An Analysis Of Plato's Allegory Of The Cave

Plato’s Allegory of the Cave Plato was a protégé of Socrates and an idealist philosopher during the classical Greek period that helped to form the base of philosophy as is known in today’s western world. He formed his own ideology called “Platonic Idealism” which is the idea that the visible world is not the most real form of reality placing the truest form of reality on unchanging, eternal and objectively existing forms. Plato often wrote allegories to express his world view and to allow his audience to realize Plato’s ideas on their own terms. Plato wrote the myth of the cave to show through metaphor and allegory how an ordinary person can gain enlightenment, become a philosopher and attempt to teach others of this knowledge. The “Myth of the Cave” first begins with prisoners in a dark cave that are bound and shackled to a wall. On the other side of this wall, there are beings walking in front of a fire while carrying objects of various size and shape. The light from the fire causes shadows to be cast in front of the slaves. The slaves believe that these shadows are able to speak and thus are sentient. One slave becomes free from his shackles and begins his journey for the outer world. On his way to the outer world he goes over rough terrain before he is dazzled by the light of the sun. Once his eyes adjust to the outer world he first sees reflections in the water and shadows then sees the objects themselves. He turns his gaze to the sun and realizes that the sun is the