Prometheus in History and Culture, Research Paper Example

The myth of Prometheus, which stems from ancient Greek culture to the present day, is one of the most widespread and prominent in history.  Prometheus is not only about transformation, but about humanity’s ability to reshape the natural world into art, culture, and civilization.  It represents both the creative and destructive principles that go hand in hand with science and learning.  In ancient Greek culture the myth of Prometheus harkened to the creation of humanity, its attainment of knowledge, the casting away of authoritative principles, and the consequences that come with all of these things.  During the Renaissance, the myth became a symbol for the return to classical antiquity and the ideals that it represented.   Authors and artists invoked the myth throughout history in order to represent their social and political ideas.  In a world where people were just beginning to escape the shadow of the middle-ages it represented the overthrow of authoritative principles and the attainment of humanity’s potential.  In modern culture, traces of the myth can be found everywhere, from music to television to movies to art, the myth proliferates a world where the light of knowledge and the strength of individuals is seen as the most fundamental of ideas.

The myth of Prometheus was both well-known and extremely relevant to the thinking of the ancient Greeks and in its application to their daily lives.  They saw the myth as representation of the constant conflict between men and Gods.  This same struggle can be seen in myths that have been around since very early in Greek history.  From here, though, there are various interpretations as to what happens, and to what these events represent.  The most prominent myth associated with him, though, is the one in which he takes fire from Mount Olympus and presents it to humanity out of pity.

The Titan’s imprisonment in Tartarus can be seen as early as Homer’s epic poems.  Throughout his works, a framework for the ancient Greek view of the cosmos can be seen.  Throughout the Iliad and the Odyssey there are various mentions of the ancient battles between the gods and Titans.  These battles are, essentially, metaphors for how the people of the time viewed the creation of the world, whether they saw it as being literal or simply allegorical. “Embedded in the narratives of the Homeric poems are a few passages which open windows on the ways in which the Homeric poet envisioned the cosmos around him.”  (Havelock)

The myth of Prometheus itself first appears in the works of Hesiod. Prometheus was one of the Titans, but because he sided with Zeus he wasn’t imprisoned with the rest after the struggles with the gods.  In Hesiod’s poetry Prometheus is described to have made man from clay.  He then attempts to settle the dispute between man and gods by offering a deal to Zeus, tricking him into making the choice for his offerings to be “naught but bones and fat.” (Lilburne, 6)  In the Promethean myths, humans have fire to start out with but it is later withdrawn by Zeus because of the actions of Prometheus in the story.

Aeschylus, who is considered the “father of Greek tragedy” (McDonald) was an ancient Greek playwright who was attributed to writing the trilogy titled “Prometheia”.  Scholars believe that this is made of three separate acts that go by the titles Prometheus Bound, Prometheus Unbound, and Prometheus the Fire Bringer.  It is uncertain, though, whether this is actually the case, as his works only exist in fragments or are mentioned in historical records.  It is known, though, that the plays he did write are said to “show divine justice being administered over generations” (McDonald).

It is interesting that fire and the ability to live an easy life are both withdrawn from humanity due to Prometheus’s actions.  This seems to relate to the idea that while knowledge might be good it has negative impacts, as the knowledge endowed on humanity caused a loss, a balance.  An integral part of the Promethean myth relates to his punishment which describes a marked understanding of the dual edged nature of knowledge.  It is seen as something that is not only inherent to the struggle, but something that would be deserving of punishment.  He is punished by being chained to a rock where an eagle eats away at his liver, only to have it come back the next day.  This seems to relate to humanity’s ability to return from the rises and falls of civilization, such as their return from the dark ages.

Prometheus would eventually be seen as a guiding light in modern history.  During the renaissance the myth of Prometheus grew immensely popular.  Its message of education for the masses struck a chord with people at the time.  The idea of striving towards an ideal and rebelling against an authoritarian rule resonated with wide spread enthusiasm.  The themes reflected the idea that there was a lot of discord between different eras and generations.

Goethe’s poem about Prometheus was an early example that helped to inspire the enlightenment era’s understanding of the myth.  Within the context of the poem, Prometheus is facing Zeus in rebellion.  Within the context of this poem Zeus is considered an allegory for God and reflects the idea of a society that is loosening the shackles of an authoritative religion.  This work represents the tension between the singular humanist and objective ruler that was becoming widespread at the time.

It was during this same era that the playwright Percy Shelly wrote a play inspired by Aeschylus’s Prometheia.   Again, the myth struck a chord that related to his own social and political ideas, and he strove to “make his political views as blatantly obvious as possible, feeling that it was his duty to pay homage to the great writers of times past for their efforts to advance political freedom.”  (Morality and Politics…)  In this way, thinkers of the time would use the myths of classical antiquity to put forth their own ideas about progress and the realm of science and knowledge.

His later wife, Mary Shelly wrote a book that is still popular today, Frankenstein, which had the subtitle “The Modern Prometheus”.  In this work the couple’s fascination with, and understanding of, the myth comes to light as the allegories for the characters relate to its most abstract facets.  In the book, Dr. Frankenstein goes against the natural order of things when he creates his monster.  Driven by the pursuit of the unknown, he ignores the idea that what he is doing might be wrong.  Upon the creation of his creature, however, the realization strikes him and he realizes that there will be no redemption for what he has done.  This causes both him and his monster to be in a state of living purgatory in which neither feels as though they can ever belong in the world again.  (Smotherman)  This relates to modern ideas of mental dissonance, in which paradoxical themes are at odds within the mind.

There are countless references to the myth in the modern world.  This includes not only movies, but music, television, and art as well.  It still has relevance as a fundamental understanding of humanity’s place in the world and how our unique situation affects our view of it.  The rise of technology has brought humanity further and further outside the realm of the established order of nature.  Advances in health have helped people to live longer.  In the most extreme sense people who alter their bodies through surgeries and other methods can become less ‘human’ and more like Frankenstein’s monster.

Throughout history, advances in science and technology can be seen to relate to the fire handed to humanity by Prometheus.  While gaining certain knowledge might have brought hardship, the ability to strive is what allows them to overcome that which was taken from them.  In attaining the knowledge of fire, people were given a way out of the world of darkness, but once they found their way out, they were faced with whole new problems.   When given fire, humanity no longer had to fear the night, but in being released from that, they now had to deal with one another.  Society brings hardships and needs such as the need to supply enough foods for the people.  In this way, the curse of Zeus causing mankind to toil came to be, as the masses can no longer be fed through the simple gifts of nature, but must now utilize the gift that has been handed down to them.

Works Cited

Havelock, Eric A.”The Cosmic Myths of Homer and Hesiod.” Oral Tradition, 2/1 (1987): 31-53.

Yale University. April 2014

Lilburne.” An Analysis of the Theogony of Hesiod.” Diogenes, Laertius, The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers. 2014. April 2014.

McDonald, Marianne. “Preface Notes and Translation: Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound.” London: Nick Hern Books 2007. April 2014.

Smotherman, Courtney.” Morality and Politics in the Promethean-Inspired Narratives of the Romantics”. University of Notre Dame: Open Courseware. 2012. April 2014.