Prometheus Bound• Discussion

Themes• What does Prometheus Bound have to say about the following

themes?• Defying the established order• Bowing to authority• Right vs might• Suffering• Pride• Hope• Compassion• Jealousy

Irony• There are several definitions of irony, two of which are

as follows:

1. incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs

2. expression marked by a deliberate contrast between apparent and intended meaning

What are some ironic aspects of Prometheus Bound?

Role of the Chorus• In Greek plays, the chorus generally observed the action while

explaining or interpreting it in relation to the law of the Olympian gods and, in plays set after the development of human society, in relation to the law of the state. Sometimes the chorus participated in the action rather than merely observing it. It was customary for the chorus to sing its lines as poems while dancing to the left, dancing to the right, or standing still. In some plays, the chorus foreshadowed the future. The views it presented were usually those of the general public or the author. What do you believe to be the role of the chorus in Prometheus Bound and why?

Symbolism• Symbolism is often a major part of any drama, but especially Greek drama.

What symbolism lies behind each of the following or what might each character represent?

1. Fire

2. Oceanids

3. Power, Might, Hermes

4. Io's wanderings

5. Gadfly

6. Lightning and thunder

7. Hephaestus

8. Zeus

9. Prometheus

Discussion Questions• 1. Compare and contrast the two defiant figures: Prometheus and

Zeus. 2. What is Prometheus’s greatest strength? What is his greatest weakness? 3. Prometheus gave fire to humankind. Explain how fire represents a primordial symbol. 4.  Identify five persons in world history who exhibited Promethean defiance. 5. Hephaestus (Roman name: Vulcan) and Hermes (Roman name: Mercury) were major Olympian gods. What were their duties? Identify literary works in which authors depicted them in a positive light.

Art• Look at famous paintings and sculptures

depicting Prometheus. What are some of the images of Prometheus in the art world? Choose a couple of paintings or sculptures and discuss the differences in them. What might account for these differences?