Why does Aeneas go to underworld in 'The Aeneid'?

Narrative wise, because he's told to do so, by his father none the less. This is especially important, due to the exalted position fathers, and elder males in general held in the Roman world. And so Aeneas, being the good and dutiful son he is, will naturally obey his father. At this stage, he's also at a bit of a loss. read more

It’s also worth noting that this is part of Virgil’s wider effort to make an homage to Homer’s epics, in this case The Odyssey, as Odysseus also visits the Underworld in Book 11 of The Odyssey, for a not dissimilar purpose: he needs to see a prophet about getting home, which is sort of what Aeneas is doing. read more

A summary of Book VI in Virgil's The Aeneid. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of The Aeneid and what it means. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. read more

Like Odysseus, Aeneas has a dead companion to bury, but unlike his predecessor, Aeneas must bury him before proceeding to the Underworld because the death has contaminated Aeneas' fleet (totamque incestat funere classem). read more