Athena: Guide or Puppetmaster

I think that, as we near the end of the Odyssey, there is little doubt that Athena plays an enormous role in the adventures of both Odysseus and Telemachus. She both directly tells them what to do as well as orchestrates the events that transpire around them. However, a question that is not completely clear is what role Athena actually plays in the story. The entire adventure since Odysseus was released has basically been for Athena's pleasure, for some unknown reason (possibly to spite Poseidon or just for the entertainment of it all). The underlying questions is whether or not Athena been controlling both Telemachus and Odysseus every step of the way. For that matter, do Telemachus and Odysseus really have any choice of courses of action, or does Athena always push them in the direction that she wants, so that she can get the blood bath she is looking for.

The argument can be made for both sides, because at different parts in the book, Athena is seen just guiding the two heroes and directly interfering to the extent that it almost seems like she is in complete control of everything that happens. As a goddess, she has the power to change people's appearances, appear as anyone she wants, and make people do things they wouldn't normally do. Athena takes on the appearance of a variety of people to influence events, like when she calls the Phaeacians to come see Odysseus or when she appears as Telemachus to gather his crew for his ship. Athena also makes a couple of characters, especially Odysseus and Telemachus, glow with a special light that makes them more awe-inspiring. Finally, Athena is seen changing other people in the way she gives strength to various characters throughout the story to inspire them to action, including Penelope, Nausicaa, and Telemachus. Athena also makes the suitors insult the begger Odysseus even when, under normal circumstances, they may not have gone as far as they did. Everything Athena did was to get to her final goal of a bloodbath of the suitors.

These examples point to Athena being a puppetmaster controlling the entire story, leading up to the eventual slaughter of the suitors. However, there are examples that point towards Athena being more of a guide/teacher, as seen by her teaching Telemachus how to interact with other kings on his own. Athena is also seen advising Odysseus and Telemachus in a less direct way, allowing them to formulate their own plans and ideas. Either way, Athena is an extremely influential character throughout the story who controls much of the events that occur.

Telemachus: A Privileged Hero

We have spent a lot of time earlier in the year talking about whether or not Telemachus is a hero in the first four chapters of the book, and the more I think about it, the more it seemed to me that Telemachus is less of a hero and more of a privileged person who steps up to the challenge and uses the gifts of his rank and luck. Before Athena shows up, Telemachus is just sulking, without even trying to improve is situation with the multitude of suitors staying with him. Then, it literally takes a god's insistence to motivate him to act, and when he does he acts in a rather ambiguous way, stumbling through his dismissal of the arrogant suitors. The result of this is that the suitors do not even follow his order to leave, and continue to stay in his land and eat his food and eventually even plot to kill Telemachus. Eventually, Telemachus does use his privilege of royalty to order the suitors around, but this privilege of royalty was inherited and not necessarily earned.

When Telemachus does finally journey to find Odysseus, Athena helps him gather his crew and tells him where to go, leaving Telemachus as just a figurehead to the journey. During his visits to the kings Nestor and Menelaus, Athena guides him on every detail, even becoming Telemachus at one point. Athena also makes him seem more handsome and "glow" in a godly fashion so that these other kings would respect him. Although Telemachus uses Athena's gifts to his advantage, he does not do anything that strikes me as particularly heroic. The other kings respect him for his ability to talk in a kingly fashion, his kingly manners, and his resemblance to Odysseus. None of these are characteristics that necessarily make him a hero. In fact, all three are traits that he either inherited by blood or part of his royal upbringing, but again, he does use these gifts to his own benefit, which could be considered heroic in some way.

Perhaps as the novel progresses, Telemachus will perform some heroic deed or fulfill a quest that will make him actually a "hero," but at this point, Telemachus just seems like a spoiled prince without much backbone or originality that is guided by the gods, his wealth, and his prestige. From what we have heard of Odysseus so far, Odysseus seems to have more of the characteristics of a hero than Telemachus, and Odysseus seems to have more personality and willingness to take action. Although Odysseus has been aided by the gods, he has acted without the gods, and does not completely rely upon their aid, unlike Telemachus.