Students hear two words constantly throughout their teenage years, “peer pressure”. They are exposed to this concept not only in everyday life, but in many writings throughout history. Specifically, an epic written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, The Aeneid, focuses on the heroic figure named Aeneas and his life. In Book IV, Virgil writing centers on Aeneas and Dido’s relationship and the tragedy within. This tragic love story starts with a reluctant Queen Dido who has sworn she would never love again. Once Dido is approached by Aeneas, who was characterized as a hero, Dido realizes she has feelings, but is indecisive because of the loss of her first love. The gods, as well as many close to Dido, promote this union without knowing the pain …show more content…
In The Aeneid, Jupiter’s plan works, but the main reason for acting the way she did, was because she had done it before with success. You see firsthand the affects that it had on each character, but the main reason for the pressure was to get Aeneas to fulfill his duty in Italy. In other Greek writings, such as The Bible, you see peer pressure work as well. In the book of John, a disciple named Peter defies his relationship to Jesus three times, because they were eliminating anyone who was in contact with Jesus in those times. (New Kings James Full Color Bible, John 18.15-27) Also showing peer pressure, in The Iliad, specifically book six, Menelaus is peer pressured into knocking Adestrus away from him, and then is killed by Agamemnon for doing so. Before pushing Adestrus, Agamemnon criticizes him harshly and then it states, “...with these words, by this appeal to justice, he changed his brother’s mind. So Menelaus shoved heroic Adestrus.” (Homer 73-75). Agamemnon called Melelaus “soft-hearted” and said, “Let no one escape. Let everyone in Troy be slaughtered,without pity, without leaving any trace.”(Homer 63-72) Menelaus was motivated by the criticism to push Adestrus to satisfy Agamemnon. Agamemnon said that he should leave no trace, telling Menelaus that it would be better for him if Adestrus was dead. With various examples, readers can conclude after reading many Greek readings that having peer pressure within the reading is part of their culture. Students reading Greek epics could easily tell you that chaos happened when one was told to choose between two things. In The Bible, Peter had to choose either stay loyal to Jesus, or utterly defy him. In The Iliad, Menelaus had to choose whether or not to push Adestrus. In The Aeneid Aeneas has to choose whether to stay with Dido or go to Italy to found Rome, because that was his duty. We see this element of peer
Mob hysteria, as described by CollinsDictionary, is “the heightened or extreme emotions that can be experienced by individuals as part of a larger crowd, usually caused by violence and/or fear” (Http://www.Collinsdictionary.com). Mob hysteria is not a relatively new concept in the human psyche. For example, on April 29 1992, Riots broke out on the street of Los Angeles, CA over the beating of an unarmed, African American motorists named Rodney King by four police officers. Two less recent examples of mob hysteria occurred in the mid 1700’s with the the Salem Witch Trials and in the mid 1950’s with trials lead by Senator Joseph McCarthy in order to root out communism in the federal government. One of the most magnificent examples of mob hysteria
Works of Greek Mythology should be a required reading for all OSU freshman because of its ability to present students with works of literature which resemble our daily live, as well as, give students an insight to the sociology of the past which relates to present time. Specifically, the book The Odyssey by Homer is an outstanding piece of literature that relates with many issues faced by people today. This essay will argue that the Odyssey should be a required reading for all freshman at OSU based off of the challenges Odysseus faces such as love, temptation, enemies, and hardships. Love for our friends and family is a great factor that affects our our decisions, success and happiness. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is presented with the hardship
In Langston Hughes short story Salvation, he reminiscences about his Auntie Reed’s churches attempt to “save” him at the age of twelve. The preacher holds a distinctive affair for the children which he calls “bringing the young lambs to the fold.” Each child sits on a mourner’s bench and slowly but surely each one stands, are received by the preacher, and subsequently saved by Jesus. Langston observes while all his peers stand up and are saved, while he sits and waits for Jesus to truly reveal himself; however, he is dumbfounded when another boy named Wesley blasphemes and is not subsequently struck dead. Langston had sat at the mourner’s bench for a considerable amount of time and was badgered by the grinning Wesley who sat proudly on the platform above.
In the Bible and Virgil’s The Aeneid, the pursuit of honor and glory is complex, and it does not come without serious consequences and hardships. However, while Jesus and Aeneas both strive to achieve a certain goal due to divine intervention and both overcome certain adversities, their underlying motives and their ultimate outcomes are starkly different. Although it would appear that neither Jesus nor Aeneas would be motivated by personal fame or glory—as they were sent on godly missions, this is not the case in The Aeneid. Jesus acts completely selflessly as he teaches others about the Kingdom of God and how to live their lives, whereas Aeneas is working to win greatness for his ancestors as he was sent by the gods to settle and create an
It ends with her suicide. No god or man compelled her to die, she performed the act herself, but how culpable is she really? The night she truly decided her death she hears her former husband’s voice, doleful cries from owls, and has fevered nightmares of Aeneas hunting her down. Even her dreams provide no escape from the torment of reality. “So broken in mind by suffering, Dido caught /
Dido, also referenced as Elissa, was the Princess of Tyre in Phoenicia. She escaped to Libya while running from tyranny in her home country, where she founded Carthage. Dido and Aeneas cross paths in the Aeneid after the sack of Troy as he leads the Trojan refugees in sought of refuge to repair ships and rest. As the Queen of Carthage, she received the Trojans exile with hospitality; through a series of unfortunate events she falls madly in love with Aeneas and becomes devastated when his destiny leads him to setting sail in search of Italy. Leaving Dido suicidal nor suspecting Dido was planning her own death, Anna, her sister made the arrangements of creating a shrine and getting rid of Aeneas’s things.
He tries to prepare his men to set sail without letting Dido know, but Dido suspects his ploy and confronts him. In a rage, she insults Aeneas and accuses him of stealing her honor. Aeneas admits that he is leaving, but claims that they are truly not married as there was not a ceremony, and he must go found a city in Italy and it is not his
He remained headstrong, stubborn and selfish in his actions, even warranting rebuke from the men on certain occasions. This is seen in the very first conflict that is witnessed on the pages of The Iliad. Agamemnon is faced with the request to give up his war prize, and immediately and indignantly decides against all the council of the army in order to keep his prize of a woman (28). With this decision, he sought his own desires selfishly and disconnected himself from the men he was meant to lead. Granted, he possessed a strong will, a thing very necessary for good leadership.
Through Homer's depictions of temptation and their consequences, we can conclude Greeks constantly struggled with temptations. Homer thought how one deals with temptation determines character and the consequences that follow. If one did not give in, rewards followed, but if they did, punishment ensued. The Greeks were similar to us in their desires, but exceedingly lusted after beautiful women and reigning power. The Gods proposed heinous things to those that submitted.
The relationships between the Greek gods and mortals have always been complicated. The gods can be generous and supportive, but also harsh and destructive towards the humans. They claim to be all powerful beings with unlimited power and influence, but in truth, they are far more human than they are perceived. They meddle with human lives, not because they are wise, but because of their own selfish reasons. In Homer’s
The Aeneid and Today’s World The epic story The Aeneid is very relevant in the year of 2016. The reason that it’s relevant is because it shows many similarities in today’s society. Some similarities that link this epic story to today’s society is the surprises attack on the Trojans. The attacks on the Trojans relate is related to the terror attacks we have in this world today.
Women in Virgil’s The Aeneid and the Gospel of Mark are portrayed quite differently. In The Aeneid, Mercury states that an “uncertain and inconstant thing is women” in reference to the irrationality expressed during their emotional states. It can be further said that such irrationalities pose as obstacles to the mission of Aeneas. However, this is not always true.
Roman heroes must cope with obstacles that are set before him by opposing forces, whether they be man or god. He is also aided in his journey by his patron god or goddess and his deceased relatives. The Virgilian hero, according to Rosenberg, represents the forces of order, self-discipline, rational thinking, and constructive behavior. On the other hand, the non-Virgilian hero acts as a deterrent using the forces of disorder, passion, irrational thinking, and violence (p. 259). He is hindered along the way by Juno, the sea, a passionate woman, another storm, and Juno again by influencing the people of Latium.
Instead he led her to believe that he would stay which in return crushed the Queen of Carthage and in her pain caused her to take her own life (Cunningham, Pg. 138). Lesson two in the Aeneid teaches one of responsibility and loyalty to one’s family and country. He shows this with the sacrifice of losing Dido and the pain he goes through in order to fulfil his destiny of finding a new home for his people and family in Italy (Cunningham, Pg. 137). Conflicts, such personal satisfaction and social responsibility can be resolved by being completely honest and open about what your responsibilities are. You cannot let your own selfishness come into play when other people’s emotions are
In Greek and Roman mythology tragedy was brought upon people when their temperament and demeanor form a specific pattern. In ancient Greece an individual first must be endowed with some type of distinguished feature or outstanding ability. This normally leads the person to have a prideful mindset and destructive behavior toward others. “This loveliest of nymphs gave birth at full term to a child whom, even then, one could fall in love with, called Narcissus”.