nce Penelope obviously avoids the topic entirely. He needs to know his legacy. Most importantly, he is searching for a way to justify his fathers absence, and to justify why he has left Ithaca in such a state of disorder. However, his quest for his legacy was not the only reason he had for defending Phemius. It was also caused by his resentment towards his mother for having known his father and not telling him about him. He feels that his mother has prevented him from gaining an understanding of his heritage. This disagreement over Phemius was a window to the anger that Telemachus had towards his mother for not familiarizing him with the legacy of his father. Another reason Telemachus was so quick to rebuke Penelope was his deep desire to exert his power and his dominance, his rightful dominance over the household. By ordering his mother to leave the hall, he is showing to the suitors that it is he, not his mother, who has more power. When he declares that he is master of the house, partially caused by the newfound courage distilled in him by Athena, he is introducing a new him. This was his opportunity to establish his position above the suitors and prepare for his announcement that he will go search for his father. This disagreement allowed Telemachus to step into the limelight, and express himself as a force to be reckoned with....
