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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"You young gods, new in rule—you think you dwell in towers that never topple. Have I not seen tyrants twice already hurled from them?"
This play is so metal.
The way the Prometheus myth is developed in this is so interesting, as is seeing how this archetype has been played out in contemporary art and literature. There's always something so satisfying about going back to the root and being like, wow, this is where all that came from. You can see why this story has so inspired people.
It's sad that we'll never know the complete version of this trilogy, but I honestly love how powerful the bleak ending of this is.
(this is for the James Romm translation)
This play is so metal.
The way the Prometheus myth is developed in this is so interesting, as is seeing how this archetype has been played out in contemporary art and literature. There's always something so satisfying about going back to the root and being like, wow, this is where all that came from. You can see why this story has so inspired people.
It's sad that we'll never know the complete version of this trilogy, but I honestly love how powerful the bleak ending of this is.
(this is for the James Romm translation)
Unfortunately, depending on the edition read, different names are used. I encountered this difficulty reading this for an English course. Other than that, the language tends to be convoluted, though the story itself is fairly engaging.
The Prometheus myth, merely one of many in the Grecian world, gets a feature treatment in this early Aeschylus play, one where Prometheus is portrayed as a fallen hero and an extremely sympathetic figure.
I am a fan of Greek dramas, but I find that often women are portrayed overtly negatively. As a woman this can be disheartening. In this play however, I did not find myself objecting to the portrayal of women. True there are few in the text, but there are few characters in general. The voice of the chorus is feminine, and both empathetic, observant and rebellious, at appropriate times. Likewise the depictions of Io as the only other female character I found not insulting. Yes she is the 'damsel in distress' ancient texts are usually so fond of, but she is not simpering. I found myself instead pitying her because her lack of agency was not self-imposed, but divine in nature.
dark
inspiring
medium-paced
“Do you think I will crouch before your gods, so new, and tremble?”
This should actually be called Prometheus BAMF.
This should actually be called Prometheus BAMF.
Beautiful, a classic. Elegant, mythical and laudable tragedy, unmatched by later works. Prometheus, a divinity, epitomizes the faulted, emotional human. "Prometheus Bound" is the majestic narration of a god's repudiation of power, rejection of authority and consequent monumental punishment, all caused by the love for the helpless, weak humans. To read this play is to enter a faraway, ancient and legendary dimension, where aesthetic beauty holds sway.
I probably should have read this play before [b:Prometheus Unbound (Percy B Shelley)|80577|Prometheus Unbound|Percy Bysshe Shelley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347924350l/80577._SX50_.jpg|933800] (his retelling of Aeschylus’s trilogy, Prometheus Bound is the only one of the three that survives).
Not knowing what to expect, this was a surprising read, and I can see how this inspired Percy B Shelley.
It was also good to read this to see Prometheus’s unwavering heroics as dialogue rather than as part of a story that tells the Greek Myths.
My favourite character was Hephaestus in how he expressed his hesitation to chain Prometheus to the rock.
I also liked how we learn more about Io’s part in Prometheus’s rescue.
My favourite moment was the chorus echoing Prometheus’s heroism. They are responding to Mercury, who is asking them to leave. The Chorus answer back with:
As you can see from this quote, not the easiest translation to read but got easier with a second reading. I chose this one in the public domain by Theodore Alois Buckley, published in 1887. For now, I wanted to get familiar with this story as told by Aeschylus before looking for one that is translated recently.
Not knowing what to expect, this was a surprising read, and I can see how this inspired Percy B Shelley.
It was also good to read this to see Prometheus’s unwavering heroics as dialogue rather than as part of a story that tells the Greek Myths.
My favourite character was Hephaestus in how he expressed his hesitation to chain Prometheus to the rock.
I also liked how we learn more about Io’s part in Prometheus’s rescue.
My favourite moment was the chorus echoing Prometheus’s heroism. They are responding to Mercury, who is asking them to leave. The Chorus answer back with:
Utter and advise me to something else, in which too thou mayest prevail upon me; for in this, be sure, thou hast intruded a proposal not to be borne. How is it that thou urgest me to practice baseness? Along with him here I am willing to endure what is destined, for I have learned to abhor traitors; and there is no evil which I hold in greater abomination.
As you can see from this quote, not the easiest translation to read but got easier with a second reading. I chose this one in the public domain by Theodore Alois Buckley, published in 1887. For now, I wanted to get familiar with this story as told by Aeschylus before looking for one that is translated recently.
(8/30/2022) *Pretentious review ahead*
Ah, Prometheus. Was he right in his actions? Should he have stepped out of his given bounds to do what he believed was the right thing?
While the big thing Prometheus is known for is giving fire to the just-made humans, Prometheus gave humanity more than fire. He gave intelligence, wisdom, memory, ships, the breaking of animals to ride and yoke, drugs/medicine, prophecy and divination, fire, and metals to people. In short: human culture.
For some reason, this made Zeus unhappy. Chained-to-a-rock-and-having-your-liver-eaten-by-a-hawk-daily levels of unhappy.
The play deals mostly with the consequences of Prometheus’ acts. Prometheus states: “No one dared stand up against this thing but me! I alone had the courage. I saved humanity from going down smashed to bits into the cave of death” (347-352). (Io also comes in briefly, serving as yet another example of Zeus’ immorality and tyranny.)
If I had to wager a guess, the play endures in part because of its sense of overarching morality. If we’re talking about morality, our human laws work best when they correspond to a higher moral law. When laws don’t correspond to a universal overarching standard of morality, we say they’re unjust. The Chorus harps on the tyrannical rulings of Zeus, stating: “His rules are new, they’re raw. He rules beyond the law.” (222-223). Morality is a big theme of the play. Was Zeus right in his actions? The chorus and the audience say “no.”
Prometheus states: “I meant to be wrong. I knew what I was doing. Helping humankind I helped myself to misery” (406-409). Prometheus did the right thing, though it cost him.
However, the Chorus asks: “Tell us, what’s the use of doing good when there’s no good in it for you?” (798-800)
That’s a great question.
But perhaps the stronger question is: would we have the same courage to do the right thing, even when faced with certain abandonment, exile, and tortuous punishment?
Ah, Prometheus. Was he right in his actions? Should he have stepped out of his given bounds to do what he believed was the right thing?
While the big thing Prometheus is known for is giving fire to the just-made humans, Prometheus gave humanity more than fire. He gave intelligence, wisdom, memory, ships, the breaking of animals to ride and yoke, drugs/medicine, prophecy and divination, fire, and metals to people. In short: human culture.
For some reason, this made Zeus unhappy. Chained-to-a-rock-and-having-your-liver-eaten-by-a-hawk-daily levels of unhappy.
The play deals mostly with the consequences of Prometheus’ acts. Prometheus states: “No one dared stand up against this thing but me! I alone had the courage. I saved humanity from going down smashed to bits into the cave of death” (347-352). (Io also comes in briefly, serving as yet another example of Zeus’ immorality and tyranny.)
If I had to wager a guess, the play endures in part because of its sense of overarching morality. If we’re talking about morality, our human laws work best when they correspond to a higher moral law. When laws don’t correspond to a universal overarching standard of morality, we say they’re unjust. The Chorus harps on the tyrannical rulings of Zeus, stating: “His rules are new, they’re raw. He rules beyond the law.” (222-223). Morality is a big theme of the play. Was Zeus right in his actions? The chorus and the audience say “no.”
Prometheus states: “I meant to be wrong. I knew what I was doing. Helping humankind I helped myself to misery” (406-409). Prometheus did the right thing, though it cost him.
However, the Chorus asks: “Tell us, what’s the use of doing good when there’s no good in it for you?” (798-800)
That’s a great question.
But perhaps the stronger question is: would we have the same courage to do the right thing, even when faced with certain abandonment, exile, and tortuous punishment?
fast-paced