Roman Women In The Aeneid

The perfect woman, during the Roman mythology period, was one of great submissive value. Her job was simple; run a household, raise a family, and respect her husband. However, while reading The Aeneid, one is prompt to question Virgil’s view of women. When female characters enter the storyline, themes of rage and fury encompass and hover over them. Instead of being stereotypical Roman women, women in The Aeneid are opinionated and emotional, as they react quick and feed off of rage. Nevertheless, these women play vital roles during the epic, as they extinguish the orthodox view of women throughout Roman society. So, what is Virgil’s angle and why does he depict women as carriers of rage? I would argue Virgil is bringing forth the notion of what happens when the traditional Roman gender roles are not enforced within society, however; Virgil answers his own question as every woman ultimately fails in her pursuits. Dido, at first glance, is a character that is viewed as a confident and skilled ruler, as she manages Carthage. She develops into a strong independent woman in a man’s political world and to Virgil this is a threat to the traditional Roman societal view of women. However, it is love that is her ultimate downfall as …show more content…
For this reason Virgil deems women, who attempt to go against the stereotypical gender roles in society, not capable of being involved in politics or holding high positions within society. Women, according to Virgil, should be 2nd class citizens, who follow the rules and norms set by a hierarchy of men in Roman society. These female characters, who are filled with rage, are important to the forward progression of the storyline, however their failure is even greater and is an universal warning to men and women in the Roman society, by Virgil, of what will occur if the orthodox principles are not followed, maintained, and