Discuss the Theme of Sacrifice in Literature and Art
Prometheus is the ultimate creator and artist in Aeschylus's Prometheus Spring. According to ancient Greek mythology, Prometheus is the creator of the human race, having molded them from clay. He gave humankind life, and when Zeus threatened to exterminate them, Prometheus gave humankind fire and reason to ensure their survival and connected progress towards civilization. Prometheus is also seen within Greek mythology as the male parent of human arts, sciences, and architecture, and his likeness is immortalized in numerous works of literature, art, and sculpture. Every bit an artist himself, Prometheus knows that the cosmos and support of humankind will acrimony Zeus, but he sacrifices himself anyway to salvage his cosmos from the tyrannous male monarch. In this vein, Prometheus is ofttimes interpreted as the consummate tortured artist, suffering for the sake of his fine art. The trope of the suffering artist is often of one who is isolated and misunderstood on business relationship of their art, and Prometheus indeed fits this stereotype; notwithstanding, through the depiction of Prometheus'due south human relationship to humanity, Aeschylus suggests that suffering is a necessary function of artistic creation.
In addition to creating humankind and giving them fire and reason, "all human arts were founded past Prometheus," which reflects his part as the supreme artist and creator. Prometheus "invented" for humankind "the joining of letters, which is the very retentiveness of things." In other words, Prometheus gave humans the gift of language and words, which volition lead them in time to the art of writing and literature. Prometheus as well introduced humankind to the "muses' arts," referring to the inspirational goddesses of art, music, and writing. Within Greek mythology, the muses are the source of poesy and song, and they will as well stir the same inspiration in humankind. In addition to language, art, and song, Prometheus "fabricated manifestly" to the humans "all that was hidden," and revealed "the treasure curtained beneath the earth, bronze, atomic number 26, silver, [and] aureate." In addition to weapons and armor, these precious metals will too exist molded in cute sculpture and compages, again underscoring Prometheus's function equally master artist and creator.
However, Prometheus is made to suffer for his cosmos and love of humankind. The play makes it clear that for a creator as skilled and defended equally Prometheus, suffering is inevitable. As Kratos orders Hephaistos to bind Prometheus to side of the Scythian mountains, Kratos says to Hephaistos: "This is the crime for which [Prometheus] now must pay / the price to all the gods, that he may learn / to love the tyranny of Zeus." When Prometheus chose to help the humans, he effectively turned his back on Zeus, and he is made to suffer for it. Every bit Hephaistos reluctantly chains Prometheus to the mountain, he says to his friend, "This is the fruit of your philanthropy. / A god, you scorned the anger of the gods / by granting mortals laurels in a higher place their due." In other words, information technology is specifically because of Prometheus's charity and creativity that Zeus has sentenced him to a life of hurting and despair. Despite the severity of Prometheus'south punishment, he remains amazingly calm. "For this criminal offence / I now must pay the penalty: to alive nailed to this rock beneath the open up sky." Prometheus has held his honey for humankind above all else, and he willingly pays the price. Thus, the play suggests that while the work of creation is tied to desperation, it can also bring immense peace and satisfaction to the creator.
Throughout Aeschylus's play, Prometheus doesn't blanch. Even when Hermes, Zeus'southward son and the messenger of the gods, appears on the mountain and tells him of the horrendous hurting that awaits him, Prometheus all the same will not budge. He won't apologize for his honey of humankind and he won't attempt to lessen his punishment by giving in and telling Zeus what he nigh desires to know—Zeus's fate, which Prometheus's gift of "forethought" has revealed to him. Instead, Prometheus hardens his resolve and suffers for his dear of humankind. "For an enemy to suffer at an enemy's paw is no disgrace," Prometheus says, and every bit the sun rises on the start day of his punishment, he prepares himself for what is to come. "Oh, holy Mother Globe," Prometheus cries, "oh sky whose light revolves for all, / you see me. You lot run across / the wrongs I suffer." Prometheus's creation—that of humankind—could non accept survived without his sacrifice, and he willingly suffers on behalf of his art, which, Aeschylus implies, is an essential part of artistic creation.
Creation, Art, and Sacrifice ThemeTracker
The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what caste, the theme of Creation, Art, and Sacrifice appears in each chapter of Prometheus Bound. Click or tap on any chapter to read its Summary & Assay.
How oftentimes theme appears:
chapter length:
Creation, Art, and Sacrifice Quotes in Prometheus Spring
Below you will find the important quotes in Prometheus Jump related to the theme of Creation, Art, and Sacrifice.
We have arrived at the far limit of the world.
These are the Scythian mountains, desolate and vast.
Hephaistos, you must conduct out the Father's volition
and demark the criminal to this steep looming rock
with bondage of adamant, unbreakable.
Information technology was your blossom he stole, the brilliant and dancing burn,
and gave its wonderworking ability to mortals.
This is the crime for which he now must pay
the price to all the gods, that he may learn
to beloved the tyranny of Zeus
and quit his friendship with the human race.
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Thus at all times one torment or another
will plague y'all. Your rescuer is not nonetheless born.
This is the fruit of your philanthropy.
A god, you scorned the anger of the gods
by granting mortals honor in a higher place their due.
For that, you lot will go along vigil on this stone,
upright, unsleeping, and never bend a articulatio genus.
And many a groan will pass your lips, and sighing,
and bitter lamentation, all in vain.
Zeus' vengeance is implacable. His power is new,
and everyone with newborn ability is harsh.
Related Symbols: Burn down
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Go play the rebel now, go plunder the gods' treasure
and give information technology to your creatures of a day.
What portion of your pain tin can mortals spare you?
The gods who named you the Forethinker were mistaken.
You'll need forethought across your reckoning
to wriggle your manner out of this device.
Folio Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
And nevertheless
I can't accept my lot—
neither in silence, nor in speech:
that I was yoked in chains
for bringing gifts to mortal men.
I hunted out and stole the secret spring
of fire, and hid it in a fennel stem,
to teach them every fine art and skill,
with endless benefit. For this crime
I now must pay the punishment: to alive
nailed to this rock beneath the open sky.
Folio Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chorus: Did you maybe become further than you told united states of america?
Prometheus: I gave men ability to stop foreseeing their decease.
Chorus: What cure did you prescribe for this illness?
Prometheus: I sowed blind hopes to live every bit their companions.
Chorus: Truly yous brought peachy benefit to mortals.
Prometheus: I gave them burn.
Chorus: Bright burn! Do the ephemerals have it now?
Prometheus: And from information technology they will acquire much craft and skill.
Related Symbols: Fire
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
I transgressed willfully, I won't deny it.
By helping mortals I drew suffering on myself,
and did so of my own volition, freely.
Yet never did I retrieve that by such punishment
I would be made to parch suspended in midair,
clamped to this barren lone rock.
But don't complaining over my present woes.
Descend from your loftier carriage, stand beneath me,
that you lot may hear what is to come
and know the whole of it.
For my sake, please, come up downwardly and share my sorrow.
Misfortune is a migrant bird that settles,
now here, now there, on each of usa in turn.
Folio Number and Commendation:
Explanation and Assay:
[…] Their every act
was without purpose, until I showed them
the rise and the setting of the stars,
not piece of cake to discern. And numbers, too,
the subtlest science, I invented for them,
and the joining of messages, which is
the very retentivity of things,
and fecund mother to the muses' arts.
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
You lot volition be more astonished when yous hear
the remainder from me: how many arts
and skillful means I invented,
the greatest of them this:
If anyone fell sick, there was no remedy,
no healing nutrient or drink, no salve, no potion.
For lack of medicine they wasted,
until I showed them how to mix
soothing elixirs that can steer the grade
of whatsoever sickness.
Page Number and Commendation:
Explanation and Analysis:
But all your vehemence rests on a weak foundation,
mere cleverness, a scheme. What proficient is obstinate will
untamed past sound idea and expert measure?
Consider the storm that will rise up against you
if you refuse to mind my words,
a threefold tidal moving ridge of misery,
impossible to escape. For first,
the Father volition destroy this jagged cliff
with thunder and lightning, and bury you,
still gripped past its embrace, within it.
So, afterwards an enormous span of time,
y'all volition come back again into the light,
and Zeus's winged hound, a crimson eagle,
will cleave your body into ragged shreds
of flesh. He volition render, twenty-four hour period in, day out,
as an unbidden guest, to banquet upon
your blackened liver.
Folio Number and Commendation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Requesting a new title requires a costless LitCharts business relationship.
With a free LitCharts account, yous'll also go updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes.
Creating notes and highlights requires a complimentary LitCharts business relationship.
You can access all of your notes and highlights by logging into your account.
Source: https://www.litcharts.com/lit/prometheus-bound/themes/creation-art-and-sacrifice