In Allegory, why is the freed prisoner literally blinded in each case in the story?

Question

Explain what his blindness in each case means on a deeper level.

Answer 1

Do you mean Plato's allegory of the cave? Here is link to information on it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plato's_cave
Here is a commentary on it that discusses the blindness:
http://www.fred.net/tzaka/plato2.html

One should not confuse the apparent blindness (of confusion and wise ignorance) with the real blindness of being unable to see the ideal forms. The prisoners (jurors) see how young men become temporarily "blinded" by Socrates, and they wish to put him to death, for they have never set eyes on absolute justice etc. and they think their opinions are absolute. Socrates is put on trial and given the hemlock for leading citizens out of the cave (education).