Aristophanes Speech

1574 Words4 Pages

In Aristophanes’ speech, which primarily takes the form of a myth, he weaves together comical elements with undertones of sadness that serve to create a profound account of what Eros is. The speech describes humans as combined creatures who, after being separated, are filled with longing. These beings spend the remainder of their lives, in a sometimes futile attempt, combating this feeling of longing by searching for the individual that can make them one again. Aristophanes describes Eros as a remedy for this overwhelming emotion. He uses his story to make Eros an entity that acts in tandem with individuals wishing to be whole. As a result, Eros ultimately serves as a guide that allows humans to bring about their original feeling of completion, …show more content…

The playwright claims that if we were to stumble again, as humans had done originally, we can expect a similar fate. As he explains, “There is fear, then, that if we are not orderly in our behavior to the gods, we shall be split again…”(193a). He revisits this moment in his myth to convey the idea that Eros also acts in conjunction with our faith towards the gods. Eros, a being who helps us to find happiness, also allows us to live cohesively with the Olympians, a process that seldom happens in the world. He is said to be “…our guide and general” (193b). In addition, Aristophanes states, “Let no one act contrary to Eros…for if we become friends and reconciled to the gods, we shall find out and meet with our own favorites, which at the moment few do”(193b). In these lines, the reader is able to realize that by following Eros, we are able to bring about our ancient nature while also appeasing the deities who rule over us. In Aristophanes’ final mention of the god, he claims, “…Eros… benefits us the most by leading us to what is our own…while we offer piety to the gods…and by his healing make us blessed and happy”(193d). We gather from this description, that it is Eros who helps us to be content mortals which altogether affirms that it is he who conducts us towards unification and …show more content…

Ultimately, the god aids humans in our quest towards completion; Eros attempts to transform the despondency sewn into people by Zeus into happiness and contentment. Individuals have born into them, an affliction stemming from an overwhelming feeling of longing, and man must try to overcome this affliction by any means necessary. However, it is Eros that is able to truly bring two slices back to a unified whole. By following Eros, not only are we able to be healed from our yearning, but we are also capable of being pious beings while being truly

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