Powerful Themes in Plato’s Writing

In Plato’s writing, there are a lot of questions and reasoning. This is an important part of some of the common themes of his work, including justice, passion, loyalty, death, action, selfishness, and the good. These subjects also appear in the works of the tragedy writer, Aeschylus. In comparing these subjects in both of their works, it can be seen that although they have similar themes, they are actually presented differently depending on the context that they are in. Both of the writers have characters with strong positions on what they believe is right, even if it means doing something immoral, or of a negative consequence. Through these Greek stories, it is shown that each character has their own beliefs. Their individual reasoning is enough for them to make decisions and act on those beliefs.

Apology shows the Athenian justice system through Plato’s eyes. He conveys Socrates as an honest individual who is being brought to justice before the citizens of Athens. Socrates explains that “from me you shall hear the whole truth...I shall use the words and arguments which occur to me at the moment” (19). Although it can get into more trouble than he is already in, he still speaks his mind, even though it might be at the expense of offending some of his audience in the court. Socrates is being accused of creating new gods, and in doing so would not be acknowledging the gods that the Greeks do, which was believed to be an injustice. He denies these claims, and other claims brought against him by Meletus, the person who has put Socrates in this position. Socrates is also thought to be corrupting the society’s youth. Socrates also lets his peers know that he will be honest with them, and by being straightforward, he expects his peers to give him a break because he is not trying to trick them in any way. He argues his case in Apology, and states that he has never wronged another person, that it's never alright to commit an injustice. He even questions Meletus, who is bringing the charges against him. It is fair that Socrates is able to argue his point before the court. Socrates does not get justice, though. In the end, Socrates is found guilty of the crimes of which he is accused.

Aeschylus has a different way of showing justice. He conveys it in a way that one of his characters has taken it into his own hands. In the second part of the Oresteia, in The Libation Bearers, Orestes, the son of King Agamemnon, comes back to his home in Argos. He has been away from it for a long time. While he was gone, his mother, Clytemnestra, and her lover, Aegisthus, have killed his father. Orestes returns quietly, with a plan to get revenge for his father, King Agamemnon. His goal is met when he carries out his plan to kill his mother. Before slaying her, he proclaims, “You were my parent, and then recklessly exposed me to misfortune” (94, line 913). Oresteia proceeds to stab Clytemnestra to death. Although killing is wrong, this would be Orestes’ way of finding justice for his father’s death. He takes matters into his own hands, not caring about any consequence that would occur from the killing.

In Euthyphro, Socrates talks with Euthyphro about matters dealing with religion and they discuss what piety is. Euthyphro is about to fulfill his duty of piety, and being holy, by taking part in a trial in which he will be prosecuting his own father for murder. He has reasons for why he is doing this. Euthyphro has strong beliefs. He teaches them to Socrates with a lesson when he explains, “Piety is doing as I am doing...prosecuting anyone who is guilty of murder, sacrilege, or of any similar crime...and not to prosecute them is impiety” (5). Euthyphro is going to testify against his father because he believes it is the right thing to do. He wants the god’s approval and will get it, even if it means fighting against his father. Even though Socrates disagrees with him, and debates why he might be wrong in going forward with this because it is what he Euthyphro believes it is what the gods want, he stands his ground. Euthyphro would rather make the gods happy. He further shows his disinterest in believing things should be any other way, by leaving the conversation he is having with Socrates, unswayed about this decision to go against his father in court.

The Libation Bearers also shows how its character, Orestes, uses reasoning. He believes that getting back at his mother by doing the same as she did to his father is reason enough. He states, “Thou slew’st my father; shalt thou dwell with me? Clytemnestra Fate bore a share in these things, O my child!” (37). His anger against her doesn’t allow him to forgive her. Orestes feels just as strongly as Socrates does, but instead of using words to express what he thinks is fair and just (in Apology), he uses death and revenge as a way to send his message out.

Socrates passionately argues his case in the court in Apology. He asks the court to “think only of the truth of my words, and give heed to that: let the speaker speak truly and the judge decide justly” (19). After this request, Socrates goes on to plead his case, in his way of speaking. He talks with so much passion, that he actually asks the court to forgive him for speaking in a candid manner. He defends himself from the charges brought against him, going to great lengths to describe why he is not guilty. Socrates even tells his audience that he knows what they are going to say. He states what he assumes their replies to his pleas will be and answers to those assumptions as well.

Orestes, in The Libation Bearers, is passionate about avenging his father, Agamemnon. Orestes exclaims, “Grant, O Zeus, Grant me my father’s murder to avenge - Be thou my willing champion!” (6). He talks to his sister, Electra about how much he loved his father. With him, he talks about how angry he is. He is so upset that he kills Clytemnestra, her father’s murderer, even though she is his own mother. Orestes loved and misses his father, and is driven to the point of becoming a killer, just like his mother.

Crito shows an example of loyalty through friendship. Crito, a good friend of Socrates, tries to persuade Socrates to use a way he suggests, out of his impending death sentence, while visiting him in jail. Socrates is impressed. He replies to Crito’s pleas, “Dear Crito, your zeal is invaluable” (47). But he does not believe being saved is the answer. Crito explains that he has a plan in place with people to assist him in getting Socrates released. He wants to do what he feels is fair for his dear friend. Although he will not succeed in persuading his Socrates, Crito tries his best. In the end, he shows his loyalty by respecting Socrates’ wishes and letting him accept his fate.

In Agamemnon, Clytemnestra is disloyal to her husband because she murders him. Her husband, Agamemnon comes home with a princess, Cassandra, who foresees the fate of herself and the king. Cassandra cries, “To what an end did thou bring me home with thee, -nought else! - only to die!” (39 line 1130). Cassandra does not want to enter the home of the king and his wife because of her fears. Clytemnestra tries to brush off her cries by making Cassandra seem like she is crazy, and that her fears are unfounded. Cassandra later goes inside the home, though, and is killed. She was right to think there was doom ahead, and did not listen herself and what she had foreseen. Clytemnestra says she has killed Agamemnon in revenge for the death of a person named Iphigenia, that Agamemnon had killed. Because of this, Clytemnestra has her reasoning of what it is alright to kill her husband, and breaking the rules of marriage that went along with being with him. That is her way of righting her actions.

In Crito, when Crito visits Socrates in prison their discussion about a possible escape is Crito’s way to help him avoid death. He pleads with him, “For if you die, I shall not only lose a friend who can never be replaced...people who do not know you and me will believe that I might have saved you if I had been willing to give you money” (45). Crito worries not only of his friend Socrates’ death but that others will think he allowed him to die. He is afraid that people will think he favored money over the life of his friend, which is untrue. Although Crito and Socrates discuss their options, Socrates feels that it would be worse to escape. He does not care what others think about his sentence. He does not want to make things worse by escaping. Even though he was wrongly accused, and Crito wants to help him live the free life that he should, it is not worth it for him to break real laws, which would make him look worse if he is found guilty of any other wrongdoing, whether he is innocent or not.

In Aeschylus’ works, when a character dies, it is sometimes in a violent and gruesome way. Agamemnon is a good example of this. The Chorus in this play proclaims, “Woe for thy bloody and unhonoured tomb, Woe for thy cruel and perfidious doom” (86). The story speaks in a dark tone about the king and his murder at the hands of his wife, the queen, Clytemnestra. The killing is referred to as a “slaughter” with other horrendous descriptions to portray the manner in which the unpleasant act is carried out. It is gory and repulsive to read the details of the story. Also, Clytemnestra is so cold, that after the killing, when she is confessing to it, she shows no feelings of remorse for her actions, and simply moves on and joins her lover afterward.

Death is portrayed in a dramatic way with both writers, as are the rest of the topics. Each of the issues is unique to their situations and characters. All of the characters in these writings are strong in their beliefs and seem to go to any lengths necessary to get their message across, whether it’s right or wrong. They do not seem to care much about the consequences of their actions, whether they or another character is affected by them. They do think in detail, though. The characters have arguments and discussions about what they plan to do, and what may happen after, but still go ahead with their original plans. Both writers have a lot of passion for their subjects and characters that play them out, and they do so in a very dramatic manner.

Works Cited

Aeschylus. The Libation-Bearers. Raleigh, NC : Hayes Barton Press, 1970. Print.

Aeschylus. The Oresteia trilogy. Mineola, N.Y.: Dover Publications, 1996. Print.

Plato. Five great dialogues of Plato. Claremont, CA: Coyote Canyon Press, 2009. Print.