Paidei The Allegory Of The Cave

If one gazed upon ancient Greece, they would be bestowed with a country filled with art and beauty. Art was typically used to demonstrate their religious respect and to record history. Throughout ancient and early Greece, many writers have demonstrated important Greek concepts in their writings. Many historians, poets, and philosophers, have illustrated concepts such as Paideia, Eros, Hamartia, Sophrosyne, and Arte within their work.
Platos’, “The Allegory of the Cave,’ may seem dark at first; however, the story of the prisoners and their enlightenment is an example of paideia. Paideia is defined in ancient Greek as education and upbringing. The story Socrates describes a prisoner who was stuck in the dark, only being able to see the shadows …show more content…
His unintentional sin is an example of Hamartia. Hamartia is defined as a fatal flaw or sin that causes ones’ downfall. When he was a child, a prophet came to his family to warn them about their child’s forth coming fate. He was fated to kill his father and marry his mother. Out of fear, the father was tasked to kill his child; however, he could not kill his own child. He ended up giving up the child to a different family. Eventually, Oedipus heard about the prophecy and he left the kingdom to get away from his fate. On his journey he killed what he thought was a beggar, and married the queen of Thebes. He later wishes to seek the truth of who killed his wife’s ex husband, only to be faced with the horrible truth of his sealed fate. He spoke in front of a council, “My father’s murderer; Not had men pointed to me as the man wedded with her who bore him. But now all god-deserted, born in sins, in incest, joined with her who gave me birth; yea, if there be an evil worse than all” (Sophocles 103). In this passage he is standing before the council, admitting his sins. His Hamartia is caused by his yearn for the truth. He eventually was so disgusted with the realization of what he has done, that he tore his own eyes