Definition of Love in the "Symposium"

Paper Summary:

This paper shows how Socrates comes to a profound understanding of love in Plato's dialogue the "Symposium". The paper concentrates on the debate between Agathon and Socrates and looks at how Agathon wants to deliver a glowing encomium on love and how his enthusiasm leads him to focus on love as a deity. The paper then discusses how Socrates points out that he himself has confused love with the object of it and how according to this point of view love is not the highest good. It is instead a spirit that leads the way to the highest good, which it does by intermediating between mortal man and the immortal God.

From the Paper:

"Socrates desires to praise in his own way, and this is by telling the truth about Love. The fundamental truth is that love is a lack. One loves because one desires to possess the beautiful and the good, and does not have it already. Everyone is a lover, because everyone harks after the beautiful and the good. In the final analysis, it is the eternal good that all aspire towards. The triumph of love is in generation and creation. In the material sphere all things die and decay, and this signifies finiteness and mortality. But through the sexual impulse male and female meet towards procreation, which is the most beautiful thing that can happen. Procreation points to the possibility of eternity. This is how the body strives towards the eternal good; but there is a parallel creation of the mind. The Poet is a creator through the mind. In his poetry he gives birth to beautiful forms independent of the body. In short, all creation is borne of love. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Cohen, S M; P Curd, and C D C. Reeve (Eds.) (2005) Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy From Thales to Aristotle. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing.

More papers on Definition of Love in the "Symposium":

• Comparison Essay # 60279 : "The Transcendence of Love"
• Essay # 38975 : "Plays of Aristophanes"
• Analytical Essay # 10110 : "Analysis of "Love in the Time of Cholera"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: