"Prometheus Unbound" is a sequel of sorts to the ancient Greek tragedy "Prometheus Bound" traditionally attributed to Aeschylus.
It is a four-act lyrical drama by Percy Bysshe Shelley, first published in 1820.
In the original Greek myth, Prometheus is a Titan who defies the gods by stealing fire and giving it to humanity, an act that enabled progress and civilization. As punishment for this theft, Zeus, the king of the gods, orders Prometheus to be chained to a rock where an eagle eats his liver daily; it would regenerate overnight, only to be eaten again the next day in an ongoing cycle of perpetual torment.
Shelley's "Prometheus Unbound" does not follow the traditional narrative. Instead, it reimagines the ending of the story to reflect the poet's own views on oppression and liberation. In Shelley's version, Prometheus is eventually released from his chains. The drama focuses on the themes of resistance to tyranny, the power of the human mind, and the potential for humanity to be redeemed from its own self-imposed chains.
The play opens with Prometheus still bound to the rock, but instead of submitting to despair, he remains defiant against Zeus's tyranny. He is visited by the Oceanides, the daughters of Oceanus, who offer him their sympathy, but Prometheus is steadfast in his resolve. He refuses Zeus's offer of a pardon in exchange for submission, showing his commitment to his ideals and to humanity.
"Prometheus Unbound" stands as a poetic manifesto for human rights and individual freedom, as well as a piece of Romantic literature that emphasizes the sublime power of nature and the human spirit.
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