Plato's 'Symposium': A Reader's Guide

Description

This is a student-friendly introduction to a key text in Ancient Philosophy. In many regards the dialectical counterpart of the Republic, the Symposium is one of the richest and most influential of the Platonic dialogues, resonating not only with Western philosophy, but also with literature art and theology. While Plato ostensibly dramatizes a humorous account of a drinking party, he presents a profoundly serious explication of Eros that challenges the limits of reason, the nature of gender, identity and narrative form. Plato's Symposium: A Reader's Guide presents a concise introduction to the text, offering invaluable guidance on: historical, literary and philosophical context; key themes; reading the text; reception and influence; and, further reading. Continuum Reader's Guides are clear, concise and accessible introductions to key texts in literature and philosophy. Each book explores the themes, context, criticism and influence of key works, providing a practical introduction to close reading, guiding students towards a thorough understanding of the text. They provide an essential, up-to-date resource, ideal for undergraduate students.

Thomas L. Cooksey is Professor of English and Philosophy at Armstrong Atlantic State University, USA. His previous publications include Masterpieces of Philosophical Literature (Greenwood Press, 2006) and Masterpieces of Non-Western World Literature (Greenwood Press, 2007).

'The Symposium is at once an attractive work for general readers and a demanding one for students. Both need the guidance which Thomas Cooksey here aims to provide, on the whole successfully.' -- The Anglo-Hellenic Review Thomas Cooksey's commentary on Plato's Symposium fills an important and hitherto neglected niche in recent scholarship on this dialogue... [His] analysis of the Symposium offers clear and engaging reviews of the text without downplaying its complexity, and it does much to open up discussion of the text, and impel readers to engage with the dialogue for themselves. It is certainly the best available introduction to the Symposium for beginners in Plato. -- Anthony Hooper, The University of Sydney * Prudentia *