He suddenly recalled from Plato's Symposium: People were hermaphrodites until God split them in two, and now all the halves wander the world over seeking one another. Love is the longing for the half of ourselves we have lost.
In Milan Kundera's "The Unbearable Lightness of Being," the author explores the profound concept of love through the lens of Plato's Symposium. He reflects on the idea that humans were once whole beings, or hermaphrodites, until divine intervention separated them into two halves. This separation results in a constant yearning for the other half, a longing that defines the essence of romantic love.
The quote underscores the emotional and existential quest that individuals embark on in their relationships. The struggle to find one's lost half symbolizes a deeper search for identity and completeness, illustrating how love is intertwined with our sense of self and connection to others.
