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Narrative and Thematic Uses of Love in the Bible, the Symposium and the Iliad The present research will be designed in the form of comparison and based on the three prominent works of literature The Bible, the Symposium by Plato, and Homer's Iliad. The aim of the research is to compare the use of Love in all three works, and to see how they differ in each of them. It is no secret that the definition of love is different not only among the works of art, but it changes from person to person. This is why it will be interesting to look at how the three different authors considered Love. Love in Bible Speaking about the interpretation of Love in Bible, it would be more useful to have a look at the New testament, as it appears to use two different connotations of the word Love, one of which surprising the reader with its use. First of all, it is important to understand, that the meaning of Love in Bible, is equaled to the meaning of Higher Real Love, which comes from the close contact with God, and leaves no room for selfish thoughts and strivings.
Love in Bible implies that all actions of a man are driven by his open and unconditional love towards God. In John (8: 38) we read: 'God works for the good of those who love Him' However, what is even more essential in the discussion of the love concept in Bible, is the use of the two separate meanings of this notion through the two different Greek words, translated into English as Love. The first word is 'agape', which is translated into English meaning the Christian love to God. In original the Bible in New Testament mostly refers to Love as 'agape'. This love is absolutely free from selfish strivings or sexual desire, and is only determined by the good will and the striving for the better welfare of the person loved. Another word, 'philip', is referred to describe the more earthly feelings, more impulsive and more real (emotional), though it is again not the love of a man towards a woman, it is rather some kind of 'brotherly love'.
Love in Bible is interpreted as Love of God towards the whole mankind, on the one hand, 'God is Love and all who live in love in God and God lives in them'. (John 4: 16); on the other hand, love is also human love towards God: ' Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your entire mind and with all your strength. ' (Mark 12: 28 - 30). Thus, Love in Bible implies no earthly desires or hidden strivings, sexual desire is absolutely absent in the Bible as part of any human Love. ' Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. ' (Corinthians, 13: 4 - 8) Love in Plato's Symposium Symposium is one of those rare works, in which the debate on what Love is becomes the central subject. Symposium is the written version of the discussion between the principal philosophers of Plato's time, as for what Love is.
According to the Greek mythology, and as Plato puts it, there were supposed to be the two different types of Love common Love and Noble Love. What is the difference then? 'What then is Love?' I asked; 'Is he mortal?' 'No'. 'What then?' [] 'He is a great spirit (daimon) and like all spirits he is intermediate between the divine and the mortal'. 'And what is his power?' 'He interprets between gods and men, conveying and taking across to the gods and prayers and sacrifices to men; [] for God mingles not with man; but through Love, all the intercourse and converse of God with man, whether awake or asleep, is carried on'. (Plato, Symposium) Thus, this is the citation in relation to the so-called heavenly love. This love, according to Plato is an honorable feeling and has honorable implications; this love is absolutely derived of any sexual attitudes. However, the philosophers accept the idea that there is another kind of love earthly (common) love, which is the Love between a man and a woman, and thus includes the signs of sexual attraction, lust, etc. Pausanias in Symposium is the supporter of the idea that common love, despite its earthy character, is still to be driven by virtues; otherwise it is ugly common love. On the other hand, it is also possible to assume that the more virtue the Love has, the more heavenly it becomes.
However, there is another interesting thought which we meet reading Symposium: 'love, Socrates, is not, as you imagine, the love of beautiful only. [] love of generation and birth is in beauty to the mortal creature generation is a sort of eternity and immortality and if as has been already admitted, love is of the everlasting possession of good, all men necessarily desire immortality together with good: Wherefore love is of immortality'. (Plato, Symposium) What is meant here is that sexual desire and physical love is part of common love, when it is sincere, for the wish to leave the descendants and make them continue your business and teach them life is what love is meant to do. Thus, lust and sexual desire is not denied in this work; on the opposite, it is accepted as a part of common love, but when it is sincere and is driven by virtues; otherwise, love is deception and ugly. Love in Homer's Iliad Love in Homer's Iliad appears to be absolutely different from the one described and argued on in the two previous works. The reason for such assumption lies in the fact that Love in Iliad is the driving force of the major historical events.
Love here appears to be more physical, than heavenly, and it appears to cause serious problems. While reading the story, we face the fact that the war with Troy was caused by love of Menelaus, whom Helen abandoned to be with Paris. Their mutual love was sincere and open, but it also implied physical lust. However, the fact that love can cause wars was one of the brightest expressions and definitions of Love in literature. Thus, Homer meant Love to be a feeling which may drive people acting and make them perform heroic deeds. Thus, Love and Heroism go in parallel ways for Homer.
On the other hand, he has also portrayed physical love of Aphrodite towards Ares and her betrayal of Hephaestus. Thus, Love for Homer also appears to be the means of deception, though this is the similar line, which appears in Plato's Symposium. Love for Homer is romantic feeling, and this romanticism is expressed through the heroic deeds in Iliad. The war with Troy was tragic for both sides, but eventually it didn't assist in saving Helen. However, Iliad was the bright work of art, in which Love was something, which even Gods could feel. Conclusion Love has been exercised by plenty of authors, and in reality, Love in its various forms, appears to be the basic plot of the most of works of art.
It was of interest to have closer look at the three literary works and to compare the ways Love was defined and described in them. As the works belong to different periods of time, it appears that it may be considered to be the way the definition of Love developed through the human and literary history. As we look into the Bible, we see the definition of Love as a sacred feeling, without any tint of lust of sexual attraction; moreover, Love in the Bible is the Love towards God and towards people. It is interesting, that there is nothing said about love between a man and woman, and thus it remains unclear, how the people at that period viewed love between human beings, as the only way the Bible refers to it is 'brotherly love'. Plato appears to be wise enough to put the talk about Love in the form of debate, coming to the conclusion, that Love can be both common (earthly) and noble (of virtue). In addition, Plato writes that no matter whether Love is Noble or Common, it should be defined by virtues, as love without virtue, or based on deception, is ugly.
Plato was one of the first authors to speak about the love between rich and poor, thus including the social aspect into romantic feeling. For Homer Love is so romantic and powerful, that it may cause wars between the states. Despite the fact, that all works display love in different measurements and definitions, it carries one common line it is always positive and good, and it is always pleasant and desirable, no matter if it is towards other people, or between a man and a woman, or towards God.
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Research essay sample on Definition Of Love Man And A Woman
