Can we really consider the Telemachiad a coming of age story? We have multiple instances
where Homer reminds the reader of Telemachus’ incompetence, and child-like
lifestyle choices. Even when Telemachus is being the man he has to be and
speaking to the council, Homer still hints at his “fake,” or not the man his
father was ways. However, after Athena stops putting words in his mouth,
Telemachus puts off much more of an aura of confidence than before.
We know that Athena is using Telemachus as a puppet, and is
pretty much making Telemachus do whatever she tells him to do. As we talked
about in class, page 87 and page 100 both feature the same speech ending with
the line about giving his mother to another husband. On page 88, Telemachus
praises the stranger (Athena) and says “You’ve counseled me with so much
kindness now, like a father to son. I won’t forget a word.” Now we talked in
class about making it easier for the bard to remember this, as it is an oral
presentation, if it were word for word. But as a reader of the Odyssey as a
book it seems more like Telemachus will remember the words because they were
given by a god, and makes Telemachus’ idea totally not his own. He also took
the ideas of the ship and crew from Mentor (the stranger).
Homer does not miss any opportunity to make fun of
Telemachus. In book 1 after yelling at the suitors, he goes to his “Warm sheep
fleece” bed. And when he approaches the council the next day with his bronze
spear and hounds, he is wearing rawhide sandals for his “smooth feet.”
It is interesting how at points when Athena needs Telemachus
to be controlled she does it, but some of the time she lets him do his own
thing. Telemachus learns from Athena’s confidence invested in him which makes
him be confident even without Athena. On page 103, Homer shows us this when
Antinous tries to convince him to calm down, and “self-possessed Telemachus
drew the line.” Even after Athena has stopped putting words in his mouth,
Telemachus still speaks with the same strength that he had when Athena spoke
through him. This is much different than the Telemachus that was introduced in
the beginning of the book that was moping in the midst of many bachelors
hitting on his mother.
At first this seems like the Telemachiad is not about coming
of age because it wasn’t himself speaking. When you look deeper into how
Telemachus acts before and after Athena puts words into his mouth, Telemachus
has grown into a man. He speaks with more confidence and is ready for what lies
ahead in the journey. Much different than the mopey Telemachus that sits in his
house. We can’t be too quick to consider Telemachus a “man,” or “of age,”
because of Homers reminders of his lifestyle. He still has the not calloused
feet, and sleeps in warm sheep fleece. It will be interesting to see how
Telemachus acts for the rest of the Telemachiad and rest of The Odyssey.
