Plato's Symposium Analysis

Plato's Symposium focuses on a group of intellectual men each giving a speech in praise of the god of love. Taking turns each man gives his definition of love and some of the speeches concern themselves with how love interacts with nature. One of the more influential speeches was given by Socrates in the narrative of a woman named Diotima. This speech is more focused on a definition of love, one different from what most people consider, and how it can be used to reach immortality, an ascent to knowledge and truth. The search for truth, which will to lead immorality, the essence of sublimity. Plato uses the speeches before Diotima as an example of this ascent from only be attracted to the body to eventually only be attracted to the mind, the …show more content…
Eryximachus is a doctor which could be seen as the next step in thinking beyond one's self. to be educated in the world and the others around. The world to Eryximachus is well-ordered and harmonious, these well-ordered desires should be fulfilled and then order will be created by harmonizing the contrasting elements of the world. At this point the question is raised whether this speech is about love anymore or just the orderliness. Eryximachus still makes the mistake of focusing on physical elements of the world, he does not expand past this, nor does he seek any truth beyond these …show more content…
His speech argues with Phaedrus that Love is actually the youngest of gods, and he is more than just his virtues and benefits to human beings, he also has his beauty. He expresses that Love is very closely resembles himself, physically beautiful, a very gracious host and someone with shallowness to wisdom. All of this would Love the loved one rather than the lover, he would be the wise character that is involved with male-male relationships. This speech states that it has very much wisdom behind it but it does not express wisdom beyond the physical beauty of