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In the intricate and well-developed plot of The Odyssey, Homer harmonized several subjects. One of these subjects was the quest of Telemachos in correlation with the journey of his father. In the beginning of the epic, Odysseus son, Telemachos, is a childish, passive, fearful, and untested boy, but in the end, he has developed into a young man ready to stand by his fathers side and defend his family's loyalty and honor against the suitors. Telemachos path to manhood is directly correlated to the voyage of Odysseus, in that they both have similar purposes for their voyages, which then leads to the same finale, where both men successfully uphold the family honor, and gain new wisdom about their lives and manhood. Father and son begin their similarities with the purpose of their respective journeys.
Odysseus journey home is driven by his love for Penelope and his worries about his kingdom. Telemachos is also driven to find his father because his fathers kingdom is at stake (which would not be his kingdom if his mother remarried) due to the piranha-like suitors, and his family is losing face, a loss not permitted by heroes. Honor and loyalty are the most valued assets during this time in Ithaca. With the suitors invading and eating up all of Odysseus wealth, they have committed the biggest treason against Odysseus, so therefore, it is up to his son to defend his fathers name and take up his fathers role.
Odysseus and Telemachos had many lessons to learn about themselves before they were ready to successfully take on the suitors in their final test. Odysseus had many things to overcome before he would be able to take on this responsibility. Odysseus is a hero well known for his cleverness and curiosity, but he is human, so therefore he has flaws. After injuring Polyphemus and leaving him for dead, Odysseus pride and ego makes him taunt the dying Cyclops, which would eventually lead to Polyphemus father, Poseidon the sea god, always making obstacles for Odysseus on his journey home. Sometime after that adventure, Odysseus found a way to be humble. If he had not have perfected his tolerance abroad and fine tuned his hubris problems, it would have been impossible for him to undertake the role of the beggar, where he can only stand witness to the attacks on his wife, family, and himself, without being able to instantly lash out.
Telemachos has to also learn lessons that would better himself and help prepare him for the fight against the suitors. His goal is to reach a level of adulthood and be able to stand by his fathers side, to mature into a man, and most importantly, to gain respect, and protect the family's honor. His first step towards this direction is when he sits in his fathers chair and calls an assembly to order the suitors and elders to go home. Even though he is not completely effective, he surprised them a great deal with his authority. This is his first encounter with the lesson of learning what it means to grow up in the shadow of a famous father, to compete with one of the greatest of Greek heroes, and to lose. His failure thus makes him more determined to go to Pylos and Sparta to search for his father, which then cultivates him more into a man, and more able to help his father kill the suitors and all that have disrespected the family.
The Odyssey ends with not only one great epic hero, but also a son that is able to carry on the legacy and rule the kingdom when the time comes. Bibliography:
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Research essay sample on Family Honor Journey Home
