Plato

Question 1

Hunter - logic

Answer 1

All the speeches in symposium can be seen as different ways of representing logic; medical, mythological etc - all in competition with one another.

Question 2

Sheffield - supremely desirable

Answer 2

Socrates becomes a ‘supremely desirable object’ in symposium despite his reputation for being ugly and his status as an older man - greatly desired by Alcibiades.

Question 3

Hobbs - Alcibiades

Answer 3

Alcibiades brings both comedy and tragedy to Symposium with his drunken entrance and speech about his love for Socrates, which is physically unrequited; he says he loves Socrates for his mind but clearly wants his body too, so he cannot get up the ladder of love properly - ‘he loves the right man in the wrong way’.

Question 4

Carson - aidos

Answer 4

Describes Aidos as a ‘voltage of decorum’ and a ‘shared shyness’ that radiates between the lover and beloved.

Question 5

Pomeroy - Women

Answer 5

Plato writes about a society where women are not valued and are underappreciated.

Question 6

Waterfield - Sad commentary

Answer 6

Argues that aristophanes’ speech is a sad commentary on the elusiveness of true happiness.