The Republic by Plato (Book Review Sample)

A Review of "The Republic”
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A Review of "The Republic”
In essence, The Republic is one long argument on why an individual should lead a just life in respect to the other option of living a life of riches, ambition, pleasure or power. The concern of this book is the nature of human soul and its preparation for eternity. The book is considerably a flawed masterpiece of the western literature exhibiting a dialogue kind of presentation between Socrates and three other interlocutors. The book is a classic text that makes the inquiry into the notion of an ideal society and the perfection of its elements. I propose therefore that we inquire into the nature of justice and injustice, first as they appear in the State, and secondly in the individual, proceeding from the greater to the lesser and comparing them. (2.368e—369a) (Plato 1944).
Among the various questions raised in the text, the most interesting was "Why is it easy to understand a concept in the ideal, and so difficult to understand it in reality?" (Plato 1944). The question makes sense and the entire idea in the book makes sense too, mostly, some of it. However, the idea of discovering justice is still controversial based on the various valid but contrary arguments presented ...