Working definition of 'epic heroine'

Alyosha

New Member

I have been reading Roman epics from Ennius onwards. I am trying to come up with a working definition of ‘epic heroine’ as I am aware that the presentation of female characters changes as Roman epic begins to distinguish itself from Greek. Women are more active and less accepting of traditional female roles. Some appear more like those from tragedy or elegy. Moreover, like the hero, the heroine has strengths and weaknesses, and she plays an integral part in the texts but cannot simply be equated with a positive role model. Is the term ‘epic heroine’ a bit of a misnomer? I would be grateful for clarification.
 

scrabulista

Consul

  • Consul

Location:
Tennessee
This sounds like homework.
If so, your professor might think your concept of epic heroine is brilliant or might laugh you off the stage.
Exactly which characters and epics are you looking at?
 

Alyosha

New Member

This sounds like homework.
If so, your professor might think your concept of epic heroine is brilliant or might laugh you off the stage.
Exactly which characters and epics are you looking at?
It's not homework, but I have chosen to compare Ariadne in Cat 64 and Dido in Aeneid Bks 1, 4, and 6 in an assignment about characterisation and I need to define the terms I am using. I studied epic ( including Ovid, Statius, and Lucan apart from Virgil and Catullus) last year and I have been off sick since then. I realise that I am not as sure about some aspects as I thought. I am using Foley's Women in Ancient Epic and Keith's Engendering Rome for an overview, but I am finding it difficult to produce a definition for the epic heroine in Latin literature that is neither too narrow or too broad.
 

AoM

nulli numeri

  • Civis Illustris

It's not the kind of thing you would cite in a paper, but this article touches on the ideas of abandonment, scorn, revenge:


It might be worth focusing on Camilla too since she's walking that line between masculine and feminine.

But if the assignment itself isn't very specific, it's tough to give too many suggestions.
 
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