TelemachusAt the beginning of the Odyssey, Telemachus is not yet a man and is not yet sure of himself. Embarking on a mission to find his father, he matures from a child to a strong and resolute adult. Throughout the poem, Telemachus finds his place in the world and becomes a well-rounded person. Although Telemachus never quite matches his father Odysseus in wit, strength, and agility, his resilience develops throughout the text. In Homer's epic, The Odyssey, young Telemachus transforms from an insecure teenager into a confident and poised young man as he travels the seas in search of his father, whose courage and intelligence prove comparable to his own. In the Odyssey, Homer shows how Telemachus matures through the control of emotions. At the beginning of the story, he is both physically and emotionally immature. Unable to control his feelings, he behaves like a boy, even crying in front of Menelaus. During the young prince's speech to the suitors, the poem says that Telemachus, “Full of anger, threw the speaker's scepter to the ground, bursting into tears. Pity seized the assembly” (Homer 95). This shows that he acts like a child having a tantrum, throws his toy on the floor and cries. Not only does he pity himself, but the crowd also pities him. People see him as a child, not as a figure of respect as Odysseus' son should be. However, during his journey, he begins to change. When speaking to Menelaus the passage mentions: "With all the composure he had, Telemachus replied..." (Homer 134). He is learning gentleness and prudence. But along with this newfound composure, Telemachus also has bouts of crying for his lost father. A sign that he still doesn't have... half the paper......ability because he is asked to, not because he wants it. Furthermore, if he felt a strong sense of responsibility, he would have stayed and taken care of his home. She would find a way to get rid of the suitors through one of her father's friends. He would step up and take responsibility. Instead he left, partly because he couldn't take responsibility alone. Even so, he is trying his best to take control of his family. In the Odyssey, Homer describes Telemachus' coming of age. It does this through the difference shown between Telemachus' control of emotions, treatment by suitors, and vision of taking responsibility for his family from start to finish. Homer uses Telemachus' coming of age to discuss the universal theme of growth. His story is an archetype of what all people go through at some point in their lives.