Odysseus' appeal

[niece]

I liked Telemakhos' disposition. He is not as brutal as the heroes
we've read about so far. He has desirable qualities such as being
clear-headed and respectful. He is shy and timid in a way if it wasn't
for the goddess Athena he might simply lay down and die at the hands
of the suitors. But I think that he has a better making for a hero in
the now sense of the word.

I think I keep looking for a different kind of hero in these epics.
Even his father is less brutal than say Achilles and Gilgamesh which
is much earlier of course. I, inspite of the text or verse, keep
trying to read into these two men qualities that I want.But I see form
today's discussion these are not really dominent in them. Odysseus is
not kind and mild tempered so much as he is a liar and a womanizer.
Telemakhos does torture those maids rather than just put them to death
which is not merciful.I still think that it reflects the time period
though in that the people were in need of a different kind of hero. A
perhaps more rounded one.

[Gina P.]

True, I also agree that while reading these epics I try to understand
how some of these heros can even be considered a hero with their
wayward standards and acts of violence. Yet with the scene you
mentioned where the maids are brutilized I see when he is rectifing
the disgrace these when showed not only himself, his mather, but that
of the honor of his father. It was is act of a man.