Trace character vs. fate theme Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Trace character vs. fate theme - Essay Example Nevertheless ancient civilizations of Europe: Greece and Rome had presented new outlooks, new philosophies and ethics which were based on humanism and materialism. Ancient Greek philosophers and dramaturges had presented a new, liberal and unique idea of human's place in the universe. It was a human-centered philosophy, based on ration, sensualism and freedom of thought. Plato's Allegory of the Cave has become classical example which presents the world we live in: "Behold! Human beings living in an underground cave, which has a mouth open towards the light and reaching all along the cave; here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads. Above and behind them a fire is blazing at a distance, and between the fire and the prisoners there is a raised way; and you will see, if you look, a low wall built along the way, like the screen which marionette players have in front of them, over which they show the puppets." (Plato, 2000, p.297) Allegory of the Cave is a symbolic name as it implies that human's world is not a world of darkness, where there is no way out, where everything is preplanned and where everyone has his own fate. The word "cave" means that there exists a way out, and this way is will power, confidence and knowledge based on rationalism of enquiring mind. There exists a sun at the end of cave, and sun of knowledge and reason shines for everyone and creates harmony, confidence and promotes social progress. The freedom-loving and democratic spirit of Plato's works and of Allegory of the Cave in particular case witnesses about original and new philosophy of human-centered universe, where the fate meant nothing but a cave or prison, as it was only a "prison" of human's will and mind. Plato stated that: "the man who truly worships the stars does not need to enquire what fate they weave for him, he is lifted above the reach of fate in his communion. By becoming one with the stars, he becomes one with his own fate." (Plato, 2000,p.194) Plato continues his discourses about human will, human nature, feelings and reason in his another work The Symposium which is written in the form of dialogue (like "the allegory") of several prominent citizens of Athens: dramaturges and philosophers. The theme of conversation is love, a very contradictory theme and very subjective. Nevertheless The Symposium remains to be a classical reference for study of this theme. As every participant in the dialogue presents his own point of view, presents his arguments, myths and discourses about love, we see the diverse ethic atmosphere in Ancient Greece, such triumph of human reason and ethical thought. Through logical and exhaustive discourses about love in the dialogue of famous Greeks we observe the power of subjective thinking and power of speech through arguments. It's a dialogue of people who are confident in their ethical principles and are confident that they are able to change something in the surrounding word. Their speeches do not contain elements of mysticism in the volume we can find in works of earlier authors such as Homer for example, their