Feminist Interpretations of Plato (Re-Reading the Canon)

The essays in this anthology explore the full spectrum of Plato's philosophy and are representative of the variety of perspectives within feminist criticism. The essays in the first section focus primarily on Plato's social and political theory, and in particular the place of women within the state. The second section concentrates on examining the role of the feminine within Plato's metaphysics and epistemology. Tuana introduces both sections and a detailed bibliography is included. ContentsI. Plato on WomenGregory Vlastos/Was Plato a Feminist?Janet Farrell Smith/Plato, Irony, and EqualityMonique Canto/The Politics of Women's Bodies: Reflections on Plato (translated by Arthur Goldhammer)Arlene W. Saxonhouse/The Philosopher and the Female in the Political Thought of PlatoElizabeth Spelman/Hairy Cobblers and Philosopher-QueensNatalie Harris Bluestone/Why Women Cannot Rule: Sexism in Plato ScholarshipII. Plato and the FemininePage duBois/The Platonic Appropriation of ReproductionWendy Brown/"Supposing Truth Were A Women. . .": Plato's Subversion of Masculine DiscourseLuce Irigaray/Sorcerer Love: A Reading of Plato's Symposium, Diotima's Speech (translated by Eleanor H. Kuykendall)Andrea Nye/Irigaray and Diotima at Plato's SymposiumCynthia Hampton/Overcoming Dualism: The Importance of the Intermediate in Plato's PhilebusNancy Tuana and William Cowling/The Presence and Absence of the Feminine in Plato's Philosophy