Aeneas The Tragic Hero

5 Pages 1316 Words

Virgil’s The Aeneid is a great story. It is defiantly a tragedy. Aeneas is the classic tragic hero. His life could be so much better if he didn’t have so many people relying on him and a planned destiny. My Thesis is: Aeneas does few things out of true self-desire. The things he does are of duty to his men and his father. Interference from the gods is Aeneas‘s largest obstacle.
The story starts with Aeneas at sea. Storms arise from no-where. The armada must get to land for safety. Everyone pours out of the ships to soak up dry land. What does Aeneas do? He climbs a hill and looks for the other ships, after-which; he kills several deer for his men to eat. Aeneas immediately shows his unselfish dedication to his men. What is very important to me is, he and his assistant are the only people looking for the other ships. Is it possible no one else realizes thirteen other ships haven’t touched shore. “...When hunger had been banished, and tables put away, they talked at length in hope and fear about their missing friends...(p. 11) The crew of the seven ships that landed are to tired, hungry and glad to be alive to worry about the other thirteen ships until later. Aeneas is bound by duty to his men. His thoughts are to them 1st and himself last. “Burdened and sick at heart, he feigned hope in his look, and inwardly contained his anguish.“(p. 10) Later in chapter VI, Aeneas asks how he can go to visit his father. After receiving the information he came for, Aeneas is informed a friend is going to need to be buried before he can go visit his father. Once out of the cave, the dead person is identified. Without hesitation trees are ordered cut down to begin constructing a funeral pier. Once again, our hero puts the needs of his men before the desire on his mind.
I don’t believe there is much to say about Aeneas’ trip to the underworld. The willingness and determination he shows is amazing. “...he told...