Theory Of Forms: Sophocles 'Allegory Of The Cave'

1010 Words3 Pages

Nicole Dominguez
Mr. James
AP Literature Period 5
1 October 2015
Greeks Essay
Plato’s Theory of Forms defines multiple realms including the forms and the material world. The forms consists of a world which is timeless and holds the ultimate truth while the material world is what appears to be true but is a reflection of the real truth, the forms. With these realms, change is inevitable as characters learn more about themselves and the world around them. Throughout Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” and Sophocles’ Oedipus, Plato’s Theory of Forms connects ideas in both stories because characters are forced to change as light brings meaning to both stories. Understanding the change that impacts the prisoners in Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” …show more content…

Trying to solve the mystery of who killed the previous King, Oedipus does not look at the facts around him. As a prophet, Teiresias explains to Oedipus that he is at fault for the death of Laius but Oedipus does not accept this as true, he embraces the darkness and his view of the truth. Teiresias goes further to convince Oedipus of his fault by saying, “Your clear eyes flooded with darkness. That day will come.” Oedipus has placed himself in a world that is suitable as the truth for him. He is not prepared for change or the opinions of others although he is directly seeking the answer to who killed Laius. This connects to Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” because Oedipus is very similar to the prisoners. He is set in his way and the light of knowledge does not immediately impact him. Teiresias bluntly says to Oedipus, “You have eyes to see with, but you do not see yourself” (Sophocles, 42). He pushes and pushes Oedipus to understand that he killed Laius but with no luck. Once Oedipus learns more about how Laius was killed and figures out that he killed a man that way he goes into the light. His reality has now changed just as it did for the prisoner who was released from the cave. But for Oedipus, facing the truth is something he is not able to do with ease. Teiresias says to Oedipus that “wisdom is a curse when [it] does nothing for the man who has it” (37). …show more content…

At first, Oedipus has one idea of what the truth is and then he is released into reality and learns a second truth. He does not immediately support the second idea as truth until he is in that realm for long enough for it to become his only truth. The light of knowledge weighs heavily on him though so Oedipus blinds himself. This is similar to the prisoner being sent back to the cave because the prisoner now has a new idea of the truth but cannot physically show anyone in the cave that truth, just as Oedipus cannot longer physically see even though he has come to accept the new truth. Going in or out of the light can provide a challenging truth, which can bewilder eyes because it is not the view that a character previously had. Change forces them to take a new perspective but it also reveals that no two people are on the same path but they are both usually headed toward the light and truth. It goes to show that although people can delay their destiny, there is no escape from the

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