"The imitation of the action being what we know as the plot."(Hutton 63). .
Plato, a Greek philosopher was among the most important and creative thinkers of the ancient world. He was born in Athens in 428 BC to an aristocratic and well-off family. Even as a young child Plato was familiar with political life because his father, Ariston was the last king of Athens. Ariston died when Plato was a young boy. J.J O"Connor states that, "However, the excessive Athenian political life, which was under the oligarchical rule of the Thirty Tyrants and the restored democracy, seem to have forced him to give up any ambitions of political life."(1). In 388 BC he journeyed to Italy and Sicily, where he became the friend of Dionysius the ruler of Syracuse, and his brother-in-law Dion. The following year he returned to Athens, where he devoted his time to research and instruction in philosophy and the sciences. Most of his life thereafter was spent in teaching and guiding these activities. In 347 BC Plato died, while his published writings are all still live. The writings consist of some twenty-six dramatic dialogues on philosophy and related themes. O"Connor states, "The philosopher Socrates was a close friend of Plato's family as well as his teacher."(3). "Plato's writings attest to great influence on him."(O"Conner 3). This could be a good explanation to why Plato uses Socrates to voice his own opinions about his Ideal State.
William Prynne, born October 24, 1669 "was a Puritan who felt strongly against the church policy of Argbishop of Canterbury William Laud."(Heywood 1). He began attacking on the Armenian high church policies of the government after graduating in law from Oxford University. Simon Heywood claims that, "Being like many Puritans, Prynne was strongly opposed to stage plays."(1). His views were voiced in his turgid Histriomastix, a denunciation of actresses "which was widely felt to be an attack of Queen Henrietta Maria.
