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Examples Of Obsessive Love In The Aeneid

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The Aeneid:Virgil’s Representation of Obsessive Love It is said that love is one of the most influential feelings in the human body. This feeling of love can be pleasant and enjoyable, but it can also be blinding. When taken to the extreme, the power of love may result in substantial destruction of the individual. Book IV of Virgil’s epic tale The Aeneid tells of Queen Dido and her obsessive love. The love for her spouse, Aeneas, blinds her of rational thinking. Through the tale of Queen Dido Virgil represents how an obsession can cause people to lose themselves. An obsession can alter one's perception on what is truly important. Virgil uses Queen Dido to prove that obsessive love can have far-reaching consequences for the individual.
First, Queen Dido is overcome with love and causes her to alter her priorities, specifically her morals and beliefs. She allows her obsession overcome her rationality on what matters most to her. Her love for her husband left her in complete despair after his death. Dido can not envision a life without her husband vowing in Book IV of The Aeneid,“I had not set my face against remarriage”, …show more content…

Dido puts her relationship with Aeneas as her number one priority. Her needs are set aside as she falls deeply in love with him. Her love for Aeneas soon turns into an obsession as they grow fonder of each other. After Aeneas’ sudden need to leave, Dido’s compulsion takes a turn for the worst. In Book IV of The Aeneid it stated that, “She prayed for death being heartsick at the mere sight of heaven” (Virgil 598-600). This statement in the text shows how deeply invested Dido is to Aeneas. So “in love” that she could not bare to live without him, contemplating suicide. This contemplation is soon turned into action as she, “Crumpled over the steel blade,and the blade aflush with red blood,drenched her hands”. Dido’s addiction blinds her from reasoning with her

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