Which scholar argues that Aeneas' anger reveals a dark irrational element in the otherwise most perfect hero?

• A. Bob Cowan - Aeneas and Augustan values
• B. Richard Rutherford - Allecto and Turnus
• C. Susanna Morton Braund - Characterisation of Aeneas
• D. Philip Hardie - Modern audience and Dido

Answer: (C)

A key point is that Aeneas’ anger exposes a darker, less rational thread beneath the hero’s outward virtue. Susanna Morton Braund focuses on how Virgil shapes Aeneas through characterization, showing that the epic presents him not as a flawless exemplar but as a figure whose piety and duty can coexist with strong, even operatic anger. This tension becomes especially clear in moments where Aeneas’ rage erupts, revealing a more ambiguous, morally complex side to the otherwise highly virtuous leader. Braund’s emphasis on character, rather than on political context or other plot mechanisms, makes her the scholar who best argues that anger exposes this darker irrational element in the hero.