The Odyssey begins not with the adventures of the hero Odysseus himself but instead with four books devoted to the plight and travels of Telemachos. Within these four books (which are often called the "Telemachy"), we see Odysseus’ son undergo a transition in which he goes from being a helpless victim among his mother’s suitors to a young man actively winning a good reputation among other Greek heroes. Describe this process in which Telemachos matures, paying close attention not only to how Telemachos acts but also to the ways in which others around him (and the poet as well) react to these actions and his character in general. Although you may bring in information concerning Telemachos’ character from later in the Odyssey if you wish, your analysis is not required to trace the development beyond the first four books of the epic.
(2).Instructions from my instructor (on format, citation, etc.)(Please use at least one direct quote from the Odyssey; this is very important):
-Have a clear thesis statement in your introduction. A complete thesis statement includes an argument (i.e. what you will be trying to convince me throughout your paper) and a short description of the points that you will use to prove your thesis. Think of a thesis like the road map: it guides your audience through your paper. A thesis statement should be 1-2 sentences.
-Your body paragraphs should have topic sentences whose ideas connect back to your thesis.
-Avoid excessive summarizing of the text (2-3 sentences at the most!) Instead, use the extra space for analysis (i.e. connecting the examples in the text to your argument).
Citation:
-Try to use one quote from the text per point or per paragraph. Quotes show me that you have read the text and lend credence to your argument. Be sure to explain the significance of the quote; do not leave it hanging on its own. While you should not use too few quotes, neither should you overload your paper with them.
-When quoting or referencing an epic, cite the quote by book and line number in a footnote or a parenthetical reference. It is sometimes necessary to include the title of the epic if it is not clear to which epic you are referring.
-e.g. (Odyssey II.123-144); or simply (II.123-144). Arabic numbers are also okay provided you are consistent: (Odyssey 2.123-144). -Reference tragedies by line number (once again, include the title of the tragedy if it is not clear to which one you are referring). It is okay to estimate lines because they do not always match up in translations.
-If you are using a different translation than the required texts, you must provide a citation at the end of your paper in APA or MLA format. -Quotes cannot stand alone in a sentence. You, as the narrator of your own paper, must introduce quotes in the same sentence. Notice too how the punctuation functions in a parenthetical citation:
-e.g. As Hekabe bears her breast to Hektor, she pleads, ‘My child, look upon these and obey, and take pity on me’ (Iliad XXII.82-83). -If a quote is three lines or longer in the original text, you must separate it from the paragraph, indent it, reduce the font by one point, and single-space it.
-e.g.The last remnants of Achilles? wrath finally dissipate when King Priam visits him. In an emotional scene, Priam supplicates to Achilles on behalf of his father’s memory. Priam says,Remember your own father, Achilles, in your godlike youth: his years like mine are many, and he stands upon the fearful doorsteps of old age. [?] So with glad heart hope through all his days for sight of his dear son, come back from Troy.
-Citation example: While conversing with Hera, Zeus lists several mortal women and goddesses whom he has seduced and impregnated, revealing an astonishing lack of concern for his wife?s feelings (Hom. Il. 14.317?327). Odysseus praises Nausicaa and prays that she will one day receive the greatest gifts a woman in ancient Greece could hope for, namely a husband and a home (Hom. Od. 6.175). Jason curses his wife Medea when he discovers that she has killed his children and calls her a ?traitor,? a ?hateful foe,? a ?tigress,? and a ?perverted murderess? (Eur. Med. 1323?1354). Clytemnestra offer no apology for the murder of her husband Agamemnon (Aesch. Ag. 1381) and describes how much she enjoyed committing the crime (Aesch. Ag. 1391?1393), claiming that her ?heart leaped for joy? as the blood of Agamemnon spilled from his wound (Aesch. Ag. 1391). 3. Others: -the paper has a thesis statement (?This paper examines the . . . . ?) and your conclusion is presented with your thesis statement (it?s not a surprise, just put it up front). Be careful not to rephrase or copy the prompt as your thesis. If there are multiple questions in the prompt, you can have a general thesis in your introduction, then start each paragraph with a ?mini-thesis? that will address each question in its own paragraph. -text has enough citations in the proper parenthetical format (see Essay Writing Format for more information). ?Enough? means that each major point or statement should be followed by textual evidence. Avoid using quotes that are longer than 2 lines ? these are just filler