Prometheus Bound Research Paper

Mankind is always searching for a purpose. Whether it maybe for means of survival, there is always the search to give meaning in one’s life. In most cases that is where religion comes to play. Some devote their life in service to their god, with the promise of a fulfilling life in addition to a promising afterlife. In other words searching for personal salvation. In the Greek culture, there is a plethora of gods and goddesses to which people turn to at some point in their life. How these gods and goddesses are depicted is very crucial in their society. From the array of stories and authors, each interpretation is all up to the individual and author. How the authors depict the gods is essential as well in some the gods are very much like humans

Zeus is the all mighty being that has the sole power over the other gods. Much like how most of humanity has social classes, from royalty, to the working class, to the poor, or in some cases slaves. In a way, how Greek society was modeled after how the gods ran their own “society”. Amongst both, there was an apparent maintaining of the status quo much like how Aeschylus instituted in Prometheus Bound, “with the need for all to “learn of the chasm that lies between ruler and ruled” (Aeschylus 32). Then there is also the concept where anybody who fails to acknowledge the relationship between ruler and ruled, “Who arrogates this short period/Of lordship, fall most ignominiously and swiftly/To perdition” (34), much like what most societies do with prisoners. This illustrates the parallels with humanity and the divinities. The moral of this story was anyone who crossed someone of a higher power should be punished for his or her actions, to keep the power in order. Being with a status quo meant there is an upper class and lower class, with a power struggle. In the eyes of the gods, there was Zeus at the top with the other gods, such as Hermes and Hephaestus, beneath him; mankind is on the lowest spectrum. It was Prometheus’ sacrifice to humanity to “fre[e] mankind” (11), he noticed the hold Zeus had over humanity. Throughout the story Aeschylus sheds light on the issue with the hierarchy that had

Some aspects of other belief systems are very similar. The story of Genesis, associated with Judo-Christian, corresponds to Prometheus Bound, with the Greek culture. Where there are parallels between each story, the apple from The Tree of Knowledge would be fire, Adam and Eve is humanity, and in a way the serpent is Prometheus. The whole story of Genesis was to tell the tale of how life was created. It was to be the origin point of all humanity, much like how Prometheus Bound was supposedly when mankind was finally to advance in life with Prometheus’ gift of fire. His actions of “g[iving] privileges to mortal Man.” (2) was condemned, but simultaneously it is giving the gods more power against humankind. This solidified how the gods believe that it is humanity’s obligation to serve under their gods; the gods created mankind’s world therefore they owe their lives to the gods. The parallels between the two beliefs represent how much divinities play a role in the fate of humanity, or where god can have control over their well-being. Focusing on Greek culture, there is a biased relationship. Aechylus states, “In worshipping the gods with/Pure offerings of bulls…” (18) Where the gods have the mentality that they have given mankind so much that they in return have the obligation to give back as well, through sacrifice. Humanity shall always be beneath the