Apology And Aristophanes The Clouds - 982 Words

What worries many great intellectuals is the thought of being represented. The scholar Socrates was know as a calculated man who tried to delve into and honestly answer all of his quagmires about life and the universe. While this may be true, when comparing many of the contemporary Athenians who quote him there are countless inconsistencies. Not only do these irregularities intrigue present day students of classical works, they raise questions about the veracity of his quoted works. There are some works which shed a positive light on the scholar while others convey the contrary. One such comparison is that of Plato’s book, Apology and Aristophanes’ play The Clouds. Throughout both masterpieces there are connotations that they both disagreed and presumably misrepresented Socrates’ methods, beliefs and overall views. Misrepresenting Socrates has inevitably created an only partial representation of the real, truth seeking man that he was and has forced the present d ay scholar to accept the inconsistencies as part of the mysteries of Ancient Greece. The interactions that the two authors had with Socrates created a motive for each’s objectives and thus modeled their works differently. The playwright Aristophanes was much old than Plato and his work, The Clouds, was released when Plato was very young. At that period many â€Å"average† less sophisticated older citizen scoffed at Sophists’ allegedly perverted and warped logic. Aristophanes work fits that genre. Aristophanes had littleShow MoreRelatedEssay Clouds vs. The Apology1649 Words   |  7 Pages Clouds vs. The Apology In Aristophanes Clouds and in Platos Apology we see extensive fictional representations of the historical figure, Socrates, who left us no literary works under his own name. When comparing these two representations, readers often assume, as a result of the nature of the comedic genre, that Aristophanes portrayal of Socrates is exaggerated and fallacious. On the other hand, Platos account is often taken more seriously as a result of the philosophical genre and theRead MoreClassical Essay780 Words   |  4 Pages Second Paper Assignment Shonell Maynard In the books; The Clouds written by Aristophanes, and The Apology, written by Plato, the philosopher Socrates is portrayed in two different ways. Plato, being a loyal follower of Socrates, portrays him as being a very simple man who is always open to learning new wisdom. However, Aristophanes portrays him as an atheist who practices sophistry along with a number of different crimes. People question whetherRead MoreAristophanes’ Clouds a Satyr Play Written in 419 BCE1161 Words   |  5 PagesAristophanes’ Clouds, if read hastily, can be interpreted as a mindless satyr play written in 419 BCE. Yet the chorus warns the reader not to expect the play to have farcical ploys like â€Å"a hanging phallus stitched on† the actors to evoke a laugh, but to take note of underlying seriousness as â€Å"she [the play] comes in trusting only her words† (Clouds 538-44). Even if the play does use some low devices, the play’s message is sophisticated and can be read as a warning to Socrates. Aristophanes isRead MoreAnalysis of Socrates in Aristhphane ´s Clouds and Plato ´s Apology1081 Words   |  5 Pagesclaimed to know anything that he questioned. In Plato’s text â€Å"Apology† Socrates is depicted as a man who was arrogant, hypercritical of others, and fixed on his ways no matter the consequences. He had the qualities of a man who saw no error in what he was doing because he thought he was above average men, and thought he was a benefit to society against what others claimed. In contrast Socrates’ portrayal in Aristophanes’ play â€Å"Clouds† is more positive, his character was written wanting men to beRead MoreSocrates’ Speech in Apology975 Words   |  4 PagesAristophanes’ Clouds, if read hastily, can be interpreted as a mindless satyr play written in 419 BCE. Yet the chorus warns the reader not to expect the play to have farcical ploys like â€Å"a hanging phallus stitched o n† the actors to evoke a laugh, but has underlying seriousness as â€Å"she [the play] comes in trusting only her words† (Clouds 538-44). Even if the play does use some low devices, the play’s message is sophisticated and can be read as a warning to Socrates. Aristophanes is a â€Å"friendlyRead MoreSocrates: The Dichotomy between Aristophanes and Plato’s Depictions1489 Words   |  6 Pagesbetween Aristophanes and Plato’s Depictions Ignorance: the condition of being uninformed or uneducated; this basic definition is crucial to understanding one of the most controversial figures in ancient Athenian society: the philosopher Socrates. The man’s entire life was devoted to proving the fact that no one actually knew what they thought they did; that everyone lived in ignorance. This viewpoint earned Socrates many enemies, so many that even a renowned playwright, Aristophanes, decidedRead More The Clouds by Aristophanes Essay1678 Words   |  7 PagesThe Clouds by Aristophanes - Relevant in Todays World The Clouds by Aristophanes, is a play centrally concerned with education. Aristophanes employs satire to illustrate his conservative beliefs. It is intended to show readers that in the tendency to philosophical subtleties lies the neglection of the real needs of the Athenians. According to Aristophanes, philosophical speculation only acts to shake the established foundations of accepted religion, gods, and ideals of morality. Read MorePoli Sci Midterm1155 Words   |  5 Pagesguided reason and language. 2. Is Socrates against nature, or following it? Please draw examples from Aristophanes’ The Clouds and the relevant Platonic Dialogues. In the four dialogues, Socrates professes that he is for nature in different ways. He describes nature and human nature. He believed that human nature involves reasoning and consisted of metaphysical concepts. In Aristophanes’ â€Å"The Clouds,† Socrates states that he believes that the Gods are not the ones who produce rain and thunder butRead MoreSocrates : The Father Of Western Philosophy747 Words   |  3 Pagesonly one of the most influential intellectual to have ever lived, but also one of the most controversial. His ideology, teachings, and beliefs are still discussed, debated, and quoted to this day. Using one of his students, Plato and looking at Aristophanes work, one can draw concluding thoughts on why Socrates brought so much controversy to the table and how both perspectives seem to tell a different story. Socrates was a Greek philosopher between 470BC to 399BC. He is remembered as the father ofRead More Socrates Essay1087 Words   |  5 Pagesof absolutes. This alternative is not without its faults. Socratic philosophy is plagued by a destructive element. It reduces the authoritative opinions about political life but replaces it with nothing. This is the vital stem from which the quot;Apology of Socratesquot; is written. Because of the stinging attack on Athenian life, and the opinions which they revere so highly, Socrates is placed on trial for his life. The question now becomes why and in what manner did Socrates refute the gods and