Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Reunited and It Feels So Good!
Odysseus and Telemakhos are finally reunited after twenty long years of painful separation. Was their reunion what you expected? Did it surprise you? Which moments moved you most? Please be sure to include lines from the text as examples of moments when you had different reactions and explain why those lines from the text had the effect that they had.
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I expected their reunion as the chapter was called Father and Son, and although it could have meant only Odysseus knew that he was Telemakhos's father, while Telemakhos thought he was only an old man. I thought it was really sweet when Odysseus was crying and hugged Telelmakhos on page 295 line 223. Telemakhos didn't believe Odysseus at first, but when he realised this truly was his father, he and Odysseus hugged and cried, and they would have till sundown if Telemakhos did not ask Odysseus how he managed to get home. I also liked how they started planning how to regain control of the house and punish the suitors.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Suki in that I did expect there to be a reunion because the chapter was titled Father and Son, but the way that they were reunited did surprise me. I was surprised that Athena came to Odysseus and changed him into the young and heroic person that Telemachus imagined him to be and that they immediately embraced each other (page 295) Going into the chapter, I was not confident that Telemachus would help Odysseus fight the suitors but now I know that they will make a good team. I was also surprised that Odysseus and Telemachus didn't spend more time talking to each other before planning their plot against the suitors because Odysseus hasn't known his son for his entire life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Robert and Suki, for I knew that Odysseus and Telémakhos would be reunited, but I did not expect Athena to suddenly pop up in the story and have Odysseus be his true self again. (294, Fitzgerald) I thought Odysseus would have immediately said it was him when he realized that Telémakhos was right next to him. I agree with Suki, for when Odysseus tells Telémakhos that it is him, I was caught in the moment and my heart melted when Odysseus and Telémakhos hugged and cried together. (296, Fitzgerald) When Odysseus informed Telémakhos that they needed a plan to attack the suitors, I was proud of Odysseus and moved by Odysseus’s responsible actions by being an adult and taking control in this situation. (298-299, Fitzgerald) Telémakhos’s and Odysseus’s capability of working together was impeccable; for they are practically strangers. Overall, I truly enjoyed seeing Odyseeus and Telémakhos reunite and care for one another.
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To continue the chain of agreement I agree with Bobby and Suki that I had the expectation on a reunion but was surprised in how it took place. I didn't expect for Athena to show up and change Odysseus appearance and then tell him to tell his son. (Line 246) I was expecting Odysseus to be overtaken with the emotion of seeing his son and just tell him outright, but was impressed with Odysseus' ability to hold back. I shared the heart-melting, "awe" moment when Telemakhos wrapped his arms around his father and cried (255). I thought that was a great moment in the story because it showed how much Telemakhos loved and admired his father even though he wasn't there as he grew up. I thought it was interesting how this idea contradicts the situation more commonly seen in our world, where when a father is not present as the child grows up the child often hold a grudge against the parent and has disrespect for him. I was also shocked at how quickly Telemakhos and Odysseus started talking about the suitors like they had never been separated. I think this drilled in the idea that Telemakhos and Odysseus share a special connection. This has been my favorite moment in the book because of the reunion and its relate ability that has lacked in past chapters.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of you. This reunion was expected, but the chapter was still pretty interesting. Because we have been awaiting this reunion of father and son, it was so exciting to see them interact. Not surprisingly, Telémakhos was shocked to see a poor old man turn into the heroic father that he had wondered about for twenty years. He even said, "You are one of the gods who rule the sweep of heaven!" and "Have mercy on us!" (page 295), when he saw Odysseus transformed by Athena. I also thought that Telémakhos' feelings towards taking on the suitors changed throughout the chapter. Before discovering that his father was back, he said, "How could a single man take on those odds?", but after encouragement from Odysseus he bravely stated, "Father, even when danger comes I think you'll find courage in me." Odysseus' effect on his son is definitely positive from the start, because he gives his son hope and reassurance.
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with this comment. I expected the reunion like everyone else did, but I didn't expect the whole chapter to be sweet and sappy. Homer was obviously going to get down to business, and he did. This chapter was like a movie to me, I could see everything coming together and quickly become complex again. I also noticed how Odysseus' return finally being known to Telemakhos wasn't just cute and happy, but an important turning point for him
DeleteLike everyone else has stated, I think the reunion went a bit differently than I expected it to go. I knew that eventually Odysseus would reunite with his son, but it sort of felt uneventful. I was expecting loads of question from Telemakhos about Odysseus' travels, and for Odysseus to ask Telemakhos lots of questions about Penelope and the suitors. I think that the way they were reunited was pretty neat, but if I were in Telemahkos' position, I probably would've had a heart attack. Watching a random old man suddenly transform into your long lost father just would be pretty awe inspiring, creepy, and way out of the ordinary. I think it's great that Odysseus and Telemakhos finally got to be reunited though, and I am exited to see what happens next.
ReplyDeleteI was very glad to see that Odysseus was reunited with his son because after Telemahkos had never seen his father his whole life. I know that Telemahkos must have felt abandoned and disappointed in his father for not being there. However, I do still forgive Odysseus because he honestly tried to get back. I think the most interesting quote was, "all my life your fame as a fughting man has echoed in my ears...but what you speak of is a staggering thing, beyond imagining, for me." It really showed how Telemahkos always wanted to know his father because he sounded so amazing which is why he is amazed when he finally meets him. I personally believe that Odysseus has the opportunity to now solve his problems and all that he has missed with his son.
ReplyDeleteIn book sixteen, contrary to most comments, I expected the long awaited reunion to go exactly as it went. Sure, seeing Odysseus magically transform into his true self is surprising to an extent, but it you have to keep in mind that this is the first time these two are really meeting each other. The first time they see each other they embrace with joy in their hearts, but later on things may begin to seem kind of awkward due to Odysseus' travels. However, contrary to Jeremy's remarks, the goal of these two is to return home and defeat the suitors, not to go finding each other than sit down and talk about what each person has been doing for the past twenty years. The time to catch up with each other comes later, but now there is a task at hand that needs to bee dealt with for the two....
ReplyDeleteI actually did not expect a "reunion", in the sense of the word. I knew that Odysseus and Telemahkos would meet and interact while Odysseus still being disguised as an old man. I thought the chapter would try and build suspense by calling it "Father and Son" and technically making it about Odysseus and Telemahkos but not actually revealing the reunion. This was not the case. Guess I was overthinking things. My favorite part of the reunion was the part where, "Salt tears rose from the wells of longing in both men, and cries burst from both..." It was touching and beatiful, with the imagery displayed clearly in my head.
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