"Shall we, then, casually allow our children to listen to any old stories, made up by just anyone, and to take into their minds views which, on the whole, contradict those we'll want them to have as adults?"
"No, we won't allow that at all."
Plato, Republic Book II
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Truth be told, upon seeing that Gorgias's "Encomium of Helen" and Plato's Republic were assigned readings for this week, I felt my head spin. I was afraid: What if I didn't understand anything? Made a fool of myself in class? Would it be a similar experience to when I tried taking Spanish in high school, where I couldn't comprehend anything because it was in a foreign language? All these large, looming frustrations and worries clouded my conscious. I guess I assumed, by signing up for a class titled "Major Critical Theories," that I'd instantly pour myself into all the -isms I've heard so much about (i.e. Feminism, Structuralism, Postmodernism, etc.), not try to slog my way through understanding Plato and the Socratic method. However, I am pleasantly surprised that I now understand why these readings were assigned, and didn't have too much of an issue relating them to the study of critical theory (although that cave video is still making me feel like I should be taking a shot each time the narrator says "and now suppose...")
"Encomium of Helen" turned out to actually be very easy to read and understand. I knew the story of Helen, and how she was the start of the Trojan war, but I’m surprised that it took so long in class for somebody to talk about the larger part of the myth, about Aphrodite’s promise to Paris that he would have the most beautiful woman in the world if he gave her the golden apple, as opposed to Hera or Athena, who promised him, respectively, a great king-ship or military prowess in battle(Atsma 1). Surely it seems strange to others beside myself that a great figure in Greek history would succumb so easily to the whims of the “fairer sex” rather than desiring great authority or unrivaled intellect? I know several students in the class protested that Helen knew what she was doing, but perhaps they cannot see past the stereotype that her beauty has oppressed her by, and cannot believe that she may not have gone willingly. Certainly there were forces at work who were stronger than one single individual; in Helen’s case, the will of blood-thirsty, libidinous men and vexation of cold-hearted gods drove her to her fate. For Gorgias to take up Helen’s honor, and defend her succinctly with powerful rhetoric was quite an accomplishment.
And as for Republic? Truthfully, it made my blood go cold. Some of my favorite books include dystopian fiction such as 1984 and Fahrenheit 451, and to read the actions that are fictionally portrayed in those novels argued so with such subtle precision and abounding passion by Plato’s fictionalized Socrates made me shudder. Now I understand why reading such texts will assist in the study of critical theory when applied to literature. If one knows the tools in which to distinctly and accurately argue one’s position, then it works to strengthen one’s assessment and analysis of literature, as well as the means in which to debate one’s interpretation.
Atsma, Aaron J. “Judgement of Paris.” Theoi.com. Theoi Greek Mythology. 2000-2008. Web. 7 February 2011.
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