Jan 6, 2010

Aeneid | Suggested Essay Topics

Book 1
1. While the first six books of the Aeneid imitate in many ways Homer’s Odyssey, Aeneas is a very different man from Odysseus. What virtues does Aeneas possess? What methods does Virgil use to show Aeneas’ character? If possible, contrast Aeneas to the Homeric hero.

2. The gods play an important role in the Aeneid. How does Virgil use them? Describe the roles played in Book One by Juno, Jupiter, and Venus, both as actors and as vehicles for manipulating the audience.

Book 2
1. While epithets are poetically...