Love. Is it not the ultimate goal of every human to seek the love of another, whether it is that of a lover, a friend, family member, or maybe all of the above? Every aspect of our world is engulfed in the essence of love. Without it, the likelihood of humankind becoming a virtuous species, in the least sense, would be out of the question. One of the main themes of Plato’s The Symposium is the true meaning of love and how it affects and changes humanity in different ways. He uses his Theory of Forms to explain and describe his take on love, but attributes his beliefs to Socrates. Not only does he talk about the nature and importance of true and virtuous love, but he also talks about what it means to be a truly wholesome and moral person. From the outside looking in, reading this book took me for a spin trying to catch on to the true philosophical meaning behind the words. When Plato’s Theory of Forms is connected to Christianity, many similarities shine threw the philosophical words, making it easier to relate to the beliefs of the Western philosophical world. In the three critical speeches of Phaedrus, Aristophanes, and Pausanias, the concepts of homosexuality, Heavenly love, and the search for one’s other half are discussed in a way that can be combined and connected to Plato’s Theory of Forms and idea of perfect love. Considering all of the speeches, we can analyze today’s misconstrued perception of perfection in love.
In the beginning of the Speech of Phaedrus he says, “I mean a sense of shame at acting shamefully, and a sense of pride in acting well. Without these, nothing fine or great can be accomplished, in public or in private”(10). Essentially, what Phaedrus is talking about is the high accountability one is held to by his lover. The mere thought of disappointing a loved one presents an immense amount of pressure to strive to be the best version of one’s self. When comparing Phaedrus’s take on love to moder...