Telemachus has grown up in a very insecure home as a result of his father's being away. His mother, Penelope, has been pursued by suitors for years, and these suitors have essentially been camped out at their home in Ithaca, eating their food, sleeping with their servants, drinking their wine, and so forth. Most of the suitors are not good men, and they do not treat Telemachus with respect. In fact, once he begins to stand up to them and suggest that he will go in search of news about his father, they plot to kill him. Therefore, his young life has been one of relative insecurity and confusion, without a male role model present to teach him how to be a man in this era when such a thing felt so necessary. Despite this lack, however, it is clear that Telemachus has a strong moral code and that he loves his parents and understands the importance of offering hospitality and respect to guests, even when they do not seem to deserve it.
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