Homer's Odysseus and Virgil's Aeneas - Essay Example

Section/# Analysis: Comparison and Contrast of the Similarity and Dissimilarity of Virgil’s Aeneas and Homer’s Odysseus Although at first glance it may appear as if Greek and Roman mythology has a great deal in common, the differential that separates these two mythological interpretations is ultimately based upon a differential and culture between these two ethnicities. Although the Roman culture indeed “borrowed” a great deal of mythological subject matter from the Greeks, they also engaged in their own interpretation with regards to the way in which humans interact with the Pantheon. As a microcosm of this differential, the following analysis will seek compare and contrast holders Odysseus and Virgil’s Aeneas. Through such a comparison and contrast, it is the hope of this author that the reader will come to a more informed understanding with respect to the way in which these two can be compared and contrasted. The ultimate comparison can of course be attributed to the way in which Roman culture “borrowed” from Greek culture. Conversely, the differentials that are evidenced can be attributed to the differential between ethnicities and common cultural norms that pervaded both of these societies. Through such an understanding, the similarity and dissimilarity between mythological interpretation can more readily be denoted and understood. Whereas it is apparent that a great deal of mythological differentiation exists between the cultures of the world, a great deal of similarity also exist when one considers the means through which humans sought to interact with the gods that govern them and explain the underlying rubric for how the universe came to exist. The first differential between these two works is concentric upon the fact that a Odysseus is the prototypical Greek hero. Not surprisingly, Aeneas represents the prototypical Roman counterpart of such heroism. As such, the differential that exists between these two can almost entirely be traced to the differences in culture that existed between Greeks and Romans of the time period in question. By means of comparison, both of these heroes are committed, triumphant, strong, and the epitome of brave and daring. Yet, even though a noted similarity exists between them, Odysseus can be understood to the cunning, scheming, and thoughtful (McCaughrean 70). This is of course evidenced with regards to the way in which it was his idea to devise the Trojan horse, his scheming that was able to drive away and kill Penelope’s suitors, and his cunning that was able to defeat Polyphemus. However, rather than it being understood that Odysseus was somehow selfish and narcissistic in his character, it must be understood that he entailed a great deal of concern for his fellow man. Moreover, as was such a common theme within Greek mythology and character representation, Odysseus represents the intellectual warrior, equally proficient in statesmanship, dialogue, philosophy, and the art of warfare and love (Franke 15). By means of comparison, Aenas, is first and foremost a warrior. He represents what can be defined as the ultimate soldier; rejecting the love of a woman in order to engage in the service of duty for his homeland and to further the destiny and needs of the great empire. Whereas the Odysseus could appreciate all of these things in life come currently, the representation of Aenas within mythology saw it necessary to deny oneself such pleasures as a means of furthering another more lofty goal to a higher end. Moreover, another noted differential that exists between the two is the fact that Odysseus hardships, struggles, and trials allow him to become more and more crafty, more thoughtful, and more willing to utilize the skills that he has learned as a means of survival. By comparison, the difficulties and hardships that Aenas faces only serve to develop him into a more fearsome warrior. The superhuman changes that take place throughout Virgil’s Aenas stand in stark contrast to the way in which a fully human Odysseus develops and comes to a greater understanding f the way in which the world works throughout the course of Homer’s Odysseus. Yet a further level of comparison can be made with regards to the fact that almost all of Odysseus’ hardships were his own doing; brought on by pride, hubris, or miscalculation of relationships and trust. While he is brave, clever, and fully able to exhibit physical and mental strength, he nonetheless must utilize each of these as a function of extracting himself from the hardships he so often places himself in. By comparison, Aeneas can only be understood as a victim of circumstance; wrongly appearing at various times and places that demand action on his part (Virgil 18). As compared to Odysseus, Aeneas is in full control of his own curiosity and can constrain it so that he is not distracted; as Odysseus seemingly finds himself on so many separate occasions. Finally, even though these two are by no doubt heroes within the respective definitions of heroism, Odysseus represents this heroism as part of a collective tradition; idealizing those who have gone before him and performed deeds, that Odysseus sees as even more heroic than those which he is performing. Whereas Odysseus is a flawed hero that is overly curious, prideful, unfaithful to his wife, Aenas is selected as the definition of what a true hero should be – with few flaws and no tragic faults. Such a representation is easily able to present the reader with a very clear level of distinction regarding the differential that exists between these two seemingly similar heroes (Nelson 471). Rather than representing the same hero in merely a different setting, as Roman culture so often sough to perform with regards to taking artistic license with Greek culture and myth, the Virgil’s Aeneas presents the reader with a character that seemingly represents the pinnacle of what true heroism and manliness should; without any of the troublesome flaws that Odysseus represented. From an objective standpoint, it must be noted that both of these stories are merely myth and should not be understood or extrapolated beyond the historical and cultural significance that they portend. However, notwithstanding this factor, it must also be understood that Odysseus, even though written long before Virgil’s Aeneas, represents a far more believable and realistic human hero; fully capable of failure and self doubt – yet equally willing to learn from his mistakes in order that these hard learned lessons will not need to be learned again. By comparison, the one dimensional nature of Aeneas represents a character that is not nearly as differentiated as was Odysseus and ultimately wins each and every major confrontation he meets due to the super-human qualities that he begins to attain along the way. The final similarity that must be noted is that even though both of these characters were figments of their respective author’s imagination and were separated in their production by a period of several hundred years, both have become immortalized within the Western tradition and continued to be discussed and held up as a definitive example of the culture and approach to life and meaning that the respective people of their time necessarily took. Therein lays perhaps the most important similarity that these two works represent. Due to the continued ability to engage audience members and provide a level of insight with regards to the way in which myth and legend was accepted and interpreted at that time, the similarity between these two is perhaps most powerfully made. Works Cited FRANKE, WILLIAM. "The Secondariness Of Virgilian Epic And Its Unprecedented Originality." College Literature 40.1 (2013): 11-31. Academic Search Complete. Web. 8 Oct. 2013. McCaughrean, Geraldine. Odysseus. Chicago, Ill: Cricket Books, 2004. Print. Nelson, Michael. "Odysseus And Aeneas: A Classical Perspective On Leadership." Leadership Quarterly 19.4 (2008): 469-477.Business Source Complete. Web. 8 Oct. 2013. Virgil, and John Dryden. The Aeneid. Ware: Wordsworth, 1997. Print. Read More