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Development Of Socially Normative Ideals And Identities Through Epic Story Telling

576 Words3 Pages

Sydney A. Hall
Dr. Brien Garnand
Interdisciplinary Humanities: Greece and Rome M/W/F 10:10-11:00
29 January 2017

Similar Themes in Greek and Roman Literature: The Development of Socially Normative Ideals and Identities Through Epic Story Telling Aeneas, Odysseus, and Achilles, the main protagonists of the Aeneid, the Odyssey, and the Iliad depict similar facets of Greek and Roman society. The histories of both societies can, accordingly, be closely interwoven, as much of Roman society was influenced by Greek nationalism. In this way, Greek and Roman epic literature was used as a blueprint for the values and ideals of society at the time. All three parallel through their depictions of national identities, exemplary heroes (and by extension, the archetypal ideal for a model citizen), and the antithesis of such (the out-group). …show more content…

Both shields are a manifestation of Greek and Roman culture. As depicted in the Iliad, as it is Zeus fashions a shield that depicts all areas of life (Homer 485-490). Similarly the shield of Aeneas is forged in Book VIII 370-406 of the Aeneid when Venus shows concern for Aeneas's safety just as Thetis did for Achilles in the Iliad., enlisting the help of Vulcan for new weaponry to be made for Aeneas prior to the war (Virgilius 307-453). The construction of the shields parallel the important aspects of society on the opposing sides of the Trojan War and are vital in shaping

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