Aeneid Group

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lenlen
lenlen
Student
College - Sophomore

What are the literary devices are included in the stories about the Fall of Troy and the House of Thebes?

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Posted by lenlen on Sunday December 9, 2007 at 9:24 PM and tagged with aeneid, book 2, book 4, literary devices, literary terms.

Answers:

  1. jfwheeler
    jfwheeler Teacher
    College - Sophomore

    eNotes Editor

    There are, of course, many literary devices employed in the epic.   Here are a few to consider:

    Similies:  Similies compare two similar things, often using "like" or "as". 

    The Trojans, coop'd within their walls so long,
    Unbar their gates, and issue in a throng,
    Like swarming bees, and with delight survey
    The camp deserted, where the Grecians lay:

    and, in reference to the troops, who were

    Driv'n like a flock of doves along the sky

    Another device commonly used is that of alliteration (the repetition of initial letters or sounds) such as "Fortune favor'd" and "Haste hence".

    Imagery (language that makes the reader form a mental picture and often engages many of the senses) is another frequent literary device.  In Books II and IV, the image of wounds is prominent,

    From Book II:

    The lukewarm blood came rushing thro' the wound,

    The stumps are pierc'd with oft-repeated wounds:

    My limbs, not feeling wounds, nor fearing death.

    From Book IV:

    Wounds with a random shaft the careless hind,

    Frantic with fear, impatient of the wound,

    Clogg'd in the wound the cruel weapon stands;

    In addition to "wounds," also be aware of the recurrent imagery of snakes, hunting, storms, and fire. 

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/aeneid/book-2-summary-analysis
    http://www.enotes.com/aeneid/book-4-summary-analysis
    http://www.enotes.com/literary-terms

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    Posted by jfwheeler on Friday December 12, 2008 at 2:54 PM