To what extent is Virgil's 'Aeneid' an exploration of father-son relations? Discuss.

Bullet point list of possible points:
-Aeneas' journey to the underworld to see his father Anchises is the final hurdle before his founding of Rome-The description of Anchises overseeing the 'sending up' of the future Roman heroes from the underworld is very paternal-The patronymics (eg. "sons of Dardanus" and "son of Anchises") are often used for description so your ancestry defines you-Dido is abandoned so Aeneas can found a city which is a patriarchal one (idea of Carthage being inherently feminine and Rome masculine) - indeed, Aeneas' wife Creusa is lost at Troy so-Aeneas' escape from Troy with his aged father (Anchises) on his back and leading his son (Ascanius) by the hand; representing the past, present and future of man -Ones duty to a father is seen as a type of piety, hence 'pious Aeneas' is deemed so from his respect for his father and the gods

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Answered by Georgia O. Latin tutor

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