"The Odyssey"

Many people have a significant event or action that marks the beginning of adulthood. Often their parents help guide them through the process, enabling them to have confidence in their decisions. In the Odyssey, Telemachus undergoes a much different transition. Unlike many people, Telemachus does not have a strong male role model to imitate through the trying years of adolescence. Furthermore, the suitors who wish to take Penelope's hand in marriage hinder his passage. These …

…a child's development. However, Telemachus overcomes this disadvantage with the help of Athena and begins to accept his responsibility as a man and the Prince of Ithaca. Once he has accepted the responsibilities that go along with his name, Telemachus sets out on an adventure, an adventure that molds the young Prince into a man allowing him to discover his own identity. WORKS CITED Homer. The Odyssey. Translated by Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Books, 1997..