Why “The Origin Of Love” Can Be So Meaningful

If you’re a fan of the film or play version of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, then you may be familiar with the term "Origin of Love." In addition to being the name of one of the most famous songs from the film and play, this term originates from a myth conceived by the Greek philosopher Plato. Learning more about these interpretations of human love can help provide some valuable insight on how love might play a role in your life, whether in romantic and intimate relationships or simply for yourself and those you care about.

Symposium

Plato's Symposium is a philosophical text in which a group of important men attending a banquet give speeches in praise of Eros, the god of love. In ancient Greece, a symposium would take place after the meal. Because this was a time for celebration, including the drinking of wine, the speeches were often given under a veil of intoxication.

Since symposium participants were often inebriated when they delivered their speeches, the content of their speeches consisted of the type of things one might say after their inhibitions are stripped. This meant that what they said could either be full of self-importance or could be particularly poignant and honest—In vino veritas (“In wine, truth”), as the Latin saying goes.

In Plato's Symposium, the speakers included such philosophers and playwrights as Socrates, Phaedrus, and Aristophanes. Aristophanes was a respected comic playwright, so it can be up to interpretation whether his ideas on where love originated were heartfelt or simply comic relief. Greek scholars have, in fact, been known to debate this very concept. Aristophanes himself admits as a kind of disclaimer that his speech may be seen to be more "absurdist" than comedic.

Where does love come from? According to Plato

According to Plato's Aristophanes, love originates from the following myth.

A long time ago, there existed three different types of humans:

• The male, who came from the sun
• The female, who came from the earth
• The androgynous figure, who came from the moon and had both male and female aspects

Each of these humans had a round body, with four arms and four legs (eight limbs total). They also had two faces, one on each side of their head, and four ears. When they walked, they walked both forward and backward, and they ran by doing cartwheels, giving them a circular momentum.

Despite appearing rather goofy in both appearance and movement, these early humans were also incredibly powerful. As such, they devised a plan to head up to the heavens and take on the gods there. In response, Zeus split the humans in twain, separating each of them into two bodies.

This is where the concept of "looking for one's other half" comes in. So upset were the humans by this punishment that they continue to this day to try and find their "other half." And once one of these human types was lucky enough to find their other half, Aristophanes stated that they cling to each other for fear of ever being separated again.

Aristophanes then issued a warning that humans should not repeat their mistakes in thinking they could take on the gods. They should fear and worship the gods, or else they may risk being separated yet again, which would result in their hopping around on one leg. Instead, if humanity chooses to work with Eros, the god of love, then we can avoid such a fate and instead find our other half and once again be "whole."

"the origin of love" in Hedwig and the angry inch

In the play and film Hedwig and the Angry Inch, one of the most well-known songs is "The Origin of Love," which plays on the ideas laid out in Plato's Symposium.  Here, writer Stephen Trask says he wrote the lyrics to read like a picture book. 

In Hedwig, the main character is Hedwig, a genderqueer singer from East Germany who spends much of the film and play lamenting over a lost love who ran off, stealing Hedwig's music in the process. In her grief, Hedwig sings this song to illustrate her belief that everyone has a soulmate and that she is still looking for hers because the one that she believed to be hers - Tommy Gnosis - turned out not to be Mr. Right after all.

Tommy eventually forces Hedwig to confront her ideas on cosmic destiny in his reprise of Hedwig's "Wicked Little Town." It contains lyrics like "And there's no mystical design, no cosmic lover preassigned" and "Maybe there's nothing up in the sky but air," suggesting that Hedwig abandons these concepts so that she can free herself from Tommy and finally be able to move away from him and get on with her life.

What does it all mean?

If there is one thing to take away from these stories and what they have to say about love, it may be that there is no one right answer to whether you’re with the right person or if you need to pursue a partner at all. 

While ancient philosophers and thinkers may have introduced the idea of an “other half,” it may be more accurate to think of this need as one for social interaction and close, personal relationships. Because humans are social animals, it can be natural to have a strong, undying urge to know and be around other people who make us happy. 

Of course, if it brings you comfort or feels right to view someone you care about as your other half, soulmate, etc. that’s okay. But it can be potentially harmful to believe you must find someone – and not just anyone, the one – to feel like a complete person. “The Origin of Love” can teach us that getting caught up in this sort of assumption can limit us or make us feel an obligation to stay in situations that don’t make us happy. 

Finding advice on love in your life

If you often feel like you're missing your other half or are afraid you may never find the right answers for your own love life, it might help to speak to someone who understands and can offer guidance. A licensed mental health professional like a therapist can be a great person to turn to for this goal and more. 

Resources like online therapy can make it especially simple to talk to someone quickly and without hassle. You can join sessions right from your own home at a time that makes sense for your schedule. 

Research even suggests that online therapy can be a more cost-effective treatment option than traditional therapy. That means that speaking with a therapist through the web can help save you time, money, and stress, all while potentially giving you the tools you may need to feel confident navigating love of any kind.

Counselor reviews

Below are some testimonies from Regain users that show how working with the right professional can help you shed some light on the role love may play in your life:

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Takeaway

Stories like those of ancient philosophers and their more modern interpretations can help us understand how humans have felt about love through the ages. No matter what, one thing may be consistent: many of us feel the drive to form meaningful, lasting relationships with others. With the right help and support, you can feel empowered to pursue love as makes sense for you and your life.