In the poem Telemachus by Ocean Vuong, there is a tone of resentment and slight hatred for his father, Odysseus. There are many breaks between the sentences in the poem that emphasize the pause between the words. A new verse never starts with the beginning of a new sentence and it is always continued from the previous verse. The syntax used to display emotion clearly shows his thoughts about his father and their relationship. The poem portrays a different perspective of Telemachus that is not displayed in The Odyssey. The Odyssey paints Telemachus as a people pleaser wishing his father to be home. However, the poem presents Telemachus as having more than love and kindness. It shows that he is a human with “negative” feelings.

The poem starts with “like any good son,” presenting a more pessimistic tone. Throughout the next verse, he states that he’s always been there for his father. He has always been by his side to help him and save him. The poem presents a visual scene that depicts Odysseus and Telemachus encountering danger, resulting in the critical state of Odysseus. Although he is still worried about his father’s life and whether he will live, he seems anxious that this will be his future. There is also the element of whether Odysseus is even Telemachus’s father. We see this connection in The Odyssey and the poem as the poem reads, “He is so still I think – he could be anyone’s father.” I think there were many other ways to state Odysseus’s stillness, but the Odyssey isn’t clear whether Telemachus is the son of Odysseus, and Telemachus seems to know that. Later in the poem, “cathedral” is used again to describe his father’s eyes. It was first used to describe the “bombed cathedral” now being “a cathedral of trees.” It seems that the bombed cathedral, then being represented as a cathedral of trees and finally the cathedral being internalized in Odysseus’s eyes symbolizes Odysseus’s journey finally coming to an end. The poem then describes how Telemachus begins his journey in his father’s footsteps. To “kiss all [his] lovers” and “begin the faithful work of drowning.”

This poem helps retell the story of Telemachus’s journey and relationship with Odysseus. It displays a new perspective that is not shown within the Odyssey. The poem gives Telemachus a sense of authority and maturity. It also brings to light his emotions and internalized feelings that are not portrayed or highlighted in the Odyssey. This poem changes the way I view Telemachus and the connection he has with Odysseus. I see the different perspective where he could possibly resent his father and have a possible thought of disgust towards him. I think it’ll help readers understand Telemachus more and see him as an adult instead of a child. Many of the multimedia sources similar to the poem give readers a diverse perspective because they’re seeing and interpreting many different perspectives on the Odyssey. They all have different aspects that help the reader understand or further their critiques when reading.