The Aeneid by Virgil - Essay Example

He then returns to search for his wife, however, is unsuccessful. He had no choice but to continue with the other survivors. We see his tenderness also with his lover Dido; however, this makes some respect his characterless. Despite his deceit, he is aware of the ramifications of his actions and assumes compassion and responsibility. Virgil’s structure of this hero and the fate that bestows him is similar to Odysseus.

Yet he focuses on the emotional feelings of the characters that set them apart from characters in history. Aeneas did encounter a lot of controversial decisions and had an inevitable fate. He resumed responsibility for his duties and seemed to have little free will. His decisions were for the best of himself and others and were not selfish. He definitely showed his human qualities during his journey. Virgil was able to differentiate from works such as Homer’s Iliad and the Odyssey. In some ways, he is seen as a tragic hero.

The Aeneid does however reflect a similar tone of an ironic tragedy such as not following their heart, submitting them to their fate. It also models the encounters in the Odyssey and its written structure. The Aeneid has its own literary significance and is a cherished legacy. It has its own qualities of Roman life which give it its own identity. Virgil was a poet of the Roman Empire, born Publius Vergilius. Romans are said to have prided themselves on their practicality and morality. Aeneas is on a journey to found the greatest empire, thus this story is pious.

The Odyssey is resourceful. Virgil transcended Homer’s Iliad story of Roman descent from Troy. The Aeneid world is crafted with Roman morals, experiences, and emotions. Aeneas is unable to kill Helen because Venus makes him see that the gods are destroying Troy, and urges him to get his family to safety. He did not do what he wanted, but the respected decision to not engage in his vengeance for Helen. As for Priam’s death, Aeneas’s failure is more an indication of the reality that not everyone can be saved and the humanity of Aeneid.

The Greek ideal of a hero is different from that of the Romans. So it is hard to say that Aeneas is less of a hero but rather a different kind of hero. His actions are dutiful and pious, for his ancestors, family, and future descendants. Aeneas is patient and pious and has real emotions and rationales. His killing of Turnus was said to lack heroism, however. Odysseus is somewhat subtler in the Odyssey. He also has his faults, including taunting Polyphemus, which is considered foolish and unnecessary.

This is a hard question because there are different views of a hero, in this case, the Romans and Greeks ideal. Aeneas was heroic to the Romans because he didn't let anything stop him from founding Rome and staying with his destiny. Duty over inclination. Greek heroes generally earned a reputation by fighting. Odysseus was cunning and quick thinking in his ability to escape Polyphenols. Each hero kills at the end of their journey, justification remains up for interpretation. Odysseus is an advancement of the Illidic hero; his skills of cunning and trickery whilst make him famous in the mythical world.

The Phoenicians recognize the name Odysseus and know it to be heroic. Aeneas is renowned as a hero, he is famous, his exploits are painted onto Dido's walls before they even meet. Aeneas is designed to be Augustus, the hero and saviour of Rome. Aeneas had correspondence with the contemporary Roman hero at the time and carries the fate of history on his back. Because Odysseus is a mythical ideal of a hero, Aeneas would be the better hero. Odysseus is a hero for purely selfish means. Thinking of a true hero, first think of what is real.

Human qualities and heroism mean more than mythical creatures in a world we can’t even imagine. Aeneas was a true hero in that his fight was for a real cause, and though he had his own duties, he did everything he could to save the people he cared about.