Prometheus Bound: Analysis of Major Characters
"Prometheus Bound" is a classical Greek tragedy that explores themes of defiance, suffering, and prophecy through its major characters. The central figure, Prometheus, is a Titan who defied Zeus by bringing fire to humanity, symbolizing the quest for knowledge and the resistance against tyranny. As punishment for his rebellion, he is bound to a rocky cliff, where he remains in anguish, foreseeing both his ultimate deliverance and the future downfall of Zeus. Io, a character tormented by her transformation and pursued by Hera, encounters Prometheus and learns about her lineage, which includes Herakles, destined to free him.
Hermes, the messenger of Zeus, represents the struggle between duty and self-interest as he attempts to extract a secret from Prometheus but ultimately fails due to the Titan's unwavering defiance. Hephaestus, though a craftsman of chains, is depicted as reluctant and bound by the authority of Zeus, while Oceanus offers sympathy and counsel, warning of the dangers of rebellion. The brutish figures of Kratos and Bia embody the oppressive might of Zeus, underscoring the play's tension between power and resistance. Through these characters, the work delves into the complexities of rebellion, the consequences of knowledge, and the enduring spirit of humanity against oppressive forces.
Prometheus Bound: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Aeschylus
Genre: Play
Locale: A barren cliff in Scythia
Plot: Tragedy
Time: Remote antiquity
Prometheus (proh-MEE-thee-uhs), a Titan, the son of Themis (Earth). In the revolt of Zeus against Kronos, he had sided with Zeus and had provided the counsel by which the older gods had been overthrown. Later, he persuaded Zeus to spare humankind, whom Zeus had planned to destroy. He has broken the command of the king of the gods by bringing to humans the gift of fire and instructing them in all the arts and crafts. For this flouting of the will of Zeus, he is carried, a prisoner, by Kratos (Might) and Bia (Force) to a rocky cliff in remote Scythia, there to be fastened by Hephaestus to the crag and to remain bound for eternity. His only comfort in his anguish is his secret foreknowledge of the eventual downfall of Zeus. His knowledge of the future remains with him. He prophesies to Io the torments that await her; tells her that her descendant, Herakles, will finally release him; and declares that Zeus himself will one day be deposed by his own son, whose future identity only Prometheus knows. This secret he refuses to divulge to Hermes, who brings the command of Zeus that Prometheus must reveal this all-important name on pain of even worse torments. Defiant to the last, Prometheus is blasted by the thunderbolt of Zeus and sinks into the underworld as the play ends. Prometheus is depicted in this drama as the embodiment of stubborn resistance against the tyranny of Zeus, willing to bear any punishment rather than submit. To the modern mind, and especially to the writers of the Romantic period, he is the personification of the revolt against tyranny of any sort, the symbol of humanity's war against the forces of reaction and of the eternal quest for knowledge.
Io (I-oh), the daughter of the river god Inachus. She was beloved by Zeus, who changed her into a heifer to save her from the jealous wrath of Hera. Penetrating her rival's disguise, Hera sent a gadfly to torment Io throughout the world. Half-crazed with pain, Io has wandered to Scythia, where she finds in Prometheus a fellow sufferer. He prophesies her future adventures and traces her descendants down to Herakles, who will deliver him from his chains.
Hermes (HUR-meez), the messenger of Zeus, sent to wring from Prometheus the secret of the identity of that son of Zeus who will overthrow his father. In his attitude, Hermes has been called the personification of prudent self-interest. He fails in his errand, for the dauntless Prometheus reviles him as a mere lackey and refuses to divulge the secret.
Hephaestus (hee-FEHS-tuhs), the god of fire and of metal-working. He has been ordered by Zeus to forge the chains that fasten Prometheus to the rock and to drive an adamantine wedge through his breast. He performs this horrible task reluctantly, bowing only to the superior power of Zeus.
Oceanus (oh-SEE-eh-nuhs), god of the sea. He comes to sympathize with Prometheus and to preach to him the virtue of humility. He even offers to intercede on his behalf with Zeus. Prometheus warns him that, in comforting a rebel, he himself may be charged with rebellion and urges him to depart.
Kratos (Might) and Bia (Force), brute beings who symbolize the tyranny of Zeus, for they carry out his will. They drag the captive Prometheus to the cliff in Scythia and supervise Hephaestus as he chains the Titan to the rock. Kratos taunts the fallen Titan, reminding him that the name Prometheus—the Contriver—has a terrible irony, for no contrivance can release him.