Parent/Child relationships in the Aeneid are always characterised by grief and trauma? How far do you
agree? (20 marks) You may use the passage above as a starting point.
In Virgil’s epic, The Aeneid, he explores a variety of themes, primarily war and the suffering and futility it
brings. Crucial to the epic, this theme would resonate with Virgil’s contemporary audience, who would
have recently experienced a horrific period of brutal civil wars as well as the heart-wrenching loss of
numerous family members. With that being said, the topic of war, in hand with the grief and trauma it
brings is extremely prominent throughout the poem, but more specifically in parental and child
relationships. However, it also must be considered that not all of these relationships are overwhelmed by
this sheer sense of anguish; with individuals such as Ascanius and Aeneas who become closer through
combat, among others. However, ultimately it is true that a majority of familial relationships in Virgil’s
epic are characterised by this bitter sense of loss and suffering; though, it can be argued that as the
audience can comprehend the emotions the characters undergo, it makes the epic more moving and
human.
First and foremost, it would be simply wrong to state that relationships between parent and child in
Virgil’s Aeneid are not consumed by some sense of tragedy and loss. The key scenes in the epic, in
relation to family almost always involve death and a degree of suffering. Three key occasions include,
Evander and Pallas, Mezentius and Lausus and Euryalus and his mother; in which all parents experience
an immense emotion of grief at the death of their young and often ‘pale-faced’ sons. By illustration in
book 10 we see Mezentius embark on the journey of grieving as he is met with the tragic news of Lausus’
death. We see the Etruscan King “fouling his grey hair with dust” as he “flung himself on his son’s body”;
an extremely poignant image that not only depicts the futility of war but also the closeness between
father and son as Mezentius even welcomes death at Lausus’ killing. He cries “But leave it I shall”,
welcoming death with open arms, completely distraught and broken with the traumatic news. As a direct
parallel, in reaction to Pallas’ death in book 11 Evander “threw himself on the body of Pallas and clung
onto it weeping and moaning”. Aside from this powerful image of father and son, this scene also mirrors
Mezentius’ actions in another way as King Evander exclaims “If only I had given up my own life” and goes
on to label his wife as lucky to have died to not experience this. Both Evander and Mezentius’ grief is so
strong for their sons to the extent that they both accept their own death; both clear demonstrations that
parent-child relationships in the Aeneid are frequently characterised by grief and trauma to a great
extent. Furthermore, these relationships are further made distressing as both fathers convey their sense
of responsibility and even guilt in their son’s death; Mezentius himself addresses his “guilty life of mine”,
while Pallas cries “A father should not survive his own son.”. A comparison can also be made with Aeneas
and Pallas, for Aeneas treats the young boy like his son and is overwhelmed with guilt in hearing of his
death; he says to himself that “this is not what I promised Evander” and when he finally kills Turnus in
Book 12 he avenges Pallas’ murder through killing Turnus. Having said this, these instances, particularly
book 10 and 11, prove that familial relations in the Aeneid are overpowered by loss and tragedy.
In a similar way, after the innocent, young and pure Euryalus is killed at “full force, shattering his white
breast” his mother evokes an alike reaction. However, as well as her utter sense of distress, Euryalus’
mother is “crazed with grief” in a state of complete furor, displaying no sense of control and strongly ‘un-
Roman’ values. She is described “tearing her hair” and throws herself into the midst of the fighting. This
display of completely unnatural, almost excessive grief makes Euryalus’ mother’s relationship with her
son all the more tragic, leaving her ultimately broken after her immeasurable loss. While other instances
of familial death convey more of a sense of guilt, Euryalus’ mother is consumed by a sense of almost
anger or ‘ira’. She explodes into a series of rhetorical questions; for instance, she exclaims “How could
you leave me alone so cruelly”. More importantly, as with Mezentius and Evander; Euryalus’ mother’s
grief even drives her to consider suicide. She bravely pleads “Strike me, you Rutulians … Let me be the
first to die!”; a demonstration of the sheer amount of trauma and loss that dominates familial
relationships in the poem, and the extent to which it drives its victims to. A notable example of this
includes Queen Amata, whom actually commits the act of killing herself as a consequence of trauma
within her relationships. In book 12 the Queen highlights her commitment to the marriage of Turnus and
her daughter, refusing to “see Aeneas married to Lavinia”; she wails to Turnus (who she practically treats
agree? (20 marks) You may use the passage above as a starting point.
In Virgil’s epic, The Aeneid, he explores a variety of themes, primarily war and the suffering and futility it
brings. Crucial to the epic, this theme would resonate with Virgil’s contemporary audience, who would
have recently experienced a horrific period of brutal civil wars as well as the heart-wrenching loss of
numerous family members. With that being said, the topic of war, in hand with the grief and trauma it
brings is extremely prominent throughout the poem, but more specifically in parental and child
relationships. However, it also must be considered that not all of these relationships are overwhelmed by
this sheer sense of anguish; with individuals such as Ascanius and Aeneas who become closer through
combat, among others. However, ultimately it is true that a majority of familial relationships in Virgil’s
epic are characterised by this bitter sense of loss and suffering; though, it can be argued that as the
audience can comprehend the emotions the characters undergo, it makes the epic more moving and
human.
First and foremost, it would be simply wrong to state that relationships between parent and child in
Virgil’s Aeneid are not consumed by some sense of tragedy and loss. The key scenes in the epic, in
relation to family almost always involve death and a degree of suffering. Three key occasions include,
Evander and Pallas, Mezentius and Lausus and Euryalus and his mother; in which all parents experience
an immense emotion of grief at the death of their young and often ‘pale-faced’ sons. By illustration in
book 10 we see Mezentius embark on the journey of grieving as he is met with the tragic news of Lausus’
death. We see the Etruscan King “fouling his grey hair with dust” as he “flung himself on his son’s body”;
an extremely poignant image that not only depicts the futility of war but also the closeness between
father and son as Mezentius even welcomes death at Lausus’ killing. He cries “But leave it I shall”,
welcoming death with open arms, completely distraught and broken with the traumatic news. As a direct
parallel, in reaction to Pallas’ death in book 11 Evander “threw himself on the body of Pallas and clung
onto it weeping and moaning”. Aside from this powerful image of father and son, this scene also mirrors
Mezentius’ actions in another way as King Evander exclaims “If only I had given up my own life” and goes
on to label his wife as lucky to have died to not experience this. Both Evander and Mezentius’ grief is so
strong for their sons to the extent that they both accept their own death; both clear demonstrations that
parent-child relationships in the Aeneid are frequently characterised by grief and trauma to a great
extent. Furthermore, these relationships are further made distressing as both fathers convey their sense
of responsibility and even guilt in their son’s death; Mezentius himself addresses his “guilty life of mine”,
while Pallas cries “A father should not survive his own son.”. A comparison can also be made with Aeneas
and Pallas, for Aeneas treats the young boy like his son and is overwhelmed with guilt in hearing of his
death; he says to himself that “this is not what I promised Evander” and when he finally kills Turnus in
Book 12 he avenges Pallas’ murder through killing Turnus. Having said this, these instances, particularly
book 10 and 11, prove that familial relations in the Aeneid are overpowered by loss and tragedy.
In a similar way, after the innocent, young and pure Euryalus is killed at “full force, shattering his white
breast” his mother evokes an alike reaction. However, as well as her utter sense of distress, Euryalus’
mother is “crazed with grief” in a state of complete furor, displaying no sense of control and strongly ‘un-
Roman’ values. She is described “tearing her hair” and throws herself into the midst of the fighting. This
display of completely unnatural, almost excessive grief makes Euryalus’ mother’s relationship with her
son all the more tragic, leaving her ultimately broken after her immeasurable loss. While other instances
of familial death convey more of a sense of guilt, Euryalus’ mother is consumed by a sense of almost
anger or ‘ira’. She explodes into a series of rhetorical questions; for instance, she exclaims “How could
you leave me alone so cruelly”. More importantly, as with Mezentius and Evander; Euryalus’ mother’s
grief even drives her to consider suicide. She bravely pleads “Strike me, you Rutulians … Let me be the
first to die!”; a demonstration of the sheer amount of trauma and loss that dominates familial
relationships in the poem, and the extent to which it drives its victims to. A notable example of this
includes Queen Amata, whom actually commits the act of killing herself as a consequence of trauma
within her relationships. In book 12 the Queen highlights her commitment to the marriage of Turnus and
her daughter, refusing to “see Aeneas married to Lavinia”; she wails to Turnus (who she practically treats
