Myth of Er
The myth of Er is a legend that concludes Plato’s Republic (10.614-10.621). It involves the man who died on the battlefield and returned to life nine days later. At this time, the man could recall what happed at the afterlife[1]. The myth includes the cosmos account and the afterlife, which had a significant impact on philosophical, scientific, and religious views (Theodore, 2017, 63). The story of Er has aroused various feelings, which range from deep admiration to intense feelings of depression. The myth triggers a wide range of judgment by multiple scholars who contrast it with the Annas’ assertions[2]. Er reports that the souls had traveled through the skies and decided to become a dictator. The lottery concept of lottery sees the souls make different decisions; however, having a prior experience (Corrias, 2019, 2). The purpose of this article is to describe the myth of Er and analyze its importance to the present-day audience. The essay will further discuss how the myth informs our encounters in their daily lives.
Description of the myth
The myth of Er explores the man who, during a battle, together with the souls of other combatants. The death of Er saw him being led to an extraordinary place that had four doors, with two of them being into and out of the sky[3]. The other two led into and out of the earth. The doors were guarded by judges who made decisions of the path to be followed by each soul. The sky exit had an involved clean soul, which gave revelations on how clean the place was. Contrary, souls that were dirty emerged from the earth and revealed the punishment endured concerning what they did while they were alive[4]. However, souls of murderers were trapped in the earth and never allowed to exit. The myth of Er depicts that people faced punishment depending on the level of crime committed before death (Pierre, 2019, 279).
In this situation, Er remained unjudged as he was told to see the entire process and report to human beings who were alive. Seven days after, the souls were led to the spindle of necessity, which was the ankle of the primordial goddess. At this point, each soul received a lottery, and they were to report on their requirement for the next life[5]. The question gave the first soul a chance to be a dictator, having traveled to the sky and back (Viktor, 2017, 76). The process was enlightenment to Er to understand that the souls who had gone to the sky had not faced punishment. Contrary, the souls which emerged from the earth had a history of bad deeds during their time on earth. The souls who were never allowed to come from the earth had massive criminal offenses while on earth.
After choosing the next step in their life, the souls were led to the throne of necessity in River Lethe which was to forget everything[6]. At this place, the souls were allowed to drink to allow them to forget their previous lives. After sleeping, new bodies were sent to the bodies, which were to lead their new lives (Yeoun, 2020, 63). The soul of Er did not have an opportunity of undergoing these processes and, therefore, could remember the past lives. In the morning, Er woke up and returned to his old body, which had not decomposed as the fellow soldiers saved him from the funeral pyre. The saving of the Er of the soldiers made him a legend and having the experience to explain the entire procedure to the human race.
This myth was evident in philosophers to justify that the decisions which people make have consequences. Good initial decision dictates fruitful results as poor decisions attract punishment[7]. The souls who came from the sky attracted positive outcomes, which are a contrast of the souls from the earth (Byron, 2016, 265). The other people who had a history of great crimes while on earth, such as murder, were never given new bodies. The myth thus educates people to make wise decisions while alive to avoid consequences in the afterlife. The tale applies to believers who are keen in the eschatology[8]. This myth is, therefore, educative through the provision of the expectations of the human race in the afterlife. It warns people to make independent choices as they will be personally liable for their decisions.
Analysis of the significance of present-day audience
Various religions have a belief in the existence of God. The story that God lives and he will come to save humanity resonates to be a key determinant of the behavior of humans[9]. Religious practices educate human beings on the morals which are Godly and others that are anti-god (Catherine, 2017, 32). These teaching argue that people who live according to the expectations will enter heaven, which is a place of no suffering. Theoretically, religious teaching enlightens people that God lives above the sky, which is also apparent in the myth of Er. The myth supports the religious belief that those people who are clean and with no sin will go above the sky[10]. The myth is, therefore, significant to the present-day human beings in supporting their religious beliefs on the existence of God.
Further on religious teachings, it is evident that the myth supports the arguments that on the afterlife. Most present-day religious practices believe in the idea of suffering and eternity. The individuals who practice the requirement of God and follow religious teachings will not suffer but enjoy eternal life. Contrary, the people who do unrequired practices will face eternal death. The argument has strong support from the myth, which argues that people who had a history of vast crimes were remained buried in the earth. Such humans were not given new bodies as they were allowed to die[11]. The suffering is contrary to the people who came from the skies. This group did not face a single punishment, which depicts eternity in the afterlife (Biljana, 2017, 312). The myth is thus vital to present-day Christians as it helps them to understand the value of good deeds.
The myth of Er educates human-kind to learn that choices attract consequences that depend on the intensity of the crime. The tale exposes the suffering levels evident in three groups of people who practiced different levels of crimes before death. The consequences in the afterlife depend on their behaviors at the time when they were alive. In this case, human beings receive a warning of practicing positive deeds to avoid punishment shortly. The warning goes beyond death to what may follow after natural death. This tale, therefore, approves individuals who practice positive practices to avoid judgment. The degree of punishment that people face depends on the intensity of the crimes evident. On the other hand, individuals who are spotless face no punishment. Generally, the tale of Er serves as a warning to people in understanding that their choices attract similar intensity of punishment.
The tale plays a critical role in restraining the moral behavior of humans from avoiding negative consequences in the future. The worldly advantageous which human beings endure is to be utilized appropriately. The negative usage of the crucial advantages will imply a negative consequence and judgment[12]. The myth informs people that the decisions that they make while on earth are irreversible, and therefore, they should utilize them appropriately. The information is vital in fostering responsibility among living human beings in their daily practices. The enforcing of responsibility is central to the realization of humanity and togetherness among the involved people.
How Er myth creates the aspect of otherness
The myth explores on three groups of people who made different choices while on earth. The punishment evident on each individual depends on the crime apparent before death. The consequence educates contemporary beings that the world is diverse, and therefore people should not mimic each other as the outcome is different[13]. The concept of otherness is evident, as Plato’s concept allows them to make decisions that will later attract consequences. The myth informs human beings that judgment is individual, and therefore each individual should make a rational judgment concerning the expectation of the afterlife (Micheal, 2019, 113). The tale of Er explores the concept of free will as the diverse understands the consequences of every practice on earth. The information is crucial in helping the individuals of society to make a more rational decision in each state of life.
The concept of free will in the tale signifies that all individuals of society know the required norms. Consequently, the individuals have different goals both in the present day and the afterlife. The ability to understand the goals differently makes people have a different view on the myth of Er. The concept shows that people make different choices regardless of a similar warning. The myth shows how some souls make nasty and foolish choices regardless of understanding the horrible self. In this case, people had a similar experience before the war; however, they made diverse choices. The ones who made correct choices enjoyed the fruits of their success as they never got punished[14]. The outcome of the tale enlightens the users of the myth not to follow crowds since the desired outcome is different.
The idea of otherness is apparent on different on the treatment of the three groups of people. The first group which does not have a case regarding sinuses the path and the doors which are heading to the sky. The other two groups which have records of sin, on the other hand, use the doors heading to earth[15]. The use of two different paths by the various groups of people informs people that different paths lead to different destinations. The way which was heading to the earth was of the evil while those doors of the skies were for the holy. The aspect of alternity is, therefore, apparent to teach people to be themselves. The otherness concept is, therefore, a vital aspect in the myth to guide people on the importance of being self-reliant[16]. Generally, the tale explores the concept of otherness by using different doors to different groups of people.
The issuing of the lottery episode also sees people make different decisions regardless of the experience. Some people selected the route of the sky as other chosen people that of the earth. Past experiences of the people did not influence effective decision making among them[17]. People who chose the path of going to the sky receive no punishment as those who decided earth destination receive suffering. The evidence signifies that regardless of the experience fostered on people, they will select different choices. The choice made by the souls creates the idea of otherness among the individuals involved[18]. The enlightenment urges individuals to make independent decisions based on their experiences and goals. The souls that had an excellent experience on earth chose the destination as others chose the sky.
Conclusion
The paper has posted literature on the myth of Er and its influence on humanity. The tale was brought about by Plato to educate the people on making independent choices and that they attract various degrees of consequences. The myth of Er reveals the man who was killed during the unknown war and resurrected ten days after the war[19]. Er narrates the experience of the afterlife as the judges select various people to go to eternity as others face punishment. The intensity of punishment levied on the offenders depends on the crime done. This myth has a significant impact on contemporary society as it supports the idea of the afterlife. The tale is also crucial to help the concept of religious believers that life exists after death (Micheal, 2019, 112). The story is also vital in the idea of otherness as different people faced various treatments. It thus enlightens people to be independent as every individual will face a different judgment depending on the choice made.
Bibliography
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[1] Bergren Theodore, Plato’s Myth of Er, (Numen, 2017) 64
[2] Corrias Anna. Spinning the Wholrls Spindle (2019) 2
[3] Destrée Pierre. Myth Inside the Walls (2019) 279
[4] Ilievski Viktor. Lot-Casting Devine Interference (2017) 76
[5] Keum Tae-Yeoun. Plato’s Myth of Er (2020) 66
[6] Ibid., 67
[7], MacDougall Byron. The Book of Isis and Myth of Er (2016) 267
[8] Ibid., 271
[9] Malabou, Catherine. A Contemporary Reading of Myth of Er (2017) 30
[10] Oklopčić Biljana. Adapting the Adapted Black Rapist (2017). 315
[11] Ibid., 321
[12] Ibid., 322
[13] Weinman Michael. The Myth of Er as a Rationalizing Record (2019) 111
[14] Ibid., 113
[15] Ibid., 115
[16] Ibid., 119
[17] Corrias, Spinning the Whorls, 64
[18] Ibid., 68
[19] Ibid., 71