Aeneas I (Iliad)
Duration: about 20 minutes
(This was performed as part 1 of a double bill with Aeneas II.)
The two parts of the play may be performed separately but will attract more attention in a Double Bill, as they track the evolution of Aeneas as the first ‘reluctant hero’ in world literature. In Homer’s half of the story, he is a brave ‘foreign fighter’ with a hyper-protective mother. But when Priam’s Troy is razed to the ground in Virgil’s continuation, Aeneas grows in stature as he accepts new responsibilities. Instead of seeking death and glory, he rescues his family and is transformed into an agent of Destiny, a Chosen One, who must seek and win a Promised Land.
Introduction
Film
Programme
Script
Slides
Music
Further reading
- Aeneas in Homer and Virgil: a modern perspective: Word file