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Prometheus Bound

Because he steals fire from Olympus and gives it to mortals, Prometheus is punished by Zeus. If we look at the play from its broadest theme, we can see it is about the conflict between absolute authority, Zeus, and absolute obstinacy or resistance to authority, Prometheus. At the beginning of the play, Prometheus is being nailed and chained to a rocky crag in the remote Caucasus Mountains of Scythia. He enters in silence, but by the end of the play he is portrayed as important enough of a personage that Zeus pays attention to him while he utters his final words that Zeus’ promised cataclysms are coming true. Thus, there is not clear-cut victor between absolute authority and absolute resistance to it. To better understand this conflict we will look at three main aspects that define Prometheus’ nature: disloyalty; persuasiveness; caring (concern for humanity). It is these three aspects of Prometheus’ personality which win our sympathy for him, even though he has been disloyal and stolen from Zeus.

Prometheus has been disloyal to the gods by being responsible for the theft of fire which he delivers to the mortals. Because of this he symbolizes human progress, even though Zeus’ punishment is harsh and exacting. Prometheus is chained and tortured for his perceived disloyalty. We understand from Force that he must learn to obey Zeus’ absolute authority “Your flaming flower he stole to give to men, / fire, the master craftsman, through whose power / all things are wrought, and for such error now / he must repay the gods; be taught to yield / to Zeus’ lordship and to cease / from his man-loving way” (Mack 307). Thus, part of the dilemma of the two extremes of authority and resistance to it is created by the fact that though Prometheus has been disloyal, he did so for the good of man and is punished harshly for it.

Persuasiveness also appears to be a main aspect of the character of Pro

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Prometheus Bound. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 16:39, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1686162.html