HU250 Unit 2 Assignment
Unit 2 Assignment
HU250: Humanities and Culture
James Parkins
February 17, 2015
“The Allegory of the Cave”, the 7th book of Plato’s, The Republic”, can be interpreted in many ways. Depending on the point of view of the reader, the message can describe the trials and tribulations of man in general to the roadway of life and all of the detours along the way.
The first entry of the allegory has Socrates describing a cave in which there are prisoners. The prisoners have limited sight since they are chained at the neck and legs and can see in only one direction. There is light from a fire which allows the prisoners to see shadows on the wall form passing men.
My interpretation of this starts at the beginning. Actually one line which speaks of the prisoners;
…here they have been from their childhood… (Plato (interpretation by Benjamin Jowett), 2012)
I feel this is the interpretation of man from his birth. The cave represents the town or village of birth for the person (prisoner). The prisoners are the people born into and raised in this village. The chains around their neck and legs are the limits of the village from which the children have yet to venture past.
The wall represents the village limits which is the barrier to the world. The fire casting shadows tells of merchants that come to the village to trade. The children (prisoners) see these people briefly with little or no interaction with them. This represents a world beyond the village limits (the wall);
…men passing along the wall, carrying all sorts of vessels, and statues and figures of animals made of wood and stone and various materials… (Plato)
These men give the children a glimpse of things beyond their boundaries; there are sights and wonders not available to them in or around their village.
…had an echo which came from the other side… (Plato)
The echo would be the tales told by the traders as they stopped by the village. The tales that would build an interest in some of the
HU250: Humanities and Culture
James Parkins
February 17, 2015
“The Allegory of the Cave”, the 7th book of Plato’s, The Republic”, can be interpreted in many ways. Depending on the point of view of the reader, the message can describe the trials and tribulations of man in general to the roadway of life and all of the detours along the way.
The first entry of the allegory has Socrates describing a cave in which there are prisoners. The prisoners have limited sight since they are chained at the neck and legs and can see in only one direction. There is light from a fire which allows the prisoners to see shadows on the wall form passing men.
My interpretation of this starts at the beginning. Actually one line which speaks of the prisoners;
…here they have been from their childhood… (Plato (interpretation by Benjamin Jowett), 2012)
I feel this is the interpretation of man from his birth. The cave represents the town or village of birth for the person (prisoner). The prisoners are the people born into and raised in this village. The chains around their neck and legs are the limits of the village from which the children have yet to venture past.
The wall represents the village limits which is the barrier to the world. The fire casting shadows tells of merchants that come to the village to trade. The children (prisoners) see these people briefly with little or no interaction with them. This represents a world beyond the village limits (the wall);
…men passing along the wall, carrying all sorts of vessels, and statues and figures of animals made of wood and stone and various materials… (Plato)
These men give the children a glimpse of things beyond their boundaries; there are sights and wonders not available to them in or around their village.
…had an echo which came from the other side… (Plato)
The echo would be the tales told by the traders as they stopped by the village. The tales that would build an interest in some of the