Book X

In Book X of The Republic,Socrates banishes all artists from his ideal state. Socrates tells Glaucon that artists only get close to a representation of the truth and therefore pulling the observers of their works into the world of becoming. I like the example of the table that Socrates portrays, it was clear to understand his point of view. Socrates explains that a true table is the idea of a table and therefore a physical representation of one is not the truth. However, even more separated from the truth is the painting of a table whose image is only portraying physical tables. I understand that Socrates is trying to point out that art is far from reality, but I do not see why that is necessarily a bad thing. Socrates believes it can corrupt the minds of ignorant people who might know nothing of what the painting  is portraying. Artistic work is not an aim of reality and that is why is not corruptive. If the intention of art was to educate in all matter, then art should be limited to only truthful representations, but since art is not that, it is open to illustrate anything and encourage imagination. Along with artists, Socrates bans poets too. Like a painting, the work of poets are only imitations of imitations. Socrates critiques Homer for portraying virtuous actions in his stories because for Socrates, Homer does not know these virtuous actions, he is only portraying them. I disagree with Socrates in that Homer's depictions of virtue can't be useful,  because I believe that through his stories of glorious battles and mighty characters many have been encouraged to be as courageous as some of the men in the stories.