The Aeneid, Book OneRevising plot and characters

ThemesLanguage Features

SymbolsStyle

Learning Objective

Through understanding the themes, language features and symbols we can comprehensively evaluate and discuss Book One.

Some Key Characters

Juno

Venus

Jupiter

Dido

The Causes of Juno’s

Fury (toward Aeneasand the Trojans)

1. She loved the city of Carthage and had heard that descendants of Trojans would one day destroy it.

2. She had fought for the Greeks (Argos) against the Trojans in the Trojan War.

3. In an episode known as The Judgement of Paris, a Trojan prince called Paris had judged Venus to be more beautiful than her.

4. She was jealous of Ganymede (another Trojan prince), who had been chosen as Jupiter’s cup-bearer.

Aeneas

Juno

Task: Underneath these notes, write the quotes from the text that relate to each.

Aeneas will rule Latium for 3 years before he is succeeded by his son Ascanius (Iulus)

“Then shall out furious centuries lay down their warring arms…[the] Gates of War shall shut….”

Ascanius will rule for 30 years from Alba Longa

“He [Aeneas] shall live until the 3rd summer looks on his reign…Ascanius…shall complete in royal power….”

Romulus will found the city of Rome 300 years later.

“…coming weighted with the spoils of the Orient.”

The Romans will rule the world forever.

“Of proud descent from Troy, one Caesar… a Julius”

Augustus Caesar’s family (the Julians) are descended from the Trojans.

“For thirty long years…he shall build Alba Longa.”

Augustus will bring riches to Rome.

“To Romans I set no boundary in space or time”

Augustus will be worshipped.

“He also shall be invoked [called on] to listen to prayers.”

Augustus will bring peace to the world

“Kings shall reign for a period of 300 years… Then shall one Romulus…build battlements of Mars”

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Aeneas and Achates meeting Venus disguised as a Huntress

Pietro de Cortona, 1650

Dido’s Story (as told by Venus – pg.39)

Task: Read the story of Dido’s escape from Tyre, as told by Venus to Aeneas. Summarise the story in your own words in a paragraph.

Question: What does this story show about Dido’s character?

* TYRE

CARTHAGE*

Venus and Cupid scheme – Dido falls for AeneasTasks:

1. Briefly outline the plan that Venus has for Cupid.

2. Why does Venus come up with this plan?

Dido’s Character in Book 1 – (pgs 38-50)

DIDO

Describe the character of Dido as shown in Book One of Aeneid. Use a star diagram to show the different aspects of her character, giving evidence from the text for each aspect.

Main theme: THE DESTINY OF ROME and ROMAN IMPERIALISM

The meaning: Rome rules the Mediterranean world because it is fated to do so and has the support of the gods.

This theme is established in the beginning, so that it underlines the activities of Aeneas and other characters.

Activity

Create a mind map which discusses how the idea of Rome's destiny is further developed in the Venus and Jupiter scene.

Theme: THE ROLE OF FATE

Fate ensures that eventually Aeneas will found the Roman race. This is demonstrated through Jupiter’s speech to Venus (Bk I) “Unshaken stand thy children’s destinies”

GOOD

BAD

Activities

What other characters in Bk 1 are effected by fate?

Give further examples from Jupiter’s speech which demonstrate fate is working in the Aeneid.

Theme: AENEAS’ DIVINE MISSION

In Book One Aeneas is portrayed as a refugee with his fellow Trojans. Eventually he becomes the hero that the Romans regard as their ancestor.

Activities

Summarise Aeneas’ travels in Book One. In Book One Aeneas has just departed Sicily

and is sailing the Mediterranean sea. It ends with him in Carthage.

How is the theme of ‘finding one’s self’ portrayed in Book One?

Theme: WAR Book One mentions war by invoking

images of the Trojan War, the characters in the text have all been affected by war; Aeneas and his companions are refugees of war.

Activity

Create a picture diagram of how war is depicted in Book One

Find a quote from Book One about war. “In war till much enduring” (line, 7) “from the blood of Troy a race was

rearing” (lines 18-19) …

Theme: The ‘tribulations’ and ‘sufferings’ of founding Rome› Loss of boats in the storm.

“Far scattered over all the main he sees Aeneas’ fleet, he sees the Trojans whelmed Beneath the waters and the fallen sky” (lines128-130)

Theme: DIVINE CONFLICT

Between the gods and fate. An aspect of this is also divine intervention.

Activity: Give examples from Bk I which show how this theme is portrayed.

Language feature

Example Effect

Alliteration “So saying, and swifter than that word, he smoothes the swelling waters” (line 142)

Gives the impression of the sea calming.

INSTRUCTIONS: find six different language features in Book One and examples from the text and discuss the effect. LANGUAGE

FEATURES

Language Features

The main image is the storm.› Virgil compares the storm to an assembly

“Meanwhile of ocean made one roaring mass” (line123).

Virgil’s similes are frequently developed and have multiple comparisons. This technique is known as ‘multiple correspondence’. These similes create an extend image.

Language Features

The repetition of words emphasise aspects of importance to characters, such as ‘furor’ when discussing Aeneas.

Adjectives are used to give further meaning to the subject.

, fervidus

furens

trepidans

Symbols

The eagle: “Jupiter’s eagle” shows that it was an act of a god or shows that the storm was part of the divine plan approved by Jupiter.

The twelve swans: “The twelve swans pursued by an eagle are both an omen and a metaphor for Aeneas’ fleet”. The swans represent Aeneas’ fleet who have been safely swept to the shore of Carthage or are soon to reach it.

Symbols

Physical symbols – wild animals, forces of nature, hunting.

Abstract ideas/symbols- such as personified rumour and panic or mythical items.

Style

Book One is written in the epic style. Similar to Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey.

o Invokes a muse in the prologue BUT unlike Homer who in the Odyssey invokes the muse immediately, Virgil initially emphasises his presence as the narrator “I sing” before calling upon the muse.