Man Or Boy? Essay, Research Paper

Man or Boy? Telemakhos Can & # 8217 ; Ts Decide

Many male childs who grow up without a male parent deficiency the way and penetration gained merely through holding a masculine function theoretical account. Such a male child is introduced in Homers & # 8217 ; epic tale The Odyssey as Telemakhos, Odysseus & # 8217 ; boy. In the beginning of the narrative, Homer portrays Telemakhos as a cautious and inactive individual who has non the strength to run out the suers who have taken over his house. However, in Book XXI lines 358-378 the reader may observe a dramatic alteration in Telemakhos & # 8217 ; attitude as he begins to take on the duties of a adult male. Through this short transition one realizes that Odysseus & # 8217 ; boy is now willing to stand up for himself and therefore take a base against the suers.

Get downing at line 360, Telemakhos makes a statement directed towards his female parent that & # 8220 ; no adult male here has more authorization than I do. & # 8221 ; With these lines Telemakhos is disrupting his female parent who antecedently is supervising the bow-stringing competition. Telemakhos may hold decided to interfere because he wanted to make up one’s mind the regulations of the competition. With Telemakhos in charge he can coerce the suers to allow his male parent have a opportunity to hit the bow. This is important because Telemakhos knows who his male parent is and his female parent does non so she would non cognize to let Odysseus to take part in the game.

Up until this point Odysseus & # 8217 ; boy has non spoken externally in an important mode. Therefore, Telemakhos indirectly shows the suers how he has become more powerful by talking to his female parent in forepart of them in a rigorous mode. Then in lines 367-368 he goes on to state that he will settle all differences refering the bow for he is the mast

Er there and so Penelope should go forth. If Homer had written the narrative so Penelope had stayed in the feast hall alternatively of obeying her boy, Telemakhos’ would hold non appeared so sceptered as he did.

At this point in the narrative the reader is cognizant that Telemakhos knows his male parent Odysseus has returned to recapture his estate. Why so would Homer chose to do Telemakhos into a strong adult male when he does non hold to be? His male parent Odysseus has already returned so there is nil for Telemakhos to be in charge of or responsible for. Possibly the male child is taking charge because he wants to affect his male parent and turn out he can assist catch the suers. After all there are many work forces for Odysseus and Telemakhos to contend and he must be brave to win.

There may be another ground for Telemakhos & # 8217 ; alteration of bosom though. At the start of the narrative Homer paints the image of him & # 8220 ; sitting there unhappy among the suers, a male child, woolgathering & # 8221 ; ( Book I line 140 ) . Though the reader is diffident of how long the male child has been unhappy, one can deduce that Telemakhos does non make up one’s mind to free of the suers until Athena prompts him to make so. When he decided to take her advice and happen word of his male parent overseas, Odysseus & # 8217 ; boy made his first effort to take duty for his land.

At a glimpse, this transition where Telemakhos gives his female parent orders may look uneventful. In actuality, this is a turning point in the male childs & # 8217 ; life because he publically acknowledges for the first clip he is a adult male. Bing the adult male of the house means that Telemakhos has duties and duties particularly to his male parent. Later in the narrative one sees merely how Telemakhos will carry through the responsibilities his rubric entails.