Prose Set Text Group 1 (2023–24): Plato, Symposium 189c2–194e2 — OCR A-Level Greek

Plato's Symposium is a philosophical dialogue exploring the nature of love (eros). In the passage 189c2–194e2, the comic playwright Aristophanes delivers his famous speech on the origin of love, which he presents as a myth. According to Aristophanes, humans were originally spherical beings with four arms, four legs, and two faces. They were powerful and attempted to storm Olympus, so Zeus split them in half as a punishment. Since then, each half longs to reunite with its other half, and this desire for wholeness is what we call love. This speech is crucial for understanding Plato's broader argument about love as a desire for completion and immortality.

Aristophanes' speech is significant not only for its content but also for its position in the dialogue. It follows Phaedrus and Pausanias' speeches and precedes Agathon's and Socrates' (via Diotima). It introduces a humorous yet profound perspective that contrasts with the more rational and idealistic views of other speakers. The myth also raises questions about human nature, gender, and the relationship between the physical and the spiritual. For OCR A-Level students, this passage is a set text for Prose Set Text Group 1 (2023–24), requiring close analysis of language, style, and philosophical themes.

Understanding this passage requires familiarity with Greek vocabulary for body parts, emotions, and actions, as well as the use of particles and sentence structures typical of Plato's style. The myth itself is a rich source of literary and philosophical analysis, often used to discuss the concept of soulmates and the idea that love is a fundamental human drive. Students should be prepared to translate the Greek accurately and comment on how Aristophanes' speech contributes to the overall argument of the Symposium.

• →The myth of the spherical humans: originally humans were whole beings with two sets of limbs and faces, split by Zeus as punishment for their hubris.
• →Eros as the desire for wholeness: love is the longing to reunite with one's other half, seeking completeness and healing the original split.
• →Three original genders: male (from the sun), female (from the earth), and androgynous (from the moon), explaining different sexual orientations.
• →Hubris and divine punishment: the spherical humans' attempt to attack the gods leads to their division, teaching humility.
• →The role of Hephaestus: the god of craftsmanship is imagined offering to fuse lovers together, symbolizing the ultimate desire for unity.

• Demonstrate detailed knowledge and understanding of the prose set text.
• Understand and appreciate the literary context of the set text through reading an appropriate selection of ancient literature in English translation.
• Understand and appreciate the social, cultural and historical contexts for the set text, its author and audience.
• Identify, analyse and evaluate literary techniques, characterisation, strength of argument and literary meaning in the set text.
• Use appropriate technical terms in English to describe the literary techniques and features of the set text.
• Demonstrate appropriate historical and/or cultural knowledge when necessary for the understanding or evaluation of a given phrase, sentence or passage.
• Appropriately select relevant information from the material studied to support an argument and analyse and summarise findings.
• Present relevant information in a clear, concise and coherent manner whilst writing at length, using appropriate terminology in English.

• 💡Ensure you have read the required sections of the Symposium in English translation to provide context for the set text.
• 💡Focus on identifying and analysing literary techniques used by Plato to convey the character of Aristophanes and his argument.
• 💡Be prepared to discuss the social and cultural context of the Symposium, including the nature of the dialogue and the participants.
• 💡Use technical terminology accurately when describing literary features.
• 💡When translating, pay close attention to particles like μὲν...δὲ and γάρ, as they structure the argument and show contrast or explanation. Use them to guide your translation and analysis.
• 💡For literary analysis, focus on how Aristophanes' use of humour (e.g., the image of Hephaestus welding lovers together) enhances the philosophical message. Examiners reward comments on tone and effect.
• 💡In essays, connect Aristophanes' speech to the wider Symposium: compare it with Diotima's ladder of love (210a–212a) to show how Plato builds from physical desire to spiritual contemplation.

• Misconception: Aristophanes' speech is purely comedic and not meant to be taken seriously. Correction: While delivered by a comic playwright, the speech contains serious philosophical insights about human nature and love, and it is integrated into the dialogue's overall argument.
• Misconception: The myth suggests that love is only about finding a romantic partner. Correction: The myth emphasizes the desire for wholeness, which can apply to friendships, family, and other forms of connection, not just romantic love.
• Misconception: The three genders correspond to modern concepts of sexual orientation. Correction: Plato's categories are based on the original spherical beings' composition (male, female, androgynous) and explain attraction to same or opposite sexes, but they do not map neatly onto modern LGBTQ+ identities.