Ring Of Gyges Analysis
The Ring of Gyges The " Ring of Gyges " is a short story from Plato s book, The Republic, written around the fifth century, B.C. Plato believed in an absolute truth and a greater good in mankind, " Ring of Gyges " is a parable told by Glaucon, who retained a more cynical view on us as humans. Glaucon's argument is all people, given the chance to do wrong without consequence, will always do just that. He has no faith in man's desire to do good, or act in a just" manner. This excerpt from the mentioned book, is a conversation between Plato and Glaucon, Glaucon does most of the talking, telling his story of the shepherd from Lydia.
In the "Ring of Gyges", Glaucon tells of a shepherd, named Gyges, who was under the service of the king of Lydia. One day while Gyges was tending the flock, a great earthquake came and made an opening in the earth where he happened to be standing. His curiosity led him into the hole, where he is met by many marvels, including the resting place of what he refers to as, a god-like king. Gyges spots and removes a ring from the finger of the dead body lying in this crater, and then climbs back to the surface of the earth. Once back on solid ground he …show more content…
In the beginning of the story, Gyges removes the ring from the hand of a dead man, what he perceives as a god-like king. It strikes me odd that this is a parable of someone who is "just" becoming "unjust" in the presence of immunity, when clearly this man is a thief to begin with! Gyges obviously thought the deceased something due respect, he refers to it both as "more than human" and a "body of stature", yet he stole the ring anyway. Although there may be some gray areas in unique situations, I believe those who are just because of sincere and stable beliefs and not because of compromised laws, will almost always remain just in the face of injustice. I understand people to be complex beings, capable of choice and change, good and
In the "Ring of Gyges", Glaucon tells of a shepherd, named Gyges, who was under the service of the king of Lydia. One day while Gyges was tending the flock, a great earthquake came and made an opening in the earth where he happened to be standing. His curiosity led him into the hole, where he is met by many marvels, including the resting place of what he refers to as, a god-like king. Gyges spots and removes a ring from the finger of the dead body lying in this crater, and then climbs back to the surface of the earth. Once back on solid ground he …show more content…
In the beginning of the story, Gyges removes the ring from the hand of a dead man, what he perceives as a god-like king. It strikes me odd that this is a parable of someone who is "just" becoming "unjust" in the presence of immunity, when clearly this man is a thief to begin with! Gyges obviously thought the deceased something due respect, he refers to it both as "more than human" and a "body of stature", yet he stole the ring anyway. Although there may be some gray areas in unique situations, I believe those who are just because of sincere and stable beliefs and not because of compromised laws, will almost always remain just in the face of injustice. I understand people to be complex beings, capable of choice and change, good and