When Telemachus and Odysseus first met face to face, Telemachus was hesitant. Once Odysseus convinces Telemachus that he is the young prince's father, Telemachus embraces his father, as if he has known him all of his life. They go on to plan the suitors demise, and their future; father and son working together, as if they have been doing so all of their lives. Their instantly close bond may be surprising at first, but in a way Telemachus has always know Odysseus. "All of my life I've heard of your great fame." When Athena had Telemachus tour the world earlier in the poem, it way to help him learn of his father. He heard many long stories about his Odysseus, from ones that were close to him. Telemachus heard stories that Penelope, Odysseus' own wife, still doesn't know (at this point). Perhaps a reason why Athena had Telemachus learn so much about his father, was so when Telemachus does finny meet Odysseus, they do not spend time dwelling on the past, rather, they build their future. Odysseus hiding his identity is imperative if he wants his plan to test the suitors innocence, then ambush the guilty, to go perfectly. Word spreads fast, as we see when word gets to the suitors that Telemachus has come back.
3. Odysseus's test of the suitors
I found it rather interesting that Odysseus is testing the suiters and the servants of the house by seeing how they treat him in this disguised form of a beggar. It is interesting to me because I feel as if it is a test of Odysseus, just as much as it is a test of anyone else. Sure, Odysseus needs to see if any suitors will treat him well, and thus show a reason to be spared. While this is useful for Odysseus, one must not forget, Odysseus is not purposefully in this disguise. The disguise is all Athena's doing. She is making Odysseus look like a beggar, as if it is his last and final test. He has been a strong man all his life, but for once, he sees everything from a different perspective. He has harmed innocent people in the past, but now he is the innocent person being harmed. Athena purposefully makes the suiters harass Odysseus many times through out the chapter, just to test Odysseus more. "But Athena had no mind to let the brazen suitors hold back now from their heart-rending insults-she means to make the anguish cut deeper into the core of Laertes' son Odysseus." Time and time again, Athena prompts the suiters to become brash, and violent, so Odysseus can know what it feels like to be lower then anyone.
Not only does Athena's work test Odysseus, but it seems to test Telemachus' leadership skills as well. In these books more then any, Telemachus both recognizes him self as a man more, and is a better leader then he ever was. He says to his mother "the boy you knew is gone." Telemachus' reactions to the violent actions of the suitors against his own father, are so well constructed, and so well spoken with confidence, that the suitors actually start to listen to the young prince. A suitor even says this after Telemachus speaks: "Fair enough, my friends; when a man speaks well we have no grounds for wrangling, no cause for abuse." In fact, another suitor says the same thing again later on, as if they are starting to respect Telemachus. Telemachus standing up for his father (who is disguised as a beggar) is testing his leadership, and earning his respect, while simultaneously teaching Odysseus one last lesson.
No comments:
Post a Comment