Virgil Portrays The Main Female Characters Of The Aeneid

Virgil portrays the main female characters of the Aeneid as stubborn, selfish individuals who manipulate those around them to accomplish their goals. As seen throughout the first six books of the poem, Juno acts against Aeneas because he is destined to found Rome and destroy Carthage— a city dear to her heart. Juno also disrupts the order in the mortal world because she is still hurt about the time when Paris, a Trojan male, does not recognize her as the most gorgeous woman on earth. Virgil also portrays Venus as obstructive and self-centered because her goal is to ensure that somebody from her lineage founds Rome so that she can receive worship for such accomplishment. Due to this behavior, one can argue that the women of the†¦show more content†¦Juno s action is a clear obstruction to the human world, but more importantly to the task that Aeneas is to undertake, and thus, to politics. Virgil s depiction of women is not only that they act on selfish desires, but als o that they make life unnecessarily complicated overall. Before Juno convinces Aeolus to summon the winds of destruction, Aeneas has a clear path to Italy; however, due to Juno, he is forced off his path, and the founding of Rome is in jeopardy. The other important female figure—Venus, the goddess of love—attempts to cover up her selfish desires when she pretends to worry about Aeneas safety and well-being when all she desires is for someone from her lineage to found Rome so that she can get praise. This is depicted when Jupiter tells Venus, My Cytherea, that s enough of fear; your children s fate is firm; you ll surely see the walls I promised you, Lavinium s city; and you shall carry your great son, Aeneas, high as heaven s stars (Virgil 1: 358-362). Venus is so obsessed with making sure Aeneas arrives in Italy safely—so that he can found Rome—that she obstructs the order in the human world by making Queen Dido fall in love with Aeneas. This is evident when Virgil reveals Venus s plan: †¦ Cupid, changed in form and feature†¦ inflame the queen to madness and insinuate a fire in Dido s very bones (VirgilShow MoreRelatedFate : Fate And Fate In Virgils Aeneid1637 Words   |  7 PagesVirgil’s Aeneid, tells the story of Aeneas, the hero and object of fate who is also well known for fitting every description of a classic epic hero. He is of noble and supernatural birth, he faces and successfully overcomes temptations, and he acts as the vessel the gods wish him to be. Although Aeneas frequently makes his own life decisions, it can still be argued that no single aspect of his life was untouched by fate, predictions, or prophecy. Fate directs the main course of action as theRead More The Roles of Greek and Roman Women Essay1665 Words   |  7 Pageswilled, womens lives were sheltered. Most women were assigned the role of a homemaker, where they were anticipated to be good wives and mothers, but not much of anything else. The roles of women are thoroughly discussed in readings such as The Aeneid, Iliad, Sappho poetry, and Semonides essay. Most women in ancient Rome were viewed as possessions of the men who they lived with. Basically they were handed from their father to their new husband at the time of their marriage and submitted anyRead MoreEssay about The Women of the Aeneid1745 Words   |  7 PagesThe Roman epic of Virgils Aeneid describes the hardship and misadventures of Aeneas and the Trojans quest from Troy to Italy. Like Homer’s famous epics, the Iliad and Odyssey, Virgil’s narrative style and structure portrays similar attributes in the finding of Rome. Aeneas encounters several women on his journey who play a significant role throughout this epic in assisting or destroying his journey to Rome. His representation of female characters provides the readers with a better understandingRead MoreFemale’s Impact on Politics in The Aeneid by Virgil 1142 Words   |  5 PagesIn the opening books of the Aeneid, Virgil presents many different characters that play important roles and have influe nces on Aeneas’s journey. This includes not only mortal men and women, but also Gods and Goddesses. Throughout the plot, Virgil constantly addresses political issues through the actions of the characters. Of these characters, the female figures are often portrayed in a negative way. For example, they tend to act emotionally and in a way contrary to knowledge. This implies that women’sRead MoreThe Dilemma Of Dido And Aeneas1775 Words   |  8 PagesMany things can be said about the Aeneid and what all of it means. For me, I only have a few things to say about it all. I only want to explain the tragedy of Juno and her desperate gambit to resist fate. I wish to evaluate on how Dido and Aeneas were two similar leaders, but how Dido was destined to fall due to a difference in interests and why her she killed herself. I seek to discuss on how mankind has always had the madding desire to seek more and how this desire drives us all. I intended to