ABSTRACT
Among the many issues facing contemporary feminism, perhaps the most interesting is the postmodern deconstruction of the history of philosophy. Many feminist thinkers address the extent to which writers like Jacques Lacan and Jacques Derrida break with the phallogocentrism of their intellectual heritage. This chapter shows that Diotima tells some narratives. It explores why Diotima employs these narratives to promote Socrates’ philosophical education. The chapter also shows that Socrates appropriates Diotima’s narrative methodology for his own pedagogical purposes. It describes Plato recognizes both the pedagogical power of telling narratives and the limitations of Socrates’ particular narrative approach. While philosophical awakening can arise through an exchange with other people, it is clear that philosophy is also an inward journey. Narrative analysis can enhance a feminist interpretation of Diotima by showing that in the Symposium, Plato produces an account of truth tethered to the female. Plato, like the dramatic characters he invents, also recognizes the pedagogical power of telling narratives.
