In “The Allegory of the Cave,” Plato describes the philosopher king as an enlightened individual who returns to the cave to rule selflessly over the cave dwellers to achieve the greater good for all. Thus, philosopher kings are given the responsibility of leading society due to their attainment of true knowledge, while the cave dwellers continue to live in a world of shadows (ignorance). In Miguel de Unamuno’s “Saint Manuel Bueno, Martyr,” Don Manuel is the spiritual leader of a small Spanish village; however, while untiringly instilling religious faith in the villagers, Manuel himself does not believe in god or the afterlife. In this sense, Manuel, similar to Plato’s philosopher king, carries a truth the villagers have no knowledge of while also perpetuating an illusion (existence of god and afterlife). To what extent is Manuel’s position in his village similar to a philosopher king in the Plato’s cave? Why do the enlightened figures in both Plato’s allegory and de Unamuno’s story work to preserve an illusion rather than share the truth with everyone?
