Augustine's Confessions: The Role Of Family In Rome

In “Confessions”, based off Augustine’s biography, the family had an influential role for the Roman society. “Confessions” allows the reader to see that families during this time were not there to discipline their children instead they gave them goals and impressed upon them values. Augustine recounts his parents ideals noting that each parent was, “unduly eager for me to learn, my father because he gave next to no thought to you and only shallow thought to me, and my mother because she thought the usual course of study would certainly not hinder me…” (Augustine 47). Both parents had goals set in place for their son which aligned under the umbrella of education however outside of this goal Augustine was given free rein. His parents did not set rules for him and failed to punish him which Augustine accounts for why many wicked ways entered his lifestyle (47). Overall Augustine holds the both parents accountable for these shortcomings. He remarks, “My family made no effort to save me from my falls by marriage. Their only concern was that I should

In Augustine’s case his parents fulfilled this through pushing education for their son. Though the family only had meager means in terms of money they still, “saved up the money to send me farther afield to Carthage” (45). Education during this time was a means for success which Augustine’s parents, Monica and Patricius recognized and guarantee he would thrive in. Throughout Confessions, Augustine makes it clear that him and his father failed to have a strong relationship, however, his father did go out of his way to make sure Augustine’s education would continue. When Augustine recounts his relationship with his father he noted that, “He cared only that I should have a fertile tongue…” (45). The family fostered the children, and provided the necessities for growing up and