Aeneid Essay Titles from 2003-2008
1.) How far can Virgil in his Aeneid be seen as promoting Roman patriotism? Explain your views and support
them with details from the books of the Aeneid which you have read. * 25th May x
2.) To what extent are human actions and desires in the Aeneid controlled and overridden by Fate and the gods?
Explain your views and support them with details from the books of the Aeneid which you have read. * 24th May
3.) To what extent is Virgil’s portrayal of family relationships and family values in the Aeneid consistent with the
ideals of Augustan Rome? Explain your answer, and support it by reference to the books of the Aeneid which you
have read. * 26th April
4.) How far is it true to say that Virgil is more concerned with the individuals caught up in the fighting than with
the glorification of war? Explain your answer, and support it by reference to the books of the Aeneid which you
have read. * 19th April
5.) To what extent, in your opinion, would contemporaries of Virgil have admired his portrayal of Aeneas?
Explain your views and support them with details from the books of the Aeneid which you have read. * 17th May
6.) “The most important issues raised by Virgil in the Aeneid are loyalty and human responsibility.”
How far do you think the Romans at the time of Augustus would have agreed with this view? Explain your views
and support them with details from the books of the Aeneid which you have read. * 10th May
7.) To what extent do you think Virgil’s audience regarded the Aeneid as having political and social meanings
relevant to their own time? Explain your answer, and support it by reference to the books of the Aeneid which you
have read.
8.) ‘Women cause trouble and men sort it out.’ How applicable is this statement to what males and females,
including gods and goddesses, do in the Aeneid? * 16th May –Morals in Aeneid instead?
9.) Virgil’s main concern in the Aeneid was to promote a political message.
How far do you agree with this opinion? Explain your answer and support it by reference to the books of the
Aeneid which you have read. * 3nd May
10.) How might Virgil’s audience have reacted to his portrayal of mortal and immortal women in the Aeneid?
Explain your answer and support it by reference to the books of the Aeneid which you have read.
11.) How do you think Virgil’s readers in the reign of Augustus would have reacted to his portrayal of Roman
legend and history? Explain your answer, and support it by reference to the books of the Aeneid which you have
read. * 23rd May
12.) How important to the Aeneid are the relationships between parents and children and what was the significance
of these relationships to readers in the reign of Augustus? Explain your answer, and support it by reference to the
books of the Aeneid which you have read.
I reckon you should start coming up with essay plans for the essays which require no extra understanding of the
political and social contexts that we have not yet covered…that means looking at questions 1, 2, 4, 5 (you should
have a detailed character study of Aeneas anyway –we’ll look at how the Roman audience would have viewed him
in class), 8, 9.
Other Character studies and themes:
1.)
2.)
3.)
4.)
5.)
6.)
7.)
Character of Turnus –Is he a sympathetic character? * 9th May
Character of Pallas –How important is he to the Aeneid?
Character of Dido –Do we sympathise with her? * 25th April
Character of Juno –How important is she to the Aeneid? * 2st May
Character of Venus – How important is she to the Aeneid?
Character of Latinus –do we sympathise with him?
How important are prophecies, omens and portents to the Aeneid?