Plato's Symposium

A detailed Summary of Plato's Symposium

Plato's Symposium provides us with many different views and theories about love. Platonic love as I understood it was simply the love between two human beings in a nonromantic sense. In these readings Eros presents ideas about love, ideas that have not lost their relevance throughout the test of time. However being what it was, and that is many different peoples thoughts on the subject of Eros, there is a wide variety of ideas to choose from to formulate a theory which would completely encapsulate all that is love.

Platonic love to me was nothing more then love found in a nonromantic setting. For example the first conclusion I draw when I begin to describe platonic love is that which is found between a brother and a sister. It is almost as though this type of love leaves out all of the exciting aspects, which make love so wonderful, yet so dangerous. Of course platonic love can take place between friends I suppose, which in some cases leads to a developed relationship blooming into a situation full of longing, desire, and romance. Plato defined somewhat differently, to him it was more creative, and balanced with sexual yearning, and desire, that was my take on how he spoke of love. At any rate I feel the term platonic in m

Love is also between wisdom and ignorance, since neither the gods nor the ignorant love wisdom. The Gods already have it so they do not desire it; therefore love has no part in it. The ignorant don't love wisdom or want it, because they are satisfied with themselves. Since they do not think they need wisdom, they do not desire or love it. Therefore Love lies between wisdom and ignorance. In fact the only ones who love wisdom are those between wisdom and ignorance, such as Love himself. Wisdom is beautiful, and Love is a lover of beauty, therefore Love is a lover of wisdom. Since Love is for things that Love does not yet have, this too proves that he is not wise. Yet it would not be right to call Love completely ignorant, or a great spirit so we again see that he falls between the two. The reason for this is his parents: "His father is wise and resourceful while his mother has neither quality"(Gill, 204c).

any instances is stable, but it can be proven that it is subject to change course and become a romantic affair.

Another weakness in the argument is that Socrates accepts that Love cannot be ugly and bad because he wouldn't "dare to suggest that any of the gods is not beautiful and happy"(Gill, 202c). However, immediately afterwards it's decided that Love is not a God because a God must be beautiful and happy. It was already established that Love is not beautiful and happy because he wants things of beauty and goodness.

Neither immortal nor mortal, Love can spring to life in a day and then die before that day is over. He can come back to life again like his father Resource, but cannot hold onto the resources he has. Being betwe

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Approximate Word count = 1119
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels