Character Analysis: Zeus and Prometheus

1293 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: How would you analyse the importance of trust

Basically we have two myths here, each about Prometheus. The stories basically both agree that Prometheus stole fire from Zeus and gave it to man against Zeus’ approval.

Though Prometheus is considered a trickster and stole fire, his real crime is a disobedience to Zeus. However, in that statement it is hard to consider caring for man or humans a crime. It is obvious in both stories that Zeus’ reign is sovereign, and Prometheus went against Zeus’ sovereignty. However, what Prometheus did was good for the human race. In Zeus’ eye, man was considered inferior and he wanted man to be destroyed. If Prometheus had not hidden the flame inside a fennel-stalk and gave it to man, we as a people probably would not have advance according to the myth. Man was living in holes and caves — we were people of the day.

Reading these different stories one can come to the conclusion that it is the same basic tale in both Prometheus Bound and Hesiod — Prometheus is shackled for having stolen fire and given it to man. However, it is the details surrounding the theft that are quite different. In Hesiod, the story begin when Prometheus deceives Zeus, getting him to choose the inedible parts of the animal — the bones — rather than the meat at a sacrifice. Because of this trick, Zeus would not give humans fire. Prometheus stole it anyway and then gave it to man. Hesiod's leads the reader to believe tricking Zeus is impossible. But in Prometheus Bound, it never mentions this trick. In the play at verses, (484-521) Prometheus does refer to teaching humans to offer up thighbones wrapped in fat, but this was described as something to be one of goodness toward the Gods.

I don’t understand why the author of Prometheus Bound removed this element of trick...

... middle of paper ...

...xt, it saved man, though he must pay the consequences for his actions and since Prometheus had foresight, he knew what he was facing against Zeus and he did it anyway. I believe that makes it hard to determine was his punishment fair? Because of the human condition trying to show mercy on the actions of Prometheus makes me on one hand say no his punishment was unfair but for me to believe in Zeus’ sovereignty and control then I will have to rest on the decision of Yes, Zeus was fair in his punishment. It had to be done to keep order. It seems to me as a way to keep balance in all things in creation.

Works Cited

Prometheus Bound and Other Plays. Trans. Philip Vellacott. London: Penguin Group, 1961. 20-52. Print.

The Myth of Prometheus in Hesiod. In Jean-Pierre Vernant, Myth and Society in

Ancient Greece, trans. Janet Lloyd. New York: Zone Books.

Show More
Related

  • Comparing Prometheus Bound and Hesiod's Prometheus

    3393 Words  | 7 Pages

    We don't have any exact dates for Hesiod, but it seems that his poetic activity dates from around the last third of the 8th century BC. We find his versions of the Prometheus myth in two of his works: the Theogony at lines 521-616, and the Works and Days, at lines 42-89. The Theogony in general discusses the origin and genealogies of the gods and the events that led to the establishment of Zeus as their king. The Works and Days is quite varied in content but overall could be described as giving advice for living a life of honest industry. In the Theogony the story of Prometheus comes as a narrative interlude and aims at explaining the origins of certain institutions ...

    Read More

  • Ayn Rands’s Anthem: The Transformation of Equality 7-2521

    635 Words  | 2 Pages

    Prometheus’ lack of guilt towards his transgressions and sins are due to his discovery of individualism and free will. “I am. I think. I will.” (Rand 94) are words that Prometheus cites after he discovers the word “I” in Chapter 11. This declaration represents his understanding of his own individuality and his understanding that he was created to think. The beginning section of this quote illustrates his struggle with accepting himself as an individual while the second section of the quote shows his ability to reason for himself. The third section of the quote, “I will” shows his ability to act on his thoughts/reasons. The society considers this belief to be a sin; for the society promotes the idea of collectivism, and it is forbidden to speak the unmentionable word known as “I”. Throughout his life, Equality 7-2521 referred to himself and others as “we” due to the society’s intolerance of individualism and the support of collectivism.

    Read More

  • Allusions To The Greek Myth Of Prometheus

    250 Words  | 1 Pages

    Allusions to the Greek Myth of Prometheus allow insightful readers to withhold a better understanding of the story of Prometheus. First, from the poem “Prometheus” by Marin Sorescu we were given a piece that has far more meaning to the text then is depicted. “Whoever said I was chained” (Sorescu 1). Said the mighty Prometheus, which I believe portrays how free Prometheus feels due to the eagle’s presence and how itself has the freedom to soar in the sky and be free with itself. Next, from D'aulaires’ Book Of Greek Myths we read through a number of passages that gave us more understanding as to how Prometheus cares for his creations, the humans. “Prometheus could not bear to see his people suffer and he decided to steal fire, though he knew

    Read More

  • The Character Differences of Hesiod's Zeus and ovid's Jupiter

    930 Words  | 2 Pages

    The first difference in Ovid and Hesiod's writings of Jupiter and Zeus, is the god's position with the female deities. In mythology, Jupiter is all-powerful. However, Ovid portrays him as being afraid of his wife, Juno. There are two examples in Ovid's Metamorphoses (BkI: 601-621) of Jupiter's apparent fear of Juno. After Jupiter raped Io, Juno approached him. Afraid that Juno would catch him in the act, Jupiter transformed Io into a heifer hoping to avoid the consequences of Juno's wrath. When Juno asked where the "beautiful" heifer was from, Jupiter lied to her and said the heifer was "born from...

    Read More

  • anthem

    859 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the end of "Anthem", Prometheus comes to the realization that his society's teachings and ideas were not helpful in advancement to the society. Ideas like individuality, that the society tried to squash out of its people, is beneficial to the society as a whole because men are meant to think for themselves. In the book Prometheus made the light bulb back when he was in the society, but once he showed it to the World Council, they but him in jail. After this incidence he realized that no matter what brilliant things he invents, it will never be something that particular society can use. At first he is confused, but realizing that he was acting like an individual made him see that maybe society is the evil one and he is the good one. All of this made him realize that maybe he is not meant for this, and he is thrown out into the uncharted territory. He learns that men are meant to think for themselves, and that if they do society will become more advanced and they will be able to move forward instead of staying at the same spot forever. This is how he realizes his "sins" were actually good and that men are supposed to think for themselves.

    Read More

  • Euthyphro Piety Essay

    1069 Words  | 3 Pages

    This leads to Socrates point that considering that the gods have different opinions as to what things are just and good that means they must approve of different things. Furthermore, as indicated by Euthyphro's definition of piety, those things would be viewed as both holy and unholy, since they are approved by a few of the gods and objected by different gods. Nonetheless, in Euthyphro's eyes he believes that most likely every one of the gods would concede on the fact that a man who murders somebody unjustifiably ought to have consequences. Socrates makes the point that the question doesn't emerge with respect to whether someone who has done something wrong ought to be punished, but as to whether the individual has in actuality acted

    Read More

  • Anthem by Ayn Rand

    745 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... When he and Liberty 5-3000, discover the house in the woods, he later discovers that the Unspeakable Word, was the word “I.” His joy at discovering the word was cut short when he realized that the impudent behavior of his so-called brothers, led to the loss of a word, which showed individuality, and allowed someone to characterize themselves and decide who they could become. In summation, Prometheus’ society believes that the “best in him”, his internal curiosity, is a sin, as it makes him different from his brothers. In actuality, his curiosity allows him to see that his totalitarian society has regressed and in doing so, they have lost the ability to give their citizens an independent identity, which could be used to benefit the society.

    Read More

  • Pandora In Hesiod's Theogony

    1330 Words  | 3 Pages

    Both the poems of Hesiod’s tell of the curse of Pandora and both have Prometheus as the main character. Prometheus in both is the cause of why Zeus inflicted

    Read More

  • Overview: Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus

    925 Words  | 2 Pages

    Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound portrays a greek god detained by a superior for disobedience against the latter’s rule. On the other hand in Euripides’ Hippolytus portrays lust and vengeance of the gods and the extent that they can go to to avenge it.

    Read More

  • The Role Of Zeus in Homer's Iliad

    1952 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Role Of Zeus in Homer's Iliad. & nbsp; In the era of Homer, divine intervention was thought to be typical, and one of his. foremost works, The Iliad, reflects this. Nearly all of the Greek gods are involved in the outcome of the Trojan War, which happens to be the background story of this epic poem.

    Read More

  • Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    794 Words  | 2 Pages

    Prometheus was a figure in Greek mythology who created the conflict between mankind and the God’s. Prometheus one day decided to steal fire from the sun and give it to the people for their advantage. Mankind then had the ability to create tools and weapons. Prometheus was then punished by the God’s and was chained to a rock where he was visited by an eagle that ate from his liver. His liver would regenerate daily so that he never died. Prometheus also supposedly created and animated mankind from clay. He is often referred to as the “plasticator since he created man from clay.” These two myths were combined to suggest that Prometheus stole the fire and fashioned mankind from clay.

    Read More

  • The Role Of Zeus In The Odyssey

    649 Words  | 2 Pages

    Mythology was critical to Greek people’s everyday life, just like how religion is in our modern day in age. Everyday events, such as a thunderstorm, could be linked to a god or goddess. For example, when an earthquake would happen, it would be Poseidon crashing his tritan on the ground. People’s lives revolved around the whole ideology and it served as a way to explain the unexplained and to help them in times of need. All of the stories of these great gods and goddesses were passed down generation through generation each time getting more extreme and distorted. People idolized these beings and built stunning life like sculptures of them. Zeus was the most important of all the Greek gods and also king of Mount Olympus. He became a king after

    Read More

  • Comparing Relationships Between Gods and Men in Prometheus Bound and Job

    2391 Words  | 5 Pages

    The first question which must be addressed is, "Why have these men been made to suffer?" To simply say that Zeus or God is displeased is not enough, and to say that Prometheus and Job have sinned is confusing. Most Western readers approach these works with a pre-conceived notion of sin which has been born out of the Judeo-Christian theological tradition a tradition which dictates that there are specific moral rules which must be followed, and to transgress them is to sin. While this interpretation of sin may be functional for a reading of Job, it is useless for understanding Prometheus Bound.

    Read More

  • Hesiod’s Theogony

    1326 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...on of Iapetos provides fire to man, Hesiod’s tale of Prometheus provides a deeper comprehension of the attitudes of Zeus, king of the gods, and an acceptable cause for the evils that plague mankind. Prometheus has no value in himself; even his rescue by Herakles was achieved for the “glory of Theban-born Herakles.” (Hesiod 532). Prometheus’s identity is entirely dependent on Zeus’s wrath and the punishment delivered to mankind as a result and in turn, the explanation of these two things is entirely dependent on Prometheus.

    Read More

  • Prometheus And Humanity

    1520 Words  | 4 Pages

    The creation of man was only through the will of the gods. As a result of the war between the Titans and Zeus, Hesiod, a prominent writer of the seventh century, catalogues the origins of divine beings and mankind through a history of the events in his poem Theogony.

    Read More

More about Character Analysis: Zeus and Prometheus

Open Document