In Plato's Symposium there are three major speeches given by Aristophanes, Socrates and Alcibiades, where each portrays a different aspect of human sexuality and love. Aristophanes" speech is a fantastic representation of humans that were separated into two halves engaged in desperate search for their other half, while Socrates" speech is a rhetoric of a conversation he was engaged in with the priestess Diotima, and finally Alcibiades" speech is a tribute to his teacher Socrates. Even though Aristophones" speech is a fantastical story that explained why humans are in constant, desper...

• Word Count: 608
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In this paper I will discuss Aristophanes" speech on love found in Plato's Symposium. I will summarize his speech and explain the characteristics of love as Aristophanes thinks of it. ... Aristophanes" speech begins by explaining the nature of man and what has become of it. ... He does however touch on a very significant point that none of the other speakers in the Symposium have touched on. ... The other problem that surfaces in Aristophanes speech pertains to his notion that our soul yarns for a unification with its other counterpart. ...

• Word Count: 1564
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate