Abstract This paper considers Dido in Virgil's "The Aeneid" as one of the most fascinating female characters in the realm of classical literature. It looks at how she is a figure who symbolizes the ways in which women in her time and place had their lives circumscribed by both the authority and the treachery of men and the ways in which women strove to define the meaning of their own lives.
From the Paper "Dido is one of the most fascinating female characters in the realm of classical literature, a figure who symbolizes both the ways in which women in her time and place had their lives circumscribed by both the authority and the treachery of men and the ways ..."
Abstract This paper discusses how Virgil intends the reader to understand the apparant suicide of Dido, the lover of Aeneas, the main character in Virgil's "Aeneid" as infact murder at the hands of Aeneas. It examines how the death of Dido can actually be viewed as a murder, through the account that Virgil gives of Aeneas' actions and his psychological murder of Dido before she takes her own life and more so by how he portrays the underworld where Dido and Aeneas eventually meet again. It shows how through these theatrics, Virgil wants to demonstrate a lesson to his readers about the value of passion and love.
From the Paper "Virgil allows Aeneas to further indite himself in the matter through the answers he gives to Dido. Aeneas claims that they, ?Never entered upon the past of marriage,? (IV, 468) and informs Dido that he never ?meant to be deceitful and slip away,? (IV, 466), even though his actions support the contrary belief. As if this was not enough for poor Dido's aching heart to bear, Virgil demonstrates that Aeneas is a cold-blooded killer on and off the battlefield; Aeneas slays Dido's love by telling her, ?But now it is the rich Italian land / Apollo tells me I must make for: Italy, / Named by his oracles. There is my love; / There is my country, (IV, 476-479)."
Tags: suicide, rome, carthage, aeneas, trojan, war, death
Examines the portrayal of Dido, the Phoenician widow of Sychaeus, by Christine de Pizan in her 1405 "Book of the City of Ladies", compared to Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy" and Virgil's "Aeneid".
Abstract Christine de Pizan's "Book of the City of Ladies" (1405) was written to counteract the lies and misrepresentations about women's character that the author found in the male dominated world of literature. The paper shows that Pizan's main example was Dido, the Phoenician widow of Sychaeus, who escaped her brother's tyranny by fleeing from Tyre to North Africa. There she founded and ruled over the great city of Carthage. The paper explains how, in her book, Pizan went about rehabilitating Dido's reputation by recounting her great prudence as leader of her people and her constancy in love. It shows how this account of Dido counteracts, in very different ways, the versions of Dido's career in Virgil's "Aeneid" and in Dante's "Divine Comedy" in which she is portrayed as "one of the most vilified women of world literature".
From the Paper "That is all that is left of the woman who was also famous for outwitting various male leaders and for her successful founding and leadership of a great state. Clearly Dante had a somewhat different way of looking at Dido than Virgil did. For Dante she was merely the embodiment of the female sins of lust (for Aeneas) and infidelity (to the memory of Sychaeus) for which so many famous women seemed to find themselves in the second circle of the Inferno--where more women than are found than in any other circle in Dante's Hell. But in the Aeneid Dido is clearly a woman of considerable power and great accomplishments. She is also clearly seen as worthy of Aeneas and is practically a female version of the hero. She is widowed, forced to flee, founds a new city, and her descendants become a powerful civilization--under the protection of Juno. Aeneas' wife dies at the fall of Troy, he is forced to flee and, eventually, he arrives in Italy to fulfill his destiny and found a great race--under the protection of Venus."
Abstract This paper explains that the two characters, Medea and Dido, are a great deal alike; yet the world's lasting view of them is very different. The author points out that Dido is revered for her strength and knowledge, and Medea is hated for her treachery. The paper summarizes that the only real difference between the two women is the cause for which they exact revenge; Dido is given the opportunity to repay her debt to humanity by building a better home for herself and her people, whereas, Media has no such safety net, and she moves on to develop a much more conventional life, one with the protection of a man, Jason.
From the Paper "Modern or ancient, most had an opinion about women; they were loved so intensely through literature that even the modern reader can feel the pain of the author, admired so deeply that they were sought after even at the peril of the hero. "To him battles were not an end, but a means to that glory which would give him universal dominion over the minds of men and the hearts of women.? "
Abstract This paper emphasizes the differences between Aenaes and Dido in terms of their futures, in Virgil's "The Aeneid". The paper focuses on the love that Aenaes and Dido shared and how this love had to be abandoned in order for Aeneas to achieve his ultimate fame. Although Aenaes feels sadness in accepting his fate initially, his sadness does not compare to the depression Dido experiences, which eventually leads to her suicide.
From the Paper "After Aeneas leaves Carthage for good, Dido can no longer think clearly and all hopes of emotional stability are gone. Dido curses Aeneas and has a pyre built, which she secretly intends to use for her own suicide. Although Dido is unaware of when she will die, the reader knows that it is not yet time for her death. Fate is still a mystery to Dido and the power of Amor makes it even more difficult for her to think clearly and rationally. Before Dido mounts the pyre, she gives a long speech that challenges the fate of Aeneas and questions the true meaning of his departure."
Abstract This paper outlines the similarities in the female literary characters, Medea and Dido. It suggests that, even though the two characters are usually thought of as very different, they share many similar qualities. It says that they are both strong, knowledgeable, admirable, patriotic, and have great love for their husbands and fathers. In spite of these similarities, the two characters are thought of very differently, however, because of their different motivations for their actions. Thus, Dido is remembered for her strength and knowledge and Medea for her treachery.
From the Paper "There is a great deal of modern scholarship associated with the classical treatment of women. Hundreds of pages of intellectual interpretations regarding the nature of their lives, their beauty, their wisdom and most specifically how they were treated by men, all through the fish eye view of classical literature. In two works there are two characters who are particularly fascinating to scholars, Medea and Dido. Euripides and Virgil both gave the world a true gift of literary interest. Comparing the two characters, Medea and Dido leaves an impression that they are a great deal alike, and yet the world's lasting view of them is very different."
A literary and historical analysis of the appropriate levels of blame that should be affixed to Dido and Aeneas, two of the primary characters in Virgil's epic Latin poem "The Aeneid."
Abstract An analysis of the joint culpability of Dido and Aeneas, both of whom are responsible for their illicit relationship and yet who are also both victims of the forces of fate. This essay examines, by means of a close analysis of literary devices, Virgil's biased presentation of the story of Dido and Aeneas and offers an alternative reading that is nevertheless grounded in the text of "The Aeneid." Includes quotations from the Latin text (as well as English translations of these quotations) in support.
From the Paper "One of the most powerful natural human tendencies in reaction to any great trouble or tragedy is to attempt to assign blame. In searching for the causes of problems in life, we often try to blame the faults or shortcomings of others in order to absolve ourselves of guilt and set our minds and our consciences at ease. Even when considering tragedies or problems with which we have no personal connection, we feel an overwhelming urge to simplify, explain, and resolve the situation by affixing culpability. However, in doing so we frequently overlook extenuating circumstances and allow ourselves to succumb to narrow, biased interpretations of these circumstances. We simply cannot seem to accept the fundamental truth that in some of the greatest tragedies of life, everyone and yet no one is truly to blame. The story of Dido and Aeneas in Virgil's Aeneid epitomizes this truth; Dido and Aeneas are both equally to blame, and yet neither is truly deserving of blame because both were victims of fate and forces beyond their control."
Abstract The paper begins by first examining what rhetoric is and each of its parts, including ethos, pathos, and logos. From here, the paper examines how rhetoric was applied first in Renaissance vocal music and then developed into the Baroque opera. The paper concludes by looking at common rhetorical figures in music and examines the use of rhetoric in "Dido's Lament" from Henry Purcell's opera "Dido and Aeneas".
From the Paper "During this start of Baroque music, Caccini talks about new forms of expression. He says that ornamentations of notes only be used where they would help to heighten the verbal expression. What was new here was that the text, which was often a dialog, was set for only one voice part with the rhythms and melodies of natural speech being followed precisely-the only important thing to this new style was to express the text of the piece of music as clearly as one can and with the greatest expression. The music was essentially a backdrop on which the words were set. All of the previous inventions related to polyphony were thrown out. This new style contained almost no word repetition, unlike the madrigal or the motet, since, when in an actual conversation with someone, you would not repeat yourself unless the other party has missed something you said or you are adding extra emphasis to a word or sentence. This new style was called monody."
Abstract This paper examines how in Virgil's "Aeneid" Book 4, epic and tragedy, are inextricably linked by the use of similes, the relationship between civic duty and responsibility and the intervention of fate and the gods. It looks at how Aeneas, whose epic journey carries him past Carthage, inspires love in Dido who suffers a whole range of emotion, from love, to confusion, to hatred. It also explores the tragic element with Aeneas, who must sacrifice his love for Dido to pursue his destiny to found Rome.
From the Paper "The essential basis of the tragedy is that Dido sacrifices everything for her personal love for Aeneas. She ultimately fails to understand Aeneas' argument about his duty because in her eyes personal considerations override everything else. She allows herself to be drawn into a position from which she can find no way back and has allows herself to become embroiled in a net of circumstances. The element of pathos is very great in the first half of the book as Dido allows herself to let her emotions run free, and in the second half it continues, together with a feeling of horror and terror as she becomes a typical fury of vengeance rather than a queen or woman."
Discusses her rule over Carthrage and her depictions in Virgil's "Aeneid" and Dante's "Divine Comedy" & Christine de Pizon's 1405 "Book of the City of Ladies" which was written to rehabilitate Dido's reputation & to counteract lies about women character
1,800 words (approx. 7.2 pages), 4 sources, 2001, $ 63.95
From the Paper "Christine de Pizan's Book of the City of Ladies (1405) was written to counteract the lies and misrepresentations about women's character that the author found in literature in which all the male writers seemed to "speak from one and the same mouth" (4). She resolved, with the help and guidance of the allegorical figures of Reason, Rectitude, and Justice, to write a demonstration of the invaluable contributions of women throughout history. She intended to counteract the ridiculous claims by male writers "that the behavior of women is inclined to and full of every vice" (4). er examples range from the mythological Amazons to the women of the Old Testament and examples from more recent history. The greatest number, however, derived from classical history and literature. One of the best known, or, as Pizan put it, the woman whose "fame has surpassed that of all..."
Abstract It is an accepted human weakness that we are not happy with the things we possess. There is a constant desire to achieve and obtain more. This paper shows how Marlowe, in his "Complete Plays", stresses this very issue by presenting three separate characters in three separate plays, all with the same tragic flaw. Each character, namely, Dido, Tamburlaine, and Dr. Faustus, exhibit a desire for the unattainable, and the plays depict their struggle and inevitable failure to obtain the impossible. In using his characters and demonstrating their flaws, Marlowe is providing a social commentary on the culture of that time.
From the Paper "In Dido's case the unattainable is Aeneas. Her desire to love Aeneus and have him reciprocate this love is so great she would abdicate her throne declaring, "now bring him back, and thou shalt be a queen. And I will live a private life with him"(Dido, Act. V sc. i line:197-98). Yet sadly the forces of destiny and fate overpower Dido and her strong love for Aeneas. While the two may share in their affection for each other, the fate of Aeneas is not to marry Dido, but rather to found the city of Rome an ocean away. Yet Dido pleads with Aeneas and in some ways fate to remain in Carthage. The importance of Aeneas to the future of Rome, his destiny, takes precedence over his relationship with Dido. Dido, nonetheless, does nothing but counter what is already destined to transpire. In fighting for Aeneas Dido is fighting against an immutable destiny, a fight that culminates with her suicide. Yet with her dying words she invokes the very fate that destroyed her decreeing, "and from mine ashes let a conqueror rise, that may revenge this treason to a queen by ploughing up his countries with the sword"(Dido, Act.V sc.i line:306-08)."
Abstract The paper offers an analysis of two passages in the Virgil's "The Aeniad" in terms of effectiveness, establishing the tone of the passage, and illuminating the characters. The paper examines the simile in Book One in which Dido is compared to Diana and Vergil's simile when he compares Aeneas to Apollo in Book Four.
From the Paper "Works of literature that are read in eras long after their own tend to be marked by two important characters. The first of these is that they tell a compelling story usually involving the values that have been important to most human societies such as courage, loyalty and passion. The other reason that some works endure while others fade away until their last readers are nothing but memories, is the quality of the language."
Abstract The paper shows that in the loves of Vergil's "Aenead" (between Aeneas and Dido) and Dante's "The Inferno" (between Paulo and Francesca) a reader can learn a lot about the cultures in which the two oft compared authors told their tales. The paper shows that in the case of the "Aenead", Aeneas must leave Dido to fulfill his destiny and return the legacy of his land to his heirs. In the "Inferno", Paulo and Francesca are murdered by Gianni (Francesca's new husband) because they continue their affair even after Francesca has been tricked into marrying Gianni. The paper discusses how, in the "Inferno" the lovers are compelled by the story of another unrequited love of yore, that of Lancelot and Gwenevere.
From the Paper "Dante made clear through the heartfelt voice of Francesca that his sympathies lay with the lovers and with the idea of their personal choice, yet in the end it is no matter because duty to family and the law of the covenant of marriage outweigh personal choice. Though at this time marriage is not yet a sacrament, the duty to the family, property and station one fulfills for family through marriage is of paramount importance to that of personal choice or even eternally enduring love."
Abstract An analysis of Greek literature and how women fall into tragic roles. The author examines the female characters in Virgil's "Aeneid," such as the goddesses Athena and Dido and their role in assisting Aeneas. The author examines how the female presence and aid is viewed and discusses the characters of these women.
From the Paper "Women are not often thought of as tragic characters in Greek literature. When the average student of the classics is asked to rattle off the names of tragic characters from mythology, the names that would spring to mind are probably that of Oedipus and Achilles, rather than Jocasta (Oedipus" mother/wife) and Thetis (Achilles? mother). Yet in many ways, one of the main female protagonists in Virgil's "Aeneid" can be said to be a tragic character. She loves Aeneas, the main character of the story. She aids him in his quest in his escape from his destroyed homeland, the besieged city of Troy. The gods cause her to fall in love with Aeneas and the gods take him away from her, for all time.?
Abstract The paper analyzes how the authors approach the representation of the two women's characters and actions by considering their social and psychological makeups and how that impacts upon their deeds. The characters are compared and contrasted in depth and their many similarities portrayed.
From the Paper "In an effort to understand Euripides' representation of Medea and Vergil's representation of Dido, it is useful to clarify the central issues and themes of the works in which these characters appear. Both Medea, and the story of Dido in The Aeneid portray patterns of human behavior in situations of stress. In both cases said stress is caused by a similar factor: passion. Violent passion tends to cause people to behave differently from how they would normally act. This is so regardless of whether the passion is love or hate. Indeed, there is a relationship of unity between these apparent opposites and a person may oscillate between the two feelings as, for example, Amnon did when in his passion for Tamar in the biblical story: "the hate with which he hated her [became] greater than the love with which he loved her" (Samuel 2 13:15). In both of the stories we are discussing, a particular event serves as the catalyst that triggers this stark reversal of feelings. However, each of the female protagonists to whom this happens deals with her pain in a unique manner, befitting her psychological makeup."
