might come back and all throughout the house might cause the suitors to scatter” (Odyssey 1.114-116). However, we see that his mind is open for new knowledge and that he is ready to learn and to grow up. Goddess Athena plays a crucial role in the character forming. It is she who makes him believe in himself and start his long and often dangerous journey in search of his father and self-identity, as it has become obvious later. Athena tells this young boy about his powerful and famous ancestors and the cleos that they possessed. Cleo is the combination of good reputation, fame among ordinary people and number of good deeds and actions.
She encourages him to choose the right way and gain his cleos. Athena helps Telemachus realize that Odysseus’ son deserves only one way – the way of real man and hero. Athena recommends Telemachus to get rid of the suitors in his father’s house and then go to Pylos and Sparta and get some news about Odysseus. She allows him realize that he is already not a helpless boy: “You should not go on clinging to your childhood. You are no longer of an age to do that (Odyssey 1.296-297). This conversation has become the starting stage of his growing up.
Telemachus’ actions become more confident. He has a serious talk with his mother, after which he starts riding his father’s house of the suitors. Changes in his behaviour are noticed by all – his mother and the suitors. He calls a meeting of the public assembly and tries to persuade people in evil actions committed by the suitors. Despite the fact that his speech is not very successful, he does not lose hope and confidence in himself and starts his journey to get information about Odysseus’ whereabouts.
Following Athena’s advice, Telemachus goes to Pylos with the divine intervention of the goddess on his side. It is a serious step towards the maturation, however, he still feels the lack of experience and confidence. He is afraid to face King Nestor and asks for a piece of advice: “Mentor, how shall I go up to him, how close with him? I have no experience in close discourse. There is embarrassment for a young man who must question his elder” (Odyssey 3.22-24). Athena provides her divine support and King Nestor acknowledges Odysseus’ son in this young man. He blesses him for his father’s search and gives him sense of his cleos.
Athena does not guide Telemachus in his next journey to Sparta: on the one hand he is followed by King Nestor’s son, Peisistratus, and on the other hand he is mature and strong enough to make this visit without Athena’s presence. He feels more confident while approaching one of the most powerful and meaningful figures in the Greek history – Menelaus. Helen speaks about great resemblance between Odysseus and his son: I think I never saw such a likeness, neither in man nor woman, and wonder takes me as I look on him, as this man has a likeness to the son of great-hearted Odysseus” (Odyssey 4.141-143). It assures Telemachus in the cleos that he possesses one more time. This visit plays a great role in his formation. Menelaus tells him a number of wise stories from his life and he gets impressed by Telemachus’ thirst for knowledge and readiness to learn. It is there that Odysseus’ son becomes a mature man and his transformation from a boy into a man is completed. He learns morals and manners at Menelaus’ palace and starts acting with wisdom and confidence. It becomes especially evident when he comes back home. The suitors, who were surprised by his rebukes at first but did not accept them seriously, now are stunned by Telemachus’ power and strength. The suitors start following his orders and even Penelope realizes that her son has grown up when his speaks about the bow of his father: “My mother, no Achaian man has more authority over this bow than I, to give or withhold, at my pleasure” (Odyssey 21.344-345). Telemachus proves that he is the only owner of the household while his father is absent and he makes everybody accept this fact and respect him.
To draw a conclusion, Telemachus has had a long way to his mature and adult formation. Athena’s guidance plays an important role in his personality changes, as it is she who pushes him on the way of changes. At the end of his trip Telemachus is presented as a mature, confident person who takes responsibility for his actions and who makes wise decisions. He has become an independent personality with prominent cleos.

Work Cited
Homer. Odyssey. Translated by Richmond Lattimore. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1967.