Telemachus: I Stand Alone

Telemachus literally means "far-away fighter" and he is just that. I found Telemachus to be a really unique figure in The Odyssey. First starting out Telemachus just seemed to be this young guy. Throughout he was just shy and kept away from defending his mother and let the suitors just do what they wanted. It seemed as if all that mattered to him was really gone whether it was his mom and her getting married off or his dad and him being dead. But when things seemed to be at their lowest for Telemachus along came Athena. In a second he seemed to be a changed person.

I was instantly hooked because of the transformation that happened to Telemachus. He went from this shy young man to this powerful guy who took charge of his household and even trekked out to sea to find his father. It was almost as if he grew up in a second after Athena’s help and this change was evident when he gave his speech to the suitors. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens to Telemachus now.

The song that I think best represents Telemachus is I Stand Alone by Godsmack. It’s a song that I really like and the lyrics in my mind go really well with Telemachus’ journey. First off the chorus really defines where Telemachus is now with his journey: Feeling your sting down inside of me/I'm not dying for it/I stand alone/Everything that I believe is fading/I stand alone/Inside/I stand alone. He has all these negative experiences with the suitors but now those things don’t affect him and he’s focused on finding his dad because he truly is losing everything that matters to him. Also even though you could argue Telemachus isn’t alone because of Athena, he really is. She is just a guide but all the changes are up to him whether it was traveling out in the first place or talking to the kings and dealing with his emotions. I think this verse is a prime example of this: Help me decide if my fire will burn out/Before you can breathe/Breathe into me/I stand alone/Inside/I stand alone. These are just a couple of examples but throughout the song there are many more that all relate to Telemachus in one way or another.