Due Wed 3/28 - Plato assignment

1. Why do you think Plato (or anyone else) would want to censor Homer (yesterday the question was about Hesiod)?
I think that Plato wants to censor Homer because the Iliad shows a lot of things you shouldn’t teach your children. For example Achilles is always killing people, he cries because his war prize is taken away, they use words that shouldn’t be used like punk, and the Iliad is full of anger and revenge. People don’t want their kids reading this because it sets a bad example like Hesiod with the gods. So I think that this is why someone will try to censor Homer.
2. According to Plato, what are some aspects of poetry that should be banned and why?
Some aspects of poetry that should be banned are to stop talking about the after life, misrepresenting god with evil, the names in the underworld, and description of reputable characters. This is because it sends out the wrong message and it’s unsuitable for the ears of children.
3.What should poetry “teach” and why?
I don’t think that poetry should teach only one thing. I think poetry should teach a variety of things. For example it should about god, people, justice, law/government, culture, and society, because people need to know this, and it will help out the leaders to know this information.
4. If you were talking to Plato what would you say to him? Do you agree with his ideas? Do you think poetry, or literature in general, should be put to the purposes that he says it should?
If I was talking to Plato I would tell him that I do agree with him. I think that poets should not write about the gods and heroes being bad. Also about people harming each other, and I do think it’s giving kids a bad example. So I would agree with him and tell him that I think he’s right, and I would follow his laws/principals.