The Odyssey, Books 1-5

         In Book 1, the humans—especially all the suitors—are shown to be a bit greedy, only thinking of what they want and not willing to cooperate. Telemachus is a different story, because he wants to fix the problem he’s facing and is trying to find a solution, but the only way he can get started is with help from the gods. Zeus and Athene, on the other hand, have a pretty calm discussion while Athene is attempting to get support for Telemachus to find his father without interference from anything, not the suitors or from Poseidon. The gods are very regal and respect each other, while the men wishing to marry Penelope are eating Telemachus out of house and home, they won’t leave; they don’t respect him. Telemachus only wants to find his father. He’s referred to as looking like a god, or having an authority like one; he needs to be different from the other men around him if he’s going to have a chance to be successful in finding his father, or at least finding out what happened to him.

            On that note, we hear his story first. Maybe it’s so we can appreciate and know what went on in Ithaca while Odysseus was away, and what his family was going through and how they, meaning Telemachus, were trying to figure out what had happened to him and if he was actually dead or not. It also lets Telemachus take the spotlight, and we hear all the time how much he is like his father, in looks and in stature and in the way he speaks, even. Having him go out and see part of the world and do things on his own lets him become even more like Odysseus, in a way, because he kind of has to lead and show that he can be a man.