The first four books of The Odyssey are traditionally called the Telemachy.
They are named for Telemachus, Odysseus’s son, whose coming-of-age journey dominates this opening section. While Odysseus is still absent, Telemachus confronts the suitors consuming his household’s wealth and travels to Pylos and Sparta seeking news of his father. Athena guides and encourages him, often appearing in disguise.
The Telemachy is more than a preliminary subplot. It shows the damage caused by Odysseus’s twenty-year absence and prepares the reader for his eventual return. It also introduces themes of hospitality, inheritance, reputation, and heroic maturity. The term should not be confused with nostos, which means homecoming, or Nekuia, the underworld episode in Book 11. Odysseus does not directly appear in the main narrative until Book 5.