Aeneas The Hero

Nature of the Hero in Ancient and Mediaeval Epic

Heroes have formed an important part of literature since the ancient and medieval times. They represent the dominant values and ideals in a culture that only a few human beings could live up to. While the cultures understood the value of abiding by their virtues and ideals, they were also inherently aware of the challenges and strength of character required to accomplish such a task. Heroes were regarded as the embodiment of this struggle and a true reflection of people who had given it all to achieve the unattainable. In ancient and medieval epics, heroes played the same role of representing the dominant values and beliefs of a culture. As this values and beliefs changed, the character of heroes in the story also changed to embrace the new perspective. Sometimes, the characters represented ideals shared by

the author but not very dominant in their culture. This essay is going to explore three heroes of ancient and medieval epic to determine their nature and influences they derived from their cultures.
Iliad by Homer is one of the ancient works in the epic genre. It tells the story of a hero named Achilles who sacrifices it all to preserve his nation and culture. To begin with, the events depicted in Iliad take place during a time known as the Greek Bronze Age. However, the most dominant cultures in the story as depicted by the character of its main hero is that of the Greek Dark Ages. The Dark Ages were a time when one of the greatest Greek civilizations fell and people were struggling to find ideals and virtues they could hold on to. Social instability and fear crept in after the collapse necessitating the people to look for a way of defending themselves both physically and emotionally. Achilles is created from this culture where he appears as a savior to defend the people both physically from enemies who might attack them and morally by providing a new set of values for the people to embrace. As a result, the characteristic of Achilles as a hero is that of a warrior.
The Dark Ages saw the Greek Civilization rely heavily on warriors as there was a tendency by other communities to steal from those they considered weak and lacked good warriors. The instability in the Dark Ages forced communities to believe that only the warrior class were capable of leading a nation by providing it with values to hold on to and defending it from enemies. As a result, Achilles was a character with strength, bravery, and valor. He was athletic and very skilled at war which earned him his honor. The community considered him "lionhearted" who would break the spirits of men in battle. Greek scholars during the time and beyond regarded him as the most terrifying man capable of wrecking havoc in his enemies camps and bringing victory to his people. Achilles high honor remains intact even after the war as he provides the community with an identity and a sense of direction.
Aeneas is another hero of the ancient times who's character significantly differs from that of Achilles despite the fact that they play a unifying role for their communities.

Additionally, Aeneas character is also heavily influenced by the culture present during his time. Aeneas is a roman hero who exists during the reign of emperor Augustus. Rome had just come out of a devastating civil war and the emperor was keen on maintaining peace and stability to ensure war never broke out again. The Stoicism philosophy took root during the time as both the emperor and the masses saw it as an ideal way to live purposeful lives that will prevent war in the future. As a result, Aeneas character is that of a young man living in peaceful and stable times and seeks to show his internal ideals by looking for quests to fulfill. While Achilles existed in a time of strife and was required to defend his community from the turmoil, Aeneas was born during peaceful times and pursued heroic activities as a way of defending his personal ideals. Stoicism advocated for the acceptance of one's destiny which characterized much of Aeneas

acts.
Roland is another hero from the medieval times whose character heavily borrows from the culture of the community. During the time in Europe, there existed stable political regimes with Kings who were highly revered by their subjects. Acts of heroism were often acts that helped serve the kings or protect them from danger. Loyalty to the King was regarded as one of the highest virtues a civilian could possess. The Song of Roland was written during this time with Roland as the hero. Roland's character differs from that of Achilles and Aeneas by the fact that loyalty defines his main persona. Roland is a warrior of admired attributes who believes in courage during battle, fighting for the king, and defending Europe's belief in Christianity. Before the start of his many battles, he would give a speech reminding fellow warriors that loyalty to their lord, their religion, and valor in war is what they are fighting for. As a result, he was a hero for defending the dominant ideals of his people and for his loyalty to the king.