Harmonious Discord

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Harmonious Discord

• Ideologies of eros in Platos Symposium

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Reminders

• OR Response blogs
• Thur quiz
• 1-Mar paper submission

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When viewing Agathons effeminate Eros and
Diotimas novel conception of eros, one is left
perplexed. There is a double mirror when viewing
sexuality. On the one hand, women are viewed as
having no rights or knowledge yet Diotima is the
one giving knowledge on love. (student)
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Agenda

• Writers Corner
• Critical Thinking, MLA, Name That Mistake
• Language of Love
• Eros, etc.
• How Many Loves?
• Erotic Ambiguities in Platos Symposium
• Why is Diotima a Woman?
• Halperin on Plato on eros
• Final Discussion
• Platos Symposium Validates What?

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Writers Corner

• Critical Thinking, MLA, Name That Mistake

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Critical Thinking

• What is Timarchus sexuality alleged to be ?
• Gay?
• Why?
• Why not?

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MLA Format
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Name that mistake
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The Ancient Grecian play Medea caused a
tremendous stir when it was first performed. The
evil that I do, I understand full well,But a
passion drives me greater than my will(p. 66.)
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Language of Love

• Eros, etc.

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Which Apply to Symposium How?

• epithumia / eros
• Dissimilar subjects desire (epithumei) and love
  (erai) objects that are themselves dissimilar
  (186b)
• pothos
• Each one longed (pothoun) for its own other
  half (191a)

• eros / philia
• Because of her love (eros), she went so far
  beyond his parents in family feeling (philia)
  that she made them look like outsiders (179c)

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How Many Loves?

• Erotic Ambiguities in Platos Symposium

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Symposium Analysis

• Outer frame (Apollodorus, stranger)
• Party speeches
• Phaedrus
• Pausanias
• Eryximachus
• Aristophanes
• Agathon
• Socrates
• Diotima
• Alcibiades
• Epilogue

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Symposium Erotic Dichotomies
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Symposium Dichotomies (cont.)
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Eros as paidika (love object)
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Socrates as Satyr / Silen
Socrates
Satyr with pipes and holder,Athenian cup,
Epiktetoscirca 510 BCE
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Why is Diotima a Woman?

• Presenters on Halperin on Plato on eros

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Final Discussion

• Platos Symposium Validates What?

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Platos Symposium and

• Butler?
• Foucault?

• Halperin?
• Carlson?