Dutiful Men and Their Emotional Women in the Odyssey and...

â€Å"Dutiful Men and their Emotional Women† In reading the Aeneid I took a particular interest in the relationship that develops between Aeneas and Dido and how this relationship highlights the desires and roles that each gender may have had in this time period. For example it seems the male desire is to seek his kingdom while the female role seems to secure a partner. Dido and Aeneas in Book Four resemble the relationship that we see between Odysseus and Calypso in Book Five of the Odyssey. The departure of the two men in both books highlights the women’s perceptions of what their relationships were. Looking at this comparison it is interesting to see what drives each woman and man in these situations. The departures of Aeneas from Dido†¦show more content†¦He instead, leaves Dido to continue his long-term commitment, to found Rome. Furthermore, Aeneas claims his true love is Italy and that â€Å"there lies my love, there lies my homeland now† (Aen. IV. 432) emphasising that Dido was not a priority for him, Rome was. Unlike Aeneas, Odysseus has already found his kingdom and is on a mission to return to his palace and home. However, like Aeneas, he is not reluctant to leave the woman he has been sleeping with on the island of Ogygia. Although Calypso is said to have trapped him on her island, the cunning Odysseus does not plot to escape. When Calypso relays the message from Hermes that Odysseus is free to go if he wishes only then does he start plans to leave. Like Aeneas, Odysseus â€Å"long[s] to travel home and see the dawn of [his] return† (Ody.V.242-3). His primary purpose is to make it home to his kingdom. It is clear that a woman is not Odysseus’ main focus, he states that his wife back home â€Å"falls short of [Calypso], [her] beauty, stature† (Ody.V.240). Therefore, if his main goal were to obtain a most beautiful woman he would have stayed with Calypso instead of pursuing his nostos. This example also shows that the main focus and goal of a man should be his king dom and not women. It is acceptable for women to be short-term distractions and to have relations with them forShow MoreRelatedThe Aeneid Is An Epic Poem1715 Words   |  7 PagesThe Aeneid is an epic poem written in 20 B.C by Virgil, the pre-eminent poet of the Roman Empire. It is based on the Greek oral tradition Homer s Iliad and Odyssey. Virgil seeks to establish the greatness of Rome by linking the foundation of Rome to the legends of Troy. In this masterpiece, he delicately pictures men and women with opposite characteristics. Men are rational and calm while women are emotional and chaotic which are represented by Neptune and Juno in sequence. Through this, Virgil