Phaedo Four Levels
Four levels of the story Phaedo are given below:
Literal Comprehension
The story “PHAEDO” was written by Plato ( 428/427–348/347 BC). In this story, Echecrates asks Phaedo to tell him about Socrates’ death and Phaedo feels happy to remember his friend Socrates in the final hour of his life.
He says we used to go visit Socrates every day. We always spent some time with Socrates, also Crito together. Socrates went to another room to bathe and when he had taken his bath his children were brought to see him.
He had two little sons, one big boy, and a woman, Socrates told to woman and children to go away reacting with tears.
While Socrates drank poison happily, he had said his last word to Crito, we ought to offer a cock to Asclepius. Then his family, friends, and relatives are weeping by remembering him.
Interpretation
This story says we used to live our lives without fear as well as we can gain something from our life which makes our life comfortable.
If we do not gain those things we have used to live our lives with fear or to do like Socrates. This story also says it is important to live.
Also, to get respect in our society we have to gain some valuable things from our life before we die. The main thing he has said, every story has an end but in life, every end is just a new beginning. In the story, he has said my death is born of another.
Critical Thinking/Analysis
In this story whatever Socrates has done is difficult to believe. Also, he is a brave man who easily drinks poison. Seeing his activities I have some doubts ‘
- Can a man easily drink poison so happily?
- He does not like to live?
- Can he weariness from his life?
- Is it possible to believe whatever Socrates has done?
Assimilation
Before reading this text I did have not good knowledge about the importance of life. But after reading this text I know, we can make our lives valuable. And, I have the desire to do something which helps my life make valuable.
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