Aeneas
Discuss the character of Aeneas, which has often come in for harsh criticism. (Charles James Fox, the eighteenth-century English statesman, found him “either insipid or odious,” and William Butler Yeats speaks of an Irishman who thought Aeneas was a priest.) The implied comparison is of course with epic heroes such as Achilles and Odysseus. How far is such an attitude justified?
In the story Aeneid, Aeneas is the protagonist. He survived the Greeks overthrow of the city Troy. After the fall of Troy, Aeneas, his father, and his son, set sail in hopes of finding a new home to start over. He eventually led his people to a new home in Italy.
Aeneas was a man of many great qualities. He was a kind, generous, and compassionate man. I believe Charles James Fox is wrong to call Aeneas insipid or odious, because Aeneas was just trying to get a fresh start.
William Butler Yeats portrays Aeneas to be a priest, which I believe is close than the way Charles James Fox portrayed Aeneas, but I still believe Aeneas was more of a hero than a priest. He shows many characteristics throughout the Trojan War that you would not necessarily find in a priest, but instead a hero.
Aeneas compares to Achilles because they both had a mother who was a goddess. Aeneas was son to Venus, and Achilles son to goddess Thetis. Beyond this, the characters are not very similar. They have differing personalities, characteristic traits, and also very different destiny's.
Aeneas compares to Odysseus from the Odyssey because he has to fight through many hardships but was still able to prevail, just as Odysseus did.
In the story Aeneid, Aeneas is the protagonist. He survived the Greeks overthrow of the city Troy. After the fall of Troy, Aeneas, his father, and his son, set sail in hopes of finding a new home to start over. He eventually led his people to a new home in Italy.
Aeneas was a man of many great qualities. He was a kind, generous, and compassionate man. I believe Charles James Fox is wrong to call Aeneas insipid or odious, because Aeneas was just trying to get a fresh start.
William Butler Yeats portrays Aeneas to be a priest, which I believe is close than the way Charles James Fox portrayed Aeneas, but I still believe Aeneas was more of a hero than a priest. He shows many characteristics throughout the Trojan War that you would not necessarily find in a priest, but instead a hero.
Aeneas compares to Achilles because they both had a mother who was a goddess. Aeneas was son to Venus, and Achilles son to goddess Thetis. Beyond this, the characters are not very similar. They have differing personalities, characteristic traits, and also very different destiny's.
Aeneas compares to Odysseus from the Odyssey because he has to fight through many hardships but was still able to prevail, just as Odysseus did.
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