Summary Of V Of The Republic
In book V of the Republic, Plato covers many different claims that Socrates makes about women. The book begins with Socrates identifying both the soul, and the just city. As he is about to continue on in an attempt to continue on finding the constitutions of these, the interlocutor Polemarchus interrupts him. He speaks out and questions Socrates on a previously passive statement about spouses and children being in common. Socrates decides to follow through with Polemarchus’ request, and begins to discuss the lifestyle of the guardians, and how guardians come to be. The discussion becomes revolved around the topic of women for some time, and how they stand against men in the just city. Many claims point to how women can be considered equal,
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where others continue to rank women as the weaker of the sexes. Many speculators of the Republic believe that Plato takes on a feminist point of view. Throughout the discussion, there are many instances in which one can be lead to believe that Plato is advocating for women, and others where it seems that he is doing quite the opposite, and is rather just arguing for the benefit of the state as a whole. By examining the arguments made within book V, such as Socrates’ declarations on guardianship, his expansion on how all spouses and children should be shared in common, and the overall uses of women within the just city, it can be concluded that Plato is not an advocator of feminism and is much more an advocator for the benefit of the state.
Within book V, there are many different topics of discussion that are explored.
It begins with Socrates explaining his belief that there should be fundamental equality between men and women. By this, he goes on to explain how he believes that women should be able to be trained alongside men, receiving the same education and some of the same political stances as men do. There is a large conversation within the passage in which Socrates is providing the many ways in which men and women are same in their natural states, despite small differences such as the man being the one who impregnates and the woman being the one to give birth. He provides an example in regard to the hunting animals, and how the male and female are capable of carrying out the same task; only the female will be seen as the weaker one in doing so. The same sort of thought process is carried out for human women and men; women are just as capable of certain tasking as men, if taught properly how to do so, they will just be the weaker and the males the stronger. He poses a large conversation based around the nature of men and women, and comes to the terms that women are of the same nature as men within the relevant properties. He goes on to argue that these relevant qualities are within the divisions of the appetitive, rational and the spirited souls. As men, women also fall within these divisions, and therefore he believes that the city could make use of them following the divisions. Although this claim seems
to be supportive of women and their place in society, in the sense that it is presenting the wish to allow them the right of education and training, it is instead just another attempt to benefit the just city by having women do their rightful part.
The discussion moves on to cover the topic that Polemarchus originally requested – the requirements for all spouses and children to be held in common. Socrates explains the ways in which the process of reproduction is carried out for the guardians; intercourse is to take place during specific times of the year during designated festivals. During these festivals, a male and female will marry for the duration of the festival, and therefore will conceive a child. Most pairings of men and women are determined outside of themselves. The admirable people may have multiple spouses throughout these festivals, as the child reproduced will be from the most admirable of the guardians. After the birth of the children, they will all be taken and reared together, so that no one knows who was descended from which guardians. It is made clear that if this cycle is broken and a child is conceived during an undesignated time, the child is to be killed. It is also ensured that incest is forbidden and extremely frowned upon. Socrates claims that by following these rules of production, a unified city will be ensured. Instead of families caring for themselves and their next of kin, the loyalty will not be divided between individual families and everyone within the just city will be considered family, and therefore will be treated as such. By all those involved sharing the same aims and concerns as each other, the city is able to be unified and just.
where others continue to rank women as the weaker of the sexes. Many speculators of the Republic believe that Plato takes on a feminist point of view. Throughout the discussion, there are many instances in which one can be lead to believe that Plato is advocating for women, and others where it seems that he is doing quite the opposite, and is rather just arguing for the benefit of the state as a whole. By examining the arguments made within book V, such as Socrates’ declarations on guardianship, his expansion on how all spouses and children should be shared in common, and the overall uses of women within the just city, it can be concluded that Plato is not an advocator of feminism and is much more an advocator for the benefit of the state.
Within book V, there are many different topics of discussion that are explored.
It begins with Socrates explaining his belief that there should be fundamental equality between men and women. By this, he goes on to explain how he believes that women should be able to be trained alongside men, receiving the same education and some of the same political stances as men do. There is a large conversation within the passage in which Socrates is providing the many ways in which men and women are same in their natural states, despite small differences such as the man being the one who impregnates and the woman being the one to give birth. He provides an example in regard to the hunting animals, and how the male and female are capable of carrying out the same task; only the female will be seen as the weaker one in doing so. The same sort of thought process is carried out for human women and men; women are just as capable of certain tasking as men, if taught properly how to do so, they will just be the weaker and the males the stronger. He poses a large conversation based around the nature of men and women, and comes to the terms that women are of the same nature as men within the relevant properties. He goes on to argue that these relevant qualities are within the divisions of the appetitive, rational and the spirited souls. As men, women also fall within these divisions, and therefore he believes that the city could make use of them following the divisions. Although this claim seems
to be supportive of women and their place in society, in the sense that it is presenting the wish to allow them the right of education and training, it is instead just another attempt to benefit the just city by having women do their rightful part.
The discussion moves on to cover the topic that Polemarchus originally requested – the requirements for all spouses and children to be held in common. Socrates explains the ways in which the process of reproduction is carried out for the guardians; intercourse is to take place during specific times of the year during designated festivals. During these festivals, a male and female will marry for the duration of the festival, and therefore will conceive a child. Most pairings of men and women are determined outside of themselves. The admirable people may have multiple spouses throughout these festivals, as the child reproduced will be from the most admirable of the guardians. After the birth of the children, they will all be taken and reared together, so that no one knows who was descended from which guardians. It is made clear that if this cycle is broken and a child is conceived during an undesignated time, the child is to be killed. It is also ensured that incest is forbidden and extremely frowned upon. Socrates claims that by following these rules of production, a unified city will be ensured. Instead of families caring for themselves and their next of kin, the loyalty will not be divided between individual families and everyone within the just city will be considered family, and therefore will be treated as such. By all those involved sharing the same aims and concerns as each other, the city is able to be unified and just.