Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Prometheus Unbound
In examining Asiaââ¬â¢s speech, appearing in Act 2 of Percy Bysshe Shelleyââ¬â¢s ââ¬ËPrometheus Unbound,ââ¬â¢ it is evident that Shelley utilised a vast range of themes to create such a unique piece. Overall, the play draws chiefly from areas such as Philosophy, Romanticism, Mythology, Music and Religion (Rossetti). However, the play itself could not have been created without Shelleyââ¬â¢s reading of Aeschylusââ¬â¢s play, ââ¬Å"Prometheus Boundâ⬠(McDonald). In this sense, the play is very much an appropriation of and sequel to the original.With the above matters combined, Shelley created a work that is conceptually complex, providing the foundations for a challenging yet dramatic play that ââ¬Å"paradoxically performs itself inside the mind of the readerâ⬠(Quillin). Asiaââ¬â¢s speech in Act 2 reveals Prometheus as fundamentally, the first humanitarian. As such, Prometheus is known as the liberator of humanity and referred to as the ââ¬Å"culture br ingerâ⬠(Greenblatt 821). Symbolically, Rossetti affirms, ââ¬Å"The unbinding of Prometheus is the unbinding of the human mindâ⬠(28).In addition, Rossetti suggests the cave that retains Prometheus ââ¬Å"â⬠¦is the cavern of the human mind- the recesses of creative and contemplative thought, vocal with human sympathy, fertile of human enlightenment and elevationâ⬠(31). Therefore, Shelley's ideas signify Romanticism, as his writing insinuates when individuals attain freedom, the power of their imagination is unlocked (Quillin). This can be seen in the ââ¬Å"Prometheus saw, and waked the legioned hopes Which sleep within folded Elysian flowers, Nepenthe, Moly, Amaranth, fadeless blooms; That they might hide with thin and rainbow wings The shape of death; and Love he sent to bindThe disunited tendrils of that vineâ⬠ââ¬Å"Prometheus saw, and waked the legioned hopes Which sleep within folded Elysian flowers, Nepenthe, Moly, Amaranth, fadeless blooms; That th ey might hide with thin and rainbow wings The shape of death; and Love he sent to bind The disunited tendrils of that vineâ⬠subsequent fragments of Asiaââ¬â¢s speech. First and foremost, Asiaââ¬â¢s speech is one of unrhymed rhythm and abundant of religious connotations depicting parallels between Greek mythology and Christianity (Quillin). The word ââ¬ËElysianââ¬â¢ refers to Greek mythology and the paradise to which heroes on whom the gods deliberated immortality were sent (Encyclop? ia Britannica). The word ââ¬Ëhopeââ¬â¢ is personified as it is ââ¬Ëwokenââ¬â¢. The awakening of ââ¬Ëlegioned hopesââ¬â¢ may also signify the mass of humanity, in the sense they have been transitorily paralysed by Jupiterââ¬â¢s wrath. It also provides parallels to purgatory, as the forced temporary suffering upon human kind occurs for an unspecified period of time (Padgett). The heavenly flowers act as strength to Prometheus. With Prometheusââ¬â¢ epiphany that lo ve is the answer, the ââ¬Ëbindingââ¬â¢ of the ââ¬Ëdisunited tendrilsââ¬â¢ symbolises Prometheusââ¬â¢ realisation that he can be reunited with his wife.The ââ¬Ëvineââ¬â¢ may also symbolise the chains that bound Prometheus to the cliff. In addition, metaphorically, the vine could represent the almighty strength of a vine in comparison to Prometheus and Asiaââ¬â¢s undying love. Rossetti expands this notion, by stating Prometheus and Asia may be regarded as the ââ¬Å"union of the mind and body, or mind and ââ¬Å"Which bears the wine of life, the human heart; And he tamed fire which, like some beast of prey, Most terrible, but lovely, played beneath The frown of man, and tortured to his will Iron and gold, the slaves and signs of power, And gems and poisons, and all subtlest forms,Hidden beneath the mountains and the waves. â⬠ââ¬Å"Which bears the wine of life, the human heart; And he tamed fire which, like some beast of prey, Most terrible, but lovely, p layed beneath The frown of man, and tortured to his will Iron and gold, the slaves and signs of power, And gems and poisons, and all subtlest forms, Hidden beneath the mountains and the waves. â⬠beauty, or intellectual and emotional/loving elements in the human soulâ⬠(32). The first line alludes to the greatest gift in life and predominant theme in Prometheus Unbound; love. Love aids the strength and power in Prometheusââ¬â¢ defeat of Jupiter.Evidently, ââ¬ËThe frown of manââ¬â¢ refers to Jupiter, the chief of Gods who initiated the binding of Prometheus (Magill). After the annulment of Jupiterââ¬â¢s curse upon Prometheus, the play suggests if human kind decides to embrace love, freedom and reject all evil, then the reforming of humanity should occur (Padgett). Thus, the poem is contradictory to Shelleyââ¬â¢s statement in the preface stating that ââ¬Å"Didactic poetry is my abhorrenceâ⬠(Greenblatt 797) as it essentially teaches morality. Once more, the play provides a parallel to Christianity, in the sense that the characters ââ¬ËPrometheusââ¬â¢ can be compared to Christ and ââ¬ËJupiterââ¬â¢ to Satan (Padgett).As pointed out, Shelleyââ¬â¢s philosophical roots are strongly embedded throughout the play. With this is mind, it is clear that Shelley utilised Aristotleââ¬â¢s theory of the four basic constituents of matter; earth, water, air and fire as a thematic element within the play (Fowler). Thus, words such as ââ¬Ëfireââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëformsââ¬â¢, refer to Shelleyââ¬â¢s cosmic approach to symbols represented throughout the play (Padgett). This distinctive style of imagery enabled Shelley to thoroughly capture the readersââ¬â¢ imagination, as his writing suggests imagery ââ¬Å"He gave man speech, and speech created thought, Which is the measure of the Universe;And Science struck the thrones of Earth and Heaven Which shook, but fell not; and the harmonious mind Poured itself forth in all-propheti c song, And music lifted up the listening spirit Until it walked, exempt from mortal care, Godlike, oââ¬â¢er the clear billows of sweet sound; And human hands first mimicked and then mocked With moulded limbs more lovely than its own The human form, till marble grew divine, And mothers, gazing, drank the love men see Reflected in their race, behold, and perish. â⬠ââ¬Å"He gave man speech, and speech created thought, Which is the measure of the Universe; And Science struck the thrones of Earth and HeavenWhich shook, but fell not; and the harmonious mind Poured itself forth in all-prophetic song, And music lifted up the listening spirit Until it walked, exempt from mortal care, Godlike, oââ¬â¢er the clear billows of sweet sound; And human hands first mimicked and then mocked With moulded limbs more lovely than its own The human form, till marble grew divine, And mothers, gazing, drank the love men see Reflected in their race, behold, and perish. â⬠that can be concei ved various ways simultaneously (Padgett). The final section of Asiaââ¬â¢s speech further glorifies Prometheus and the birth of liberation for human kind.It also typifies the premise of the entire drama; Prometheus is acknowledged as ââ¬Å"the culture bringerâ⬠(Greenblatt 821). Meaning, he has given human kind the power of intellectual ability, made up of the creative arts and sciences, thus, liberating human kind. This is evident as ââ¬Å"He gave man speech, and speech created thought, which is the measure of the universeâ⬠. This line highlights what Prometheus has achieved for the human race. Proving his suffering was not in vain, Rossetti states it has provided intellectual freedom for the rest of society (31).Furthermore, the line; ââ¬Å"music lifted up the listening spiritâ⬠reiterates Prometheusââ¬â¢ liberation of human kind. From this, it is clear that Shelley adopts musical themes in his poetry when language no longer proves to be an effective mode o f aestheticism (Quillin). Overall, Shelley produces a dramatic piece addressing his revolutionary ideals by combining music and dialogue, which ironically performs itself in the mind of the reader (Quillin). In Conclusion, Percy Bysshe Shelleyââ¬â¢s ââ¬ËPrometheus Unboundââ¬â¢ was conceptually inspired by a plethora of key factors.Throughout ââ¬ËPrometheus Unboundââ¬â¢, it is evident that Shelleyââ¬â¢s approach to imagery stems profoundly from his interest in Philosophy, Romanticism, Mythology, Music, Religion and most importantly, the appropriation of and sequel to Aeschylusââ¬â¢s play, ââ¬Å"Prometheus Boundâ⬠(McDonald). These key elements have enabled a multifaceted approach to Shelleyââ¬â¢sââ¬â¢ writing, formulating the dramatic shape of the play as a whole. Works Cited ââ¬Å"Elysiumâ⬠. Encyclop? dia Britannica. Encyclop? dia Britannica Online. Encyclop? dia Britannica Inc. , 2013. Web. 11 Mar. 2013. ;http://www. britannica. om/EBchecked/t opic/185418/Elysium; Fowler, Micahel. ââ¬Å"Aristotle. â⬠à Beginnings of Science and Philosophy in Athens. N. p. , 9à Feb. 2008. Web. 11à Mar. 2013. ;http://galileoandeinstein. physics. virginia. edu/lectures/aristot2. html;. Greenblatt, Stephen, Ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 9thà Ed. New York, United States: W. W Norton ; Company, Inc. ,à 2012. Print. Magill, Frank. ââ¬Å"Prometheus Unbound. â⬠Magill Book Reviews,à 2011. Web. 10à Mar. 2013. ;http://www. enotes. com/prometheus-unbound-salem/prometheus-unbound-0089900364;. McDonald, Marianne. ââ¬Å"Aeschylusââ¬â¢ Prometheus Bound. à Osher Lifelong Learning Institute ââ¬â UC San Diego Extension. N. p. ,à 2008. Web. 10à Mar. 2013. . Padgett, John B. ââ¬Å"The Imaginary Ideal: Prometheus Unbound. â⬠à Shelley, Dante, and Romantic Irony. N. p. ,à 1995. Web. 11à Mar. 2013. . Quillin, Jessica K. ââ¬Å"An assiduous frequenter of the Italian opera: Shelleyââ¬â¢s Promet heus Unbound and the opera buffa. â⬠à Romantic Circles. University of Maryland, 15à Mar. 2005. Web. 10à Mar. 2013. .
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