Characterization of Aeneas as an Archetypical Character - Term Paper Example

number Characterization. Aeneas as an Archetypical Character. Characterization is known to be a literary device, employed in the process of creating characters in a story. The main function of characterization is to help author depict the personality of a character. The appearance of this literary tool dates back to the middle of the 15th century. Aristotle in the Poetics promoted the idea that plot is a driving force within the narrative, but not characters. In other words, the narrative was proposed to be referred as plot-driven. Aristotle aimed to prove that “tragedy is a representation, not of men, but of action and life” (Aston 34). This idea was dismissed in the 19th century when the petty bourgeois novels appeared. The narrative was claimed to be character-driven, that means characters were considered dominant over plot. Such an approach gained popularity due to development of psychology as well. An author may use two ways to build an image of a character – direct (explicit) characterization and indirect (implicit) characterization. The literary author just gives the recipients information about a character. Such an approach may employ the narrator, another character or the protagonist himself. Indirect approach presupposes more delicate way to introduce a character. Recipients are welcome to judge a character by themselves on the basis of its actions, thought progress, speech, behavior, appearance, and interaction with other characters. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of characterization for the success of any literary writing. It is essential for any author to understand the role, function, and usage pattern of this literary device. Properly outlined characterization helps recipients comprehend the behavior and motives of a certain character. A proper use of this literary device enhances the understanding of events within a storyline. Dialogues are also of great importance in the process of character developing because they give recipients deeper insight into its inner world. Thus, character as a literary phenomenon may be defined as an image of a human within a literary work. As a rule, each character possesses easily defined individuality which helps author illustrate both the historically conditioned type of behavior and his own moral and ethical views. Animals or even plants may also function as characters. Everybody remembers White Fang by Jack London. There is nothing surprising about it because such a choice of a character helps authors emphasize the identity of humans with animals or inanimate objects. It is interesting that unless such images are allegorical, they tend to represent the psychology and natural behavior of a human who is free from any pressure of social and political conditions. Thus, the direct relation between literary characters and humans cannot be questioned. However, a character cannot be called a mirror reflection of a real personality. It should be taken into consideration that an image of a literary character does not fix all the psychological reactions and emotions of a real person. Instead, it turns to be a generalized result of observations, made by the author, concerning a certain type of human behavior. As a rule, such a behavior type is historically predetermined. That also regards the characters of autobiographical and documentary fiction. In other words, it is referred to all the characters possessing prototypes. Prototype – it is a real person or a literary character which served as a basis for creation of a certain character. As a rule, author may tend to use this basis and his own concepts while depicting a character. The variety of literary characters of different nations and different epochs is impressive. At the same time, such a diversity of characters may be grouped according to the genre of a literary work they belong to and their own value priorities. Thus, it is possible to talk about a number of literary archetypes possessing international and timeless nature. Nevertheless, each epoch may offer a number of its most typical and bright characters. Achilles may be called one of the brightest examples illustrating the heroic epic of ancient Greeks. Achilles is shown as an embodiment of strength and courage of all the people in their mass. In other words, people are depicted into the image of Achilles. Such a collective literary character appeared on a basis of ancient mythological mindset. Characters of Renaissance are peculiar due to their exceptional complexity and analytism. Character developing became fluent and wide. Shakespeare and his characters may be a good example. Most of them are imparted with unrestricted passions and countless vices. Among other timeless images, created by Shakespeare, Hamlet deserves special attention. His debt of honor condemned him to unbearable torments. Another masterpiece of Renaissance offers readers Don Quixote, a knight, and Sancho Panza, his squire. It would be a mistake to say that these two literary characters represent positive and negative traits of a person. Instead, they seem to be two integral parts composing a full-featured human character. Being a part of such a unity, each of these two characters is bereft in his own way. Don Quixote represents an idealized image of a human. Quixote’s intention to fulfill his duty to the world lets him be compared to Hamlet. At the same time, this character seems to be completely deprived of common sense. On the contrary, his servant Sancho employs rational approach and pragmatic principles. Though, this character lacks honorable motives. Literary characters of Classicism possess heroic features and approve themselves into tense conflicts of duty and passion. Some of their character features often possess exaggerated nature. Tartuffe by Moliere may be a good example. This character was trying to hide his faults under the mask of purity. Such an image became so widely familiar that the name Tartuffe is now used in order to characterize a person with similar behavior. All the successive epochs and literary schools elaborated a wide range of characters of any kinds. It would take much time and efforts to enumerate at least the most remarkable ones. Nevertheless, their variety and ambiguousness drive readers to the conclusion that all the world literature in its entirety and its best masterpieces illustrate the history of struggle against any kinds of monotony, sameness, and incompleteness of a literary character. Instead, it shows the process of personality molding. Another conclusion is possible as well – world literature marks a protest against those tendencies in bourgeois art which undermine educative and aesthetic value of literary characters. The character I would like to speak about is Aeneas, known from Virgils Aeneid. First of all it should be mentioned that this character belongs to an archetypical group of heroic ventures, uniting such features as initiative, leadership, self-belief, and determination. His essence is manifested in the process of active searches, struggle, achievements and adventures. Attempts to perform a peculiar mission impart such characters with vital powers. Such characters seek fame and affection. They tend to participate into frequent change of living positions. Their strength and energy are realized in the process of goal achievement. Aeneas fits this pattern almost perfectly. Being a character of heroic epic, Aeneas is an embodiment of courage, discretion, generosity, and devoutness. He is faithful to the duty to his people, Troy, and his mission. He cannot be called a venturer or an intriguer. He is not trying to fulfill any personal desires or gain fame. He considers himself to be destined to perform his mission, that is why he chooses his path and devotes his whole life to this supreme goal. Like Achilles in the Iliad, Aeneas is shown as a perfect warrior. His courage and fortitude have no bounds. No one battle may be victorious without his participation. At the same time, the image of Aeneas may be considered new in ancient literature. It is different from all the preceding ideal heroes, since it was coined to glorify the emperor. In order to fulfill this task, the author was to impart his character with the whole range of features which Romans considered to be ideal. Vergil was supposed to impart Aeneas with all the possible moral qualities which could be used to describe heroes of ancient Rome. Apart from brevity and courage, the author emphasizes Aeneas’s devotion. There are many epithets accentuating this feature. Aeneas is shown as a faithful worshipper of gods. He is always amenable to their advices and he never dares to rebel against them. He is also a sincere patriot – he fights for his home town to the last. The only person persuading him to leave Troy is Hector in his dream. Thus, Aeneas is a true patriot, devoted family man, and a really prominent person of high moral values. He is always fair and ready to help. This character is also likable because of his sense of filial duty and love. Aeneas would never leave his father in burning Troy. He seeks to get into the kingdom of Hades just in order to see him. Being a devoted and affectionate husband, Aeneas comes back to flaming Troy and looks for his wife Creusa. The image of Aeneas is full of tragic pathos. He was destined to perform a heavenly mission – he was to found Rome. All his personal concerns and desires pale into insignificance. His love to father, wife, and the Carthaginian queen Dido are of minor importance. His mission and the sense of duty to his people absorb all his energy and strength. Thus, he sacrifices his personal happiness for the sake of the supreme good. The position Aeneas occupied in society and course of history demanded special responsibility. On the one hand, he was to link the fates of his father Anchises and his son Ascanius. Both of them possessed different life experience and mindset, representing peculiarities of epochs they belonged to. On the other hand, Aeneas happened to be a witness and active participant of Troy decline and Rome rising. Thus, Aeneas was the only person destined to be a part of both Troy and Rome. Ascanius left Troy when he was a small boy and Anchises was never to see Rome. From this perspective Aeneas may be regarded as an embodiment of these two experiences which create a valid one in their unity. All of this had a strong impact on Aeneas and predetermined the formation of his personality. At the same time, this character possesses a certain number of features which are untypical of an ideal epic hero. He may be compared to Achilles. If to look at Achilles’s shield it would become clear that the idea is to keep peace and avoid wars. Wars contradict the nature of life. Meanwhile, Aeneas’s shield glorifies Rome and its emperor. Aeneas is shown as a man of fate. He suffers because of inner contradictions between his personal feelings and submission to gods, family affection and his mission. Such circumstances made him a wise politician. Vergil intended to highlight certain flaws and vices of his central character. It was appropriate since readers are not only interested in the personality of Aeneas, but in the way he represents historical type of a person of those times. That is one of the main reasons I chose Aeneas. This character may brightly illustrate the peculiarities of mindset of Virgil’s contemporaries. It is interesting to observe the conflict between human passions and call of heavenly mission through the prism of mentality of the time. It should also be taken into consideration that this is an inner conflict of a person who is expected to be exceptionally prudent and judicious. Nevertheless, it should not be forgotten that Aeneas belongs to the type of collective characters. This character absorbed all the possible features of an ideal epic hero, but his prototype cannot be found in real life. Aeneas brightly illustrates the concept of an ideal hero of the time. At the same time, an ordinary is was unlikely to possess at least minor part of all the Aeneas’s merits. Though, Aeneas remains a worthy behavior sample to follow. This character seems to be interesting because it is archetypical. It is an archetype of a hero who is ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of others. This archetype and its features may be recognized in a number of successive literary works. In addition, it is interesting to trace the ways the image of Aeneas changes with the course of time. It has been portrayed both in farce and heroic manner. It is possible to mention a well-known film Troy. Aeneas in no longer portrayed as an ideal hero. Instead, it is a secondary character whose task within the storyline is to take Priam’s sword in order to continue the Troy royal line and lay the foundation of Rome in future. Though, he is not even a royal family member. Finally, this character deserves attention because he was mentioned in both Greek and Roman mythology. Of course, Aeneas may be found not only in Aeneid by Vergil. Readers may come across this character in Homers Illiad and some other sources too. Though, that is only Aeneid where he becomes a hero of Rome. Thus, the Aeneas legend is rather well-known. Its reflections and adaptations can be found both in ancient and contemporary world. For this reason the image of Aeneas is worthy of special attention and interest. Works Cited Aston, Elaine, and George Savona. Theatre as Sign-System: A Semiotics of Text and Performance. London and New York: Routledge, 1991. Print. Baldick, Chris.The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2001. Print. Buxton, Richard. The Complete World of Greek Mythology. London: Thames & Hudson, 2004. Print. Pringle, David. Imaginary People: A Whos Who of Modern Fictional Characters. London: Grafton, 1987. Print. Virgil, and Robert Fitzgerald. The Aeneid. NY: Vintage, 1990. Print. Read More