Oedipus The King And The Allegory Of The Cave By Plato

One of the 20th centurys greatest Austrian and British philosopher of science, Karl Raimund Popper, stated â€Å" True ignorance is not the absence of knowledge, but the refusal to acquire it.† In many situations people choose to remain ignorant as it benefits them. This belief is often shaped, based on society or self pride. Society as a whole and individuals are intoxicated with their own perceptions based on opinions rather than reasoning. One must process the truth in order to adjust to it and obtain enlightenment through knowledge. In Oedipus the King by Sophocles and The Allegory of the Cave by Plato, in both scenarios each philosopher introduces characters who are ignorant but must eventually reach an intellectual awakening. Both†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å" From the beginning people like this have never managed, whether on their own or with the help by others, to see anything besides the shadows that are projected on the wall opposite them by the glow of the fire.†( Plato 1) Those who were kept in the cave had their own perception which became their reality, when in fact it was an illusion of reality. As a society they conducted a protocol that shaped their beliefs on society. In both literary works, each character undergoes the process of a comprehension of a certain veracity. They are introduced as ignorant to a greater truth. In Oedipus’ case, his lack of knowledge, causes his city to suffer as well, while the prisoners rely on opinion based senses to predict their reality which deprives them from any pure logic. Denial is often expressed in both scenarios given by the Plato and Sophocles. Denial is introduced when neither character wants to face the truth of their fate or reality. Oedipus often neglects the truth of his origins, despite the constant proof given to them by blind prophet Tiresias who unveils the truth. â€Å" He shall be proved father and brother both to his own children in his own house; to her that gave him birth, a son and husband both; a fellow sower in his father’s bed with that same father that he murdered.† ( 8 535-539) Oedipus’ tragic flaw, his pride and anger neglect him from accepting his fate. His persistence and arrogance is what ultimately leadsShow MoreRelatedEssay Applying Platos Allegory of the Cave1649 Words   |  7 PagesApplying Platos Allegory of the Cave to Oedipus Rex, Hamlet,and Thomas Becket Plato was one of the greatest philosophers of all time. He is recognized all over the world as one of the greatest minds of all time. Knowledge is required under compulsion has not hold on the mind.(Durant 24). Platos dialogues are the fruit of a rare mind; but the could not have kept their perennial freshness if they had not somehow succeeded in expressing he problems and the convictions that are common to PlatosRead MoreOedipus, the King and Allegory of the Cave - Comparative Analysis Essa759 Words   |  4 Pagesplay, Oedipus, the King, there are various instances where Oedipus tries to escape his destinyÂâ€"enlightenmentÂâ€"only to discover the truth that he cannot. Similarly, in Platos Allegory of the Cave the prisoner travails to understand and adjust to his newly visited environment. In both works, the men first had to realize their ignorance before they could begin to acquire knowledge and true understanding of the complexities of the human condition. Specifically, in O edipus, the King, it was Oedipus illusionRead MoreOedipus Paper857 Words   |  4 Pagesterms of the human experience, Plato’s Allegory of the Cave reveals that most humans would rather know the truth and suffer rather than be fed a lie for their entire lives. This idea is reflected in Sophocles’’ Oedipus the King because Oedipus seeks the truth and suffers greatly when it is found. Plato’s four stages of awareness are necessary for the final form of the good, which is the truth, to be found. In both the Allegory of the Cave and Oedipus the King, these four stages of awareness; ImaginationRead MoreThe Mind Is An Action2001 Words   |  9 PagesFrom allegories to theories of the body, all great thinkers have a mind that is different, in which contributes to the world for further use and exploration. In depth, philosopher Plato, thinker Francis Bacon, and psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, have all been put into perspective for new ways of developing and analyz ing thought. Initially, philosopher Plato with his work of The Allegory of the Cave is still on display at the present, ultimately used to examine the age of enlightenment. Plato, wasRead MoreThe Allegory Of The Cave Proposed By Plato1595 Words   |  7 PagesThe allegory of the cave proposed by Plato includes the representation of the levels of knowledge. As we get closer to the exit, we get more knowledgeable and wiser we get, thus becoming better selves. Literature represents part of this knowledge, it has been a fundamental part of understanding our society, and has archived and developed the events and thoughts that made the world in which we live today. The more we read, the more we understand about us as well as learning from other peoples’ experiencesRead More Plato, Sir Francis Bacon, and Albert Camus: What is knowledge?2227 Words   |  9 Pagespossible. According to them, the only things that could be known were skills that were subjective to the user. Skepticism of this varie ty was encountered by one of the great minds of philosophy, Socrates, who spent much of his life, as we know it through Plato, arguing against sophism and its many forms in his pursuit of attempting to actually discover what could be known and if anyone actually did know anything. Knowledge, to Socrates, was a thing called arete or virtue, and the only thing Socrates knewRead MoreAncient And Medieval Civilizations1805 Words   |  8 Pageshuman condition such as; What it means to live just and good? How do we best order relationships for the common good? What do we know and how do we know it? these themes have been recurrent in the stories of Gilgamesh, the Bible, Plato’s Cave and the Oedipus Trilogy. Further analysis has shown that to live a just and good life is to first gain knowledge and understand what it means to be good and just. Putting yourself first enables you to help others and lastly we are only able to really knowRead MoreHow to Read Lit Like a Prof Notes3608 Words   |  15 Pagesechoed. b. See plays as a pattern, either in plot or theme or both. Examples: i. Hamlet: heroic character, revenge, indecision, melancholy nature ii. Henry IV—a young man who must grow up to become king, take on his responsibilities iii. Othello—jealousy iv. Merchant of Venice—justice vs. mercy v. King Lear—aging parent, greedy children, a wise fool 7. †¦Or the Bible a. Before the mid 20th century, writers could count on people being very familiar with Biblical stories, a common touchstone a writerRead More Perspective on Religion Herman Melvilles Moby-Dick Essay5370 Words   |  22 Pagesand tolerant religious perspective is his belief in the dignity of all human beings, a dignity that derives not from government mandate or legal fiat, but from divine omnipresence. In a crucial passage, Ishmael speaks of this dignity that is not of kings and robes, but that abounding dignity which has no robed investiture (113). Everyone, or at least every man, has this dignity: Thou shalt see it shining in the arm that wields a pick or drives a spike (113). This dignity comes directly from God