Socrates in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries

With contributions by both established and rising scholars, Socrates in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries surveys interpretations and uses of this most iconic of all ancient philosophers over the past two centuries, principally outside the confines of formal philosophy. The representations discussed range from the hugely influential readings of Hegel, Kierkegaard and Nietzsche, to presentations and exploitations of Socrates in twentieth-century American political discourse and Cold War Bulgaria. Special attention is given to perceptions inspired - in drama, music and visual art - by the Socrates of Plato's Symposium. A companion volume deals with Socrates from Antiquity to the Enlightenment.