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Troy Paper Prompt: Telemechus Heroic Journey

The story of the Odyssey centers mostly on the events that surround King Odysseus as well as the exciting adventures he had while at sea. Also, the story concerning Telemechus is of extreme importance as an individual is able to know about his coming of age. When Odysseus began his journey, Telemechus was just but a toddler and this is the reason why the father and son do not have an existing relationship. Odysseus only returns back to Ithaca when Telemechus is almost an adult and also, Penelope had already made plans of getting married again. When reading this epic literature it is evident that Telemechus grew up well and became quite a clever and tactful young man. Unfortunately, Homer did not seem to appreciate him and did not take him seriously because Telemechus had aspirations of being as great as his father Odysseus.

Homer did not give Telemechus the credit, which he deserved in my opinion, and this is seen at the beginning of the epic story. Telemechus received guidance and protection from Athena as he went on a journey to find Odysseus. While on this epic journey, the true nature and character of Telemechus was known. Despite the fact that he did not know a lot concerning his father, he still had the desired intellectual capability needed to understand what he needed to do to find him. He even noticed that during his childhood, his mother was often depressed and distraught because she missed her husband quite dearly. It is fortunate that Telemechus had a deep understanding for the value of devotion, pride, liberty and love as reflected by his actions. Even the people of Ithaca knew that he was coming of age and thus respected him.

Intelligence, wit and strength are other character traits that were visible upon analyzing Telemechus. It is true that he had a lot of assistance from Athena, but his slight naivety and innocence is what made him different as compared to boys who were his age. Telemechus was assured of success in the end because he followed the advice, guidance and help from Athena. However, there were times when the young prince had lapses with regards to judgment and even made mistakes. For example, at times he took the advice given by Athena quite literal, like the time when he went out in the night in order to warn Menelaus of the impending danger. However, a boy of his age at the time was sometimes allowed to be a little bit eager in some situations.

When the Odyssey was coming to a conclusion, Telemechus was given a chance whereby he could prove that the safety of Ithaca was assured. He even went on to prove that he was a collected and careful young man, as well as being an extremely brave fighter. Furthermore, Odysseus became proud of his son and believed that he had the ability to take over Ithaca. He had successfully assisted Telemechus to attain manhood, which was of extreme importance to all the people he would rule over. Telemechus wanted to impress Laertes and Odysseus so that they could be proud of his achievements. In the last scenes, Telemechus was proud to have become the new Prince of Ithaca. In the past he did not have a lot of knowledge about the issue of prince hood, and believed that his father would come back and continue with his Kingly duties. It is only after Telemechus spent time with his father that he became aware about his self, character and lineage. In the end, he was ready to assume responsibility and face the challenges that he would encounter regardless of whether he was alone or with Odysseus.

Achilles was a character present in Peterson Wolfgang’s ‘Troy’ and his epic transformation was witnessed. He was at the beginning described as being an admirable character that was envied by all the people who knew him. It is no wonder that people had nothing but praises for him, and an example of such a person was Patroclus, his cousin. Patroclus claimed that Achilles was one of the best warriors of his time because of his prowess when it comes to fighting in battles. Most people believed that he had the characteristics of a god from the manner which they described him.

At first, Achilles displayed some honorable character traits such as being a brave warrior and an obedient son. However, he made a drastic transformation and people started to notice his wrath, hubris, as well as anger. Achilles developed a short temper and easily exploded at even the slightest thing. Furthermore, many people knew that Achilles never had any second thoughts when it came to killing all those who crossed his path. At the same time, Achilles loved Patroclus and this catalyzed his undesirable behavior especially after the death of his cousin. Achilles quickly transformed from a person who was joyful and loving to one who was inhuman. Also, no one could stop him when he decided to slay men. However, there were some positive attributes that could be said about Achilles when he deiced to take revenge for his cousin’s death. He was described as being loyal, faithful as well as an individual who was fair.

The relationship between Achilles and Patroclus was humanized by Wolfgang in order to prove that Achilles the Demi-god could be tamed. In this case it is evident that the love that existed between the two assisted in ensuring that Achilles maintained some good and desirable virtuous. Love seemed to control some of his actions even while at war, even though he would mercilessly kill all his enemies. For example, he was in love with Briseis despite the fact that she was an enemy. This proves that he was willing to ignore the differences that existed between him and his enemies in order to be with the woman that he loved. At the end, before Achilles lost his life he overcame all his vices and foibles, and it is thus the reason why people glorified him. Achilles was able to become an honorable and just man, who did not kill innocent people. He understood his role as a chosen warrior and thus led his people to victory up to the last moment of his epic journey.

In conclusion, Telemechus and Achilles are some notable characters introduced by Homer. They might have had different approaches to life, but in the end, the transformation of Achilles and coming of age of Telemechus were extremely unique. The two characters were able to ensure those who watched or read the available literature know about their epic journeys. Indeed, a hero will always be an individual that has the ability to overcome the tragedies and tribulations they encounter.