Virgil’s Vision of the Underworld and Reincarnation in Book VI of the A

Virgils Vision of the Underworld and Reincarnation in concord VI of the AeneidVirgil paints his sad prophetic picture of the Underworld in obtuse halftones fraught with tears and pathos. His sources are eclectic, but his poetic mass is in-person and unique (Lenardon, 312). Despite countless writings regarding the region of the Underworld, such as Homers Odyssey and Ovids Metamorphoses, Virgil bases his book upon traditional elements accompanied with his protest vision of the Underworld and reincarnation. In doing so, Virgils book VI of the Aeneid serves as an exploration of Virgils concept of the Underworld and religious beliefs, one in which the hybrid of the traditional and the personal, create a more poetic vision than standard retelling of past illustrations. Following his entrance into the Underworld, with his guide the Cumaean Sybil, Aeneas is thrust into the country of Virgils Underworld, beginning first with primarily traditional elements. Now from the Stygian wate r the boatman, seeing them in the silent wood and headed for the bank cried step up to them (lines 516-518). Upon reaching the River Styx, the traditional river shades must cross to enter the netherworld Charon the boatman serves as ferryman to transport the two across the river. Upon progressing further, the two arise to a fork in the road leading to two recount traditional Underworld realms Tartarus and Elysium now of a sudden Aeneas looked and saw to the left, downstairs a cliff, wide buildings girt by a triple wall bust which a torrent rushed with scorching flamesthey came to places of delight, to green park land, where souls bear away ease among the Blessed Groves (lines 548-678). Tartarus, the realm of torment, was reserved for those to be eterna... ...rgil creates at heart these passages. Because of the parallels with Christianity within the Underworld passages, and the notion of Aeneas as an anti-hero with false dreams, Virgils work connects itself with future da y works, inspiring Dante and future authors. As illustrated, the Underworld images Virgil leaves the audition with greatly questions the boilersuit integrity of the epic itself, while not completely alienating his audience through the combination of the new and traditional within the book. In the end, the hereafter is a matter of personal opinion, mixed with tradition, and a dash of question and ambiguity.Works Cited/ReferencedFitzgerald, Robert trans. The Aeneid. Vintage New York. 1990.Lenardon, Robert J., Morford, Mark P.O. Classical Mythology. one-fourth Edition. Longman White Plains, NY. 1991. pp. 312-327. Press, Inc. New York, NY. 1967.