Loving Wisely: Gender, Wisdom, and Ourania in Xenophon's Symposium

Abstract

Xenophon’s Symposium details a dinner party including Socrates in a manner like Plato’s Symposium. Also similar to Plato’s Symposium, Xenophon’s Socrates speaks on the nature of love, and the different types of love; Ourania, heavenly, and Pandemos, common. How are gender and wisdom linked to the idea of Ourania, or heavenly love between souls, as depicted in Xenophon’s Symposium? This paper will discuss whether women are capable of Ourania, which is traditionally reserved for only men. To answer this question, this paper will first show how wisdom is inherently tied to Ourania. This is because the love of souls involves knowledge of the soul, which is wisdom, or sophia. Then, it goes on to argue that virtues, including wisdom, can be taught. Finally, women are reintroduced, and it is argued that women can be taught wisdom. Consequently, this paperconcludes that women are capable of Ourania, for their souls can be wise.