Stand next to my fire

Prometheus, Bound to Suffer:

Examining The Continuous Repetition of Human History

In relation to the early Grecian cultural attitude towards expanding one’s intellectual mind, ancient Greeks encouraged the contemplation and speculation of human existence and sought to discover the reasoning and rationality behind experiences. Thoughtful curiosity regarding the nature of the tangible world, the structure of social and political institutions, as well as, the capacities and limitations of the human brain were seen as vital, inherent, and necessary challenges that would lead individuals into a more ethical path of living. Through the study of Aeschylus’ tragedy, Prometheus Bound, the origin and historical underlining of the suffering that the Greek god, Titan Prometheus encounters will be analyzed through the connection between the spark of knowledge and the spark of fire. Even though Prometheus endures the consequences that come along with stealing fire from the gods, in the broader historical context of the Greek mythological tradition, Prometheus is not the only god guilty of taking power that is not rightfully his own. By digging deeper into the mythology of Zeus and how he arrived on the Olympian throne, a lineage of seemingly power hungry gods is revealed, showing the dualistic nature that inhabits these mythical deities. Although Prometheus Bound particularly focuses on the story of Titan Prometheus’ defiance towards the new arising power of Zeus, Aeschylus’ writing depicts, both, the humanistic tendencies and traits present in mythological deities, and the aptitude towards comprehending reason and critical thinking present in Grecian human beings.