Aeneid Critics

Question 1

Jasper Griffin

Answer 1

The chaotic and shameful period of civil wars was giving place to the enlightened supremacy of one man, divinely chosen, who would restore peace and order to Rome and the World.”

Question 2

Parry

Answer 2

there are two voices in the Aeneid, a public one praising Aeneas and a private one for passing judgement.

Question 3

Pencil

Answer 3

Aeneas’ shield is a mini-Aeneid and in that respect Vulcan becomes Virgil.

Question 4

Stephanie Harrison

Answer 4

a link between the theme of early death and the death of Augustus’ nephew, Marcellus

Question 5

Camps

Answer 5

with the exception of fate, the gods have free scope to act as long as they do not impede each other

Question 6

Eleanor Powers

Answer 6

Aeneas displays this quality of pietas again when he visits the Underworld. His sole reason to enter the Underworld lies with Anchises himself.

Question 7

Llewellyn Morgan

Answer 7

the gods in The Aeneid are entertaining

Question 8

Richard Jenkyns

Answer 8

disagrees that Aeneas is a stoic hero or even a Roman one and says that in fact, his main fault is feeling too much.

Question 9

Williams

Answer 9

Aiming to achieve personal satisfaction by surpassing others in excellence, but to use his qualities in order to achieve their successes

Question 10

Lyne

Answer 10

Virgil seems curiously disinclined to show Aeneas responding or relating to others

Question 11

Hardie

Answer 11

Rather than being strongly driven by an internal desire or ambition, he is forced into a mission by circumstances beyond his control.”

Question 12

Richard Jenkyns

Answer 12

Book 6 is a journey from darkness to revelation signifying a new direction now for the poem

Question 13

Richard Jenkyns

Answer 13

Dido can’t match the definition of a tragic hero due to the fact that she is made to fall supernaturally in love with Aeneas

Question 14

Stephanie Harrison

Answer 14

compares Dido to a tragic heroine. She matches Aristotle’s definition of one (fall by ignorance) Her story also has an inevitability - the suspense is not in what will happen but how

Question 15

Emily Kearns

Answer 15

“The Gods are didactic, they entertain, they show causation and finally, they offer a mirror on society itself”.

Question 16

R.D Williams

Answer 16

Book 6 explores three of the main themes of the poem: the character of Aeneas, religious ideas and the patriotic presentation of Rome’s greatness.

Question 17

Camps

Answer 17

how fate is fulfilled is more flexible. The same goes for how long it takes for it to be fulfilled

Question 18

Aelius Donatus

Answer 18

Virgil “ could do each part as it seized his fancy, taking up nothing in order.”

Question 19

G.E. Duckworth

Answer 19

we are encouraged to look on the book as 2 halves (parallel chapters, parallel characters)