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Some who object to this argument put forward the theory of a Zeus who like the Furies in the Oresteia "evolves" throughout the trilogy; these people argue that it is possible Zeus is meant to be reminiscent of a tyrant only in Prometheus Bound , and that in the conclusion of the full trilogy, Aeschylus' Zeus could have become more comparable with the just and honorable Zeus found in the works of Hesiod.
Increasingly, arguments for and against the attribution to Aeschylus have been based on metrical-stylistic grounds: Herington, however, repeatedly argued for it. Influential scholars such as M. West , [8] and Alan Sommerstein, [9] have made arguments against authenticity. West has argued that the Prometheus Bound and its trilogy are at least partially and probably wholly the work of Aeschylus' son, Euphorion , who was also a playwright.
Those who trust in the verdict of antiquity and still favor Aeschylean authorship have dated the play anywhere from the s to BC. The matter may never be settled to the satisfaction of all. As Griffith himself, who argues against authenticity, puts it: The argument of Herington [11] and others for authenticity has largely centered upon the fact that Prometheus Bound was one play in a trilogy, so that discussion of its attribution in isolation is inappropriate.
Prometheus Bound itself was parodied in Cratinus' Seriphioi c. Prometheus Bound enjoyed a measure of popularity in antiquity. If Aeschylean authorship is assumed, then these allusions several decades after the play's first performance speak to the enduring popularity of Prometheus Bound. Moreover, a performance of the play itself rather than a depiction of the generic myth appears on fragments of a Greek vase dated c.
In the early 19th century, the Romantic writers came to identify with the defiant Prometheus. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote a poem on the theme, as did Lord Byron. Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote a play, Prometheus Unbound , which used some of the materials of the play as a vehicle for Shelley's own vision.
Set in Greece of the s — it was 'an indictment of the Greek junta and its repercussions to harrowing effect', Jim Hiley of Time Out. To hide her from a jealous Hera, he disguised Io as a lovely white heifer, which Hera demanded as a gift. Powerless to pay back Zeus, able only to abuse his lovers, Hera now forces Io to wander over the entire world, goaded by the impossibly painful stings of a gadfly. Prometheus, Io, and the chorus lament Zeus's behavior and Io's future torments. Prometheus describes her remaining journey and reveals that she will eventually bear a son who will free him.
He reports that Zeus himself is in terrible danger from a new "marriage" that he cannot avert without Prometheus's help. After Io departs, the young Okeanids lament bitterly and pray never to be the objects of Zeus's attention -- or that of any powerful god. Hermes arrives and orders Prometheus to explain his threats; otherwise, Zeus will destroy the cliff and bury him, then bring him back so Zeus's eagle can rip his flesh to shreds every day.
Prometheus Bound is an Ancient Greek tragedy. In antiquity, it was attributed to Aeschylus, but now is considered by some scholars to be the work of another. A basic level guide to some of the best known and loved works of prose, poetry and drama from ancient Greece - Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus.
Although Hermes advises the chorus to leave, they bravely stay with Prometheus as the earth convulses. Greeks in the fifth century B. Many scholars believe "Prometheus Bound" was the first play in either a tragic trilogy -- the traditional format in Aeschylus's lifetime at the Great Dionysia festival at Athens -- or a dilogy two connected plays. The dramatic torture by the famous bird would have occurred in the second play, Prometheus Unbound, in which Heracles shoots the eagle and rescues the Titan. This play is preserved in fragments and later comments.
The name of another play, Prometheus Firebearer, survives.
In it, Zeus may have resolved the ongoing conflict and permitted the gift of fire to mortals. Certainly, the two gods' eventual reconciliation happened in myth, and in real human terms Prometheus was worshipped in a cult associated with crafts requiring heat and flame. At the Dionysia in the middle quarters of the fifth century B. Each of three tragedians produced three tragedies followed by an irreverent satyr play. Masked actors and chorus moved and danced in a simple earthen performance space. The chorus sang complex, formal poetry, and the actors spoke in rhythmical meter. Dates for ancient innovations in theater architecture, scenery, and special effects are a bit hazy.
Prometheus may have been chained to a scene of a cliff painted on cloth or wood and attached to the front of a rectangular scene building.
Immortal visitors could climb up and appear on the roof, while a special crane could fly someone in on a winged cart. The chorus may simply have rolled in on chariots from the side passageways, while Ocean "flew" in. Ancient audiences listened to the poetry and exercised their imaginations, expecting less in the way of realistic flying machines and a cataclysmic final upheaval.
Why did Prometheus defy Zeus to help humans? What does it mean that Zeus is a tyrant, and that proper young women are key players? A clue should lie in the author and rough date of the play, but these are debated today. Until the nineteenth century, it was accepted that "Prometheus Bound" was written by Aeschylus, an early Greek tragedian lived about B. Since only six other plays by Aeschylus survive out of perhaps 80 , scholars' comparisons of style and technique across the seven plays invite different interpretations. One new discovery of a papyrus fragment could change our thinking, as has happened in the past.
If the play was by Aeschylus, it fits in with the playwright's interest in politics and war. His play "The Persians" of B. Aeschylus decried the hubris of a Persian king who drove his people into disastrous battle. Aeschylus himself fought at the Battle of Marathon against the Persians in and probably at Salamis as well.
Share your thoughts with other customers. Write a customer review. Read reviews that mention prometheus bound seven against thebes sons of oedipus battle of salamis plays of aeschylus trilogy eteocles action translation gods king lost vellacott xerxes zeus introduction powerful sophocles trilogies argos. There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. I've never been one to watch plays, let alone read them.
I was a kid who grew up entertained by the boob-tube and video games. In my youthful mind, I couldn't have told you which was the harsher punishment - being forced to sit through a "boring old" play or a spanking. Nope, the tragedies in my life weren't Greek; they were running out of grape popsicles or not having a videotape nearby to record a new episode of the Transformers cartoon. With age comes wisdom and patience so it's said , and I've come to appreciate good stories, no matter the medium.
In the quest to broaden my horizons of Western literature, the next thing on my plate was the only surviving set of plays by Aeschylus. As Wikipedia will inform you, Aeschylus is the first Greek tragedian whose works are still intact. It's estimated he wrote up to ninety plays, but we're only left with seven.
Four of them are parts of incomplete series', and the other three form a trilogy known as The Oresteia. That one's next on the TBR pile, but here's my take on the first four: Caring for the human race while Zeus wanted to destroy them and start over. Prometheus gave man the gifts of intellect and science, the most notable being fire. This little play packs a wallop of metaphor and sarcasm.
Her descendants, great-great-great-great-great-etc grandchildren of Zeus, have run off from Egypt to seek asylum in Argos, land of their ancestors. The women are escaping forced marriage to their cousins in Egypt. Interesting, but probably my least favorite. Maybe it got better in the missing parts of the play.
The city of Thebes is under siege by seven Argive armies, led by the exiled brother of Eteocles, king of Thebes. I loved the way the heroes and villains were described in this play.
Aeschylus was a soldier at the time, and while this account is obviously fictional, his experience gives the play another dimension. The second interesting thing? It's told from the perspective of the Persians while they await news from the battle, only to discover their efforts were for naught.
The ghost of King Darius, Xerxes' dead father, chastises the arrogance of the Persian empire. If you find Homer's epic poems are a little too intimidating, give Aeschylus a shot. His are short, but wonderful works giving insight to the world of Greek lore and culture. My only hope is that someday, the rest of his plays will be found in a cave somewhere.
One person found this helpful 2 people found this helpful. It's hard to give an overall review on this, as it's a collection of plays from antiquity where most of the surrounding context is lost. Aeschylus' plays were usually in trilogies and with only one part of a trilogy intact, it makes it hard to appreciate certain aspects of these plays. You can tell that Aeschylus tried to push the envelope, and come up with new technique for what was a relatively new medium at the time.
From reading the introduction by the translator Philip Velacott, I get the strong sense that these are just glimpses into what were very moving trilogies.
Prometheus Bound is an introduction to a trilogy of plays featuring the titular Prometheus first being chained to a rock, then explaining to various passersby his story. The initial violence of the opening scene is jarring, but the majority of the play itself is very subdued, with Prometheus telling of his crimes against Zeus but that he has no regrets of bringing humanity it's greatest gift and bears his punishment gladly.
This sacrifice is a pretty common thread across Western myths, but it shines very powerfully here. The Supplicants basically sets the stage for a deeper, more moving trilogy where the bulk of the story is lost. Because of this, the play suffers drastically, as it just provides the context for something with a lot more action. I feel like this was very uninteresting and plodded along too slowly to be very memorable - but then again, it's just a teaser for the murderous undertaking to follow.
Seven Against Thebes was the real standout gem for me. Since it's the last part and apex of a trilogy rife with murder and struggle, it doesn't really hold back. In this story the citadel of Cadmea is under attack by seven bloodthirsty warriors. It's up the heroic defenders to stave them off.