Today I attempted to argue vehemently that Prometheus is not the freest character in the first half of the text. I referred constantly to his almost insufferable self-pity and submission to his own fore-knowledge. He, I believe, felt bound long before he was physically chained to the rock. In both classes though, I alluded to my belief that Prometheus changes in this text and ultimately becomes free. In this vein then, I will ask two questions. You are "free" to answer both or only one.
For those who agree with me that Prometheus laments and suffers fate and is therefore bonded or enslaved by fate, how do you think this changes in the second half of the text? Does he change in fact? If so how do you think this transformation comes about and how do you think Io is related to this change?
Or
For those who believe that Prometheus always represents true freedom, what role does Io play in the text? Why do you think she was an important character for Aeschylus with regards to the plot and "moral" of the story. Here I want you to think about the similarities between Io and Prometheus. How are these two characters lives intertwined and why would such a relationship be important in a text were issues like free will, fate, destiny and the human relationship with the Gods, particularly the tyrannical Zeus, are constantly invoked?
See you soon guys,
Dr. Layne
As soon as I have more info on watching the Dark Knight, I will fill you in. Presently the plan is to watch it tomorrow on the 12th floor of Budding Hall at 9pm.....if this changes I will post something.
Prometheus reveals his silver lining in this section of the story; however, since he is a titan and already knew about his future redemption during his complaining, nothing is changed. Io entering the scene brightens Prometheus' day to an extent, but the overall picture remains the same. He is still sentenced to be chained to a rock until Zeus is defeated, the way fate designed it since before any of these characters came to life. As I mentioned in my last post, even though Prometheus' will face a brighter future, he is in no way free from the bondage of fate, and knowledge of the future does not grant the power to change what fate has already declared as truth.
ReplyDeletePrometheus is indeed controlled by fate. He always knew his fate and that one day he would be set free of his torments by Hercules, however, in the beginning he complains none stop. Although he knows he will one day be free, he also knows the amount of pain he will suffer throughout his long punishment. His complaining seems to decrease however, when he sees Io. Seeing Io gives him hope and encouragement that his time of deliverance is slowly approaching. When Hermes appears, Prometheus appears braver and less concerned with his fate. He claims he can handle whatever Zeus throws his way. Prometheus changes by knowing that his time of freedom is approaching and that his fate is not to live forever chained to his rock.
ReplyDeleteIn the first half of the text, Prometheus is not free. He is bound by the fate he sets so much store on. However, in the second half of the text, Prometheus is no longer enslaved by fate. This change is brought about by Io. Her appearance brings some hope to Prometheus because he knows that it is her descendant who shall set him free. This hope spurs Prometheus's righteous anger at being cast up in chains. Bolstered by the knowledge that his freedom will come, he is no longer enslaved by fate. In fact, instead of lamenting his punishment, he becomes angry. "Have I not stood by while two kings fell from thence? and shall I not behold the third, the same who rules you now, fall shamed to sudden ruin? Do I seem to tremble and quail before your modern gods? Far be it from me!" (Aeschylus 35) Despite knowing the torture that will come to him if he does not tell Zeus what marriage rite will bring about Zeus's downfall, Prometheus states that he will answer nothing. "No torture from his hand nor any machination in the world shall force mine utterance ere he loose, himself, these cankerous fetters from me." (Aeschylus 36) Prometheus no longer fears nor laments his fate and thus he is set free from it.
ReplyDeleteIo's primary importance is that a descendant of hers will be the one that frees Promethius. Also, Aeschylus uses her and Promethius together to emphasize a point that those who act justly often suffer, but in the end are delivered from their plagues. Promethius still represents freedom because he still maintains the will of defiance. Zeus offers him a shortcut out of his torment, but he refuses and will wait for Zeus to fall from power. He can forsee the things to be; he is not bound by this, but rather, he is free because of it. He is free from ignorance; he knows the consequencs of his actions, but does them anyway because he knows eventually that he will prosper and that he is in the rigth.
ReplyDeleteI feel like prometheus is free to make his own decisions. Hes free because he made all the decisions himself willingly. No one forced him to do any of the things he did. I feel that Io's most basic and important role in the book is to strengthen prometheus's assertion that zeus is a tyrant, and not a great guy like most people think of when they think of zeus. Io's suffering at the hands of zeus make prometheus seem more righteous and makes Zeus look bad
ReplyDeleteI'm going to be entirely honest- this one has me a little confused. First off, I know that Prometheus underwent some sort of transformation- Aeschylus was a writer, a dramatist, (at least a philosopher masquerading as a dramatist), and he would have know all about dramatic transformation and conflict. If the protagonist does not change, you have no story, Aeschylus knew and possibly even invented this, therefore, Prometheus changed.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I cannot fathom how one who sees the future can change- unless I misunderstand the gift of prophecy. But as I understand it, Prometheus would really have no knowledge of time, as time is change, and there is no change to one who knows all, because change is, in part, revelation, and Prometheus has no revelation- he will always know all. We would not change unless we gained new information, and Prometheus cannot, as one who sees the future, ever gain new knowledge. So I fail to see how his transformation makes any sense. It would be much more believable if he was like the Tramalfadorians of Slaughterhouse Five. Not only believable, but sensible.
Regardless, Prometheus clearly changes in demeanor as a result of his conversations with Io- her story has the power to rile him to passion, even though he already knew it. (For, I suspect, the same reasons that re-watching a film can still give you new passions).
However, demeanor is not the same as freedom- which, as I previously defined- a definition to which I firmly stand- is "the ability to do what one pleases, regardless of the consequences." (wow, there are a lot of clauses in that sentence...)
So, although Prometheus clearly changes in demeanor, and, dare I say, mood, does he do anything that makes him more free? My definition of freedom rests in action, because the mind has power over the body, and so the action is a reflection of the mind. Also, I will add that freedom is in the will, that is, you cannot be more or less free because of instinct or un-planned emotion, but your freedom is determined by how your respond to that.
So, Prometheus seems different, he speaks differently, but he continues to act in the same way- revealing everything save that which he cannot for his own future health. All he does differently is speak more boldly, enhance his rhetoric, but the actual information he gives away remains constant.
However, on revision, I will add that he is not as free as I had originally thought, as he does seem, now, even more chained to what he considers fate. Being that I don't believe in fate, I will argue that he is chained more so by his mental mis-conceptions than anything else. His gift is his curse- that which leads him to believe in fate, and make him a slave. Although, if the future were knowable, as it is not, I suppose fate would exist, and we would all be its slaves. But as I feel it does not, that makes this story occur in an entirely separate realm, one so different as to make analysis almost pointless- nevertheless less quite fun.
On a final, rather un-related note, lies the much-more-than-coincidental intertwining of the fates of Prometheus and Io. I fail to see much great significance in them, other than a dramatic attempt to convey the reality of fate and a perfectly planned universe. But that seems to require an omnipotent, omniscient deity to create the universe, or to order it, and Greek mythology seems to lack that.
I hope this demonstrates that I have read the reading, but, past that, I have little in firm opinions and beliefs; I see to many contradictions in the opinions that I hold, but am blinded to evidence for other positions. I look forward to class and our discussion.
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ReplyDeletePrometheus is indeed enslaved by his foreknowledge and fate as he greatly laments his sufferings in the first half of the story. However I believe that throughout the entire story he remains free to articulate his true feelings regardless of the objection he receives from the other seemingly more obedient characters.
ReplyDeleteIo enters as a victim of Zeus’ love and Prometheus now (contradictory to the 1st half of the book) displays excessive pride in his sufferings as he believes it is better to suffer than be subservient to Zeus. He tells Io that he “ceases to mourn his misfortunes.” Prometheus is now more bold, confident and eager to tell his prophecies emphasizing the fact that Zeus’ “tyranny shall fall,” and fails to give in to the threats of Hermes. Io’s entrance plays a significant role in this change as her sufferings fuels Prometheus’ desire to see the downfall of Zeus and it is one of Io’s said descendants that will free him from his captivity.
While I originally claimed that Prometheus was free in the 1st half, I now see that a change has occurred within him and that in this second half he is truly free, as he openly criticizes Zeus and no longer pities himself, but almost seems to be proud, and uses his fate to his advantage, rather than sulking about it. I believe the two most important lines that show this transformation are found on page 40, where Prometheus tells the Chorus, "I speak what shall be, likewise what I desire." This statement shows that he is no longer merely a conduit for fate, but he has a will and in defiance against both fate and Zeus, speaks out. A few lines later, the god of fire also asks, "What shall I fear, predestined not to die?" Instead of mourning his fate and focussing on the fact that he is sentenced to this awful life, he chooses to focus on the idea that he is alive and does not have to fear death, for it is his destiny to live on beyond this torture.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Io plays a role in this change in that she shows Prometheus what it truly means to be a slave to fate as he tells her her future. She is a leaf in the wind destined to be blown through the world by fate and "the jealous rage of Hera", and has no control in the situation. I think she is meant to play as a comparison to the Prometheus we see in the second half of the piece, who is truly free in his speech and his thoughts.
Interesting Kirby. I find your argument compelling and well thought out. We will talk about the content of your position in class but I wanted to mention that even though I have read this text at least a dozen times, I too shrink from ever saying I "know" or "understand" this play. In fact sometimes I pride myself on never reaching a strong "conclusion" with regards to almost all of my opinions. To do other wise, I tend to think, would make me a mere sophist, i.e. one who merely pretends to know. With literature especially there is always room for debate and dialogue, two actions only possible when we admit both the belief that the text does indeed have a meaning but a meaning that may be plurivocal rather than univocal. That is instead of just one correct interpretation, there may be many. This does not imply that I think that everyone's opinions are right but I tend to think that the "true" or honest opinion is what emerges from dialogue rather than monologue. So thanks for admitting your wayward way of approaching the text, it gives us all something to respond to.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Dr. Layne
Io and Prometheus are very similar because they are both enduring the wrath of Zeus, but while Prometheus has freed himself intellectually and was deliberate in the actions that caused him to be bound he could ultimately see beyond his own suffering to the principles he wants to uphold. Io, on the other hand, was a victim of destiny, that Oceania says Zeus is in control of. Io is also unlike Prometheus because she lacks his wisdom and foreknowledge and has done nothing directly against Zeus to win her fate.
ReplyDeleteIo is an important character because she corrects the notion that the humans are the freest characters, and shows the reader that the humans are an after thought but subject to more suffering because they are unaware of the tyranny of Zeus until they are completely subject to it. Io, like the other humans, has no power to change her destiny and must rely on Prometheus to tell her her fate. Her character enables us to see that Prometheus is free despite his suffering.
I believe that though Prometheus experienced a positive mood change, he was free all along. He had the privilege and advantage of knowing his fate. It took an interaction with a character like Io for him to realize his fortune. Io was suffering as much torment and misery as Prometheus but she felt that she would have to suffer eternally with only death as a release. She would one day be liberated but as she didn’t know this, it didn’t bring her any comfort. Prometheus would be freed in the future as well, by one of Io’s descendents in fact, but he could see it. This small glimpse of knowledge was what made him free. He witnessed how Io was enslaved by her torment and hopelessness, causing him to end his little pity party and relish his true freedom.
ReplyDeleteAfter the discussion in class my opinion about Prometheus’ freedom changed. It is true that Prometheus was not free in the beginning and was indeed enslaved by fate. He always had a clear sight of what his fate would be, knowing one day he would be freed from it. Even though he is suffering from the cruel punishment of Zeus, he can “see the light ahead.” When Io comes into the picture, Prometheus is finally given hope that he will be free soon so that by the time Hermes appears, he has embraced his fate fully and is no longer a coward. Prometheus stands his ground when Zeus tries to get him to tell his fate, even though Prometheus knows he will be tortured if he doesn’t tell. Because he is no longer chained to his fate nor is he scared of it, Prometheus is finally free.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dr Layne in that Prometheus is not free in the first half of the text. It is evident that he is bound by his fate, and he is unfortunately blatantly aware of this sad fact. In the second half of the story, however, I believe he does become free when Io enters and he sees that he will soon be rid of this enslavement. Io gives him the ability to be courageous to Zeus since Prometheus is able to embrace his own fate.
ReplyDeleteI believe that throughout the text Prometheus represents true freedom. Io’s role in the text is to emphasize further Zeus’s tyrannical power through her story. Even though Zeus was trying to protect Io from Hera, Io blames Zeus for her condition. Like Prometheus, Io is a victim of Zeus. Though Io is not chained to one place, she is sinking into madness. Prometheus, bound to a rock, still has his mind. Through these two victims, Aeschylus stresses the malice and cruelty of Zeus. It is also crucial that Io and Prometheus have their encounter because during this encounter Prometheus’s anger towards Zeus strengthens. Throughout the story, Prometheus does not always seem certain in his predictions of the future and he hesitates in announcing these predictions. However, Io’s tale has made him bold and confident and, he predicts with a much stronger conviction Zeus’s downfall.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dr. Lane- I appreciate the insight and support.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't know what to say to this. I really don't think any character is really free. Both of these questions seem to make that assumption. Although I peronally think that Prometheus is still bound to fate and that he binds himself to his desire to vengeance on Zeus. However I guess a case can be made for his freedom. The only way I can possibly see this is through the fact that he does offer an ultimatum to Hermes. In that way, I think a case can maybe be made for Prometheus freedom.(But still, he knows the answer and outcome so its not really free)
ReplyDeletePreviously I argued that Prometheus was free in teh first half of the play, however I have since changed my mind. In the latter half of the play Prometheus becomes slightly more free than he was, since he now something that he can hold over Zeus' head. Honestly, I'm having trouble defining "freedom" in terms of mythology. If everything is predetermined for these characters, then how can any of them ever be free? If they are merely pawns, empty shells carrying out actions which they have no control over, then how can we argue that any of them are free? I suppose Prometheus seems like he is more in control in the second half of the play, which would make him more free, but I don't believe that he has reach true and complete freedom.
ReplyDeleteI do think that Prometheus is "enslaved" by fate in the first half, because he knew he would become enslaved and he knew that there was nothing he could have done to change his future. In the first half he laments even though he knew he would be enslaved, because although he foresaw this situation he was still upset about it. In the second half of the story, Prometheus feels he has more power when he refuses to tell Hermes about Zeus' demise. Even though he is fettered, he is still defiant and withholds some power (knowledge) from Zeus, who enslaved him in the first place.
ReplyDeleteIo helps to bring about Prometheus' change of heart by showing him that there is someone else who is equally or more miserable than he is at the moment. He can now find strength in the fact that his situation is not as bad as Io's is.
Although he still knows his "fate", I wouldn't say that he is "enslaved" by his fate in the second half. He merely accepts it, because he knows he won't be enslaved (physically) for much longer.
The question options create a false dichotomy. I hold that neither of the questions espoused hold the most accurate answer, in my opinion at least. Prometheus appears more free in this portion of the text than in the prior, yet he still claims to be held down by fate. When Hermes enters and tells Prometheus the terrible punishments that he will endure, Prometheus claims, "known was the message that [Hermes] / Hath proclaimed". This is a reference to Prometheus' powers of foresight. At the same time if he knows the future, he could have willed not to do the actions that led to his imprisonment. Fate is a reasonable concept when one doesn't know the future and that all actions taken can be construed "as fate" (in the same way they can be construed as "free will"), but when one knows the future, and has professed, and relied on, his ability to change it, then any concept of pure fate is implausible. Nonetheless, Prometheus does seem to go through a transition in his character. At first, he seems to enjoy complaining about his fate; his actions lead the reader to believe that he wants pity from those around him. In the second part of the book, he reminds me more of the stereotypical evil mastermind who has been set back, but is brooding over his planned revenge. Whenever the situation comes up to fix the previous wrong (or just apologize in this case), he insults the messenger. Io may have spurred this change by allowing Prometheus to see another casualty of Zeus' poor reign, thus increasing his anger. Regardless of the cause, Prometheus has gone from being whiny to blindly belligerent between the first and second section of the book.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the first half of the story and discussing it in class, I did - correction, do - feel that Prometheus is enslaved by fate, as are all the other characters, in fact. But he is not bonded by fate because he laments it. Rather, he is bonded by fate because nothing he does will change it, it is a concrete end regardless of the means through which is comes. Nothing has changed in Prometheus except for his interpretation of his fate. He now chooses to weigh the dethroning of Zeus over the pain and suffering he will endure, and, hence, wishes to facilitate that end rather than lament it.
ReplyDeleteOf course, even as I type this I am remembering my initial definition of freedom - which I still stand by for the most part. Essentially, it was the ability of one to do what they please without responsibility or repercussions. And isn't that exactly what Prometheus is now doing? Because what he wishes is in line with what will inevitably be, is he now free? I wish I could stand definitively one way or the other, but for now I will simply say that he's certainly not completely free, but may be more so than I initially thought.
After last class, I’m afraid I must retract my previous post about Prometheus being the freest. This becomes even more apparent when comparing his attitude in the second half to his attitude in the first. In the first part, he is all about being pitied and how he was forced to act by fate, but in the second part, he switches to more vehement anger at Zeus and accepts his impending fate. Io has a great deal to do with this change in Prometheus. When he sees her, his emotions seem to change from being centered on himself to being centered on others. He grows from pity for his own sake to anger on Io’s behalf. His change to anger may be because he knows his punishment was self inflicted (or at least fated to be self inflicted), but Io’s only crime was being an object of Zeus’s lust. Her unfair treatment shows that Zeus is not only a tyrant who will harm those who oppose him, but also innocent bystanders. This is what seems to ignite Prometheus’s rage, causing him to speak against Zeus out of freewill and not just because fate wills it. Now, he no longer fears Zeus’s wrath or further punishment. He even goads Zeus, saying he does not care what else Zeus throws at him. This makes Prometheus free. It shows that he is willing to think and say whatever he wants without fearing what the consequences will be. He is willing to accept whatever punishments fate may bring, and by accepting fate he gains freedom.
ReplyDeleteAnother way Prometheus becomes free, is he seems to exercise some form of free will despite his knowledge of prophecy. Before he said he would be free when Zeus retracted his punishment and decided to befriend him. After Io comes, Prometheus’s vision of the future changes to one where, Io’s descendant will be the one to free Prometheus. This change in prophesy suggests that Prometheus’s vision of the future may not be set in stone or may even have multiple outcomes depending on what choices individuals make. If this is true, then Prometheus’s decision to not wait for Zeus’s friendship and instead rely on Io’s descendant demonstrates his freedom. He chose his destiny based on his own opinions and beliefs. Because he used his freewill, Prometheus is free.
At first, Io doesn't really seem to have a role, but after reflecting on the myth as a whole, Io's role is to foreshadow Prometheus's eventual freedom. He tells her of when her suffering will end, and it becomes known that Io's descendant will be the one to free Prometheus. Therefore, Io is the foreshadowing element of the whole plot- not the play.
ReplyDeleteIo and Prometheus both suffer from Zeus's wrath. Their lives are intertwined because Io's descendant will be the one to free Prometheus. As we mentioned one time in class, every character in Greek texts has SOME purpose. Their relationship is important because in your list, you did not mention one thing: hope. Their relationship gives hope to the both of them that their suffering will both end and that Zeus will get what he deserves.
I originally thought that Prometheus was free; perhaps I simply misinterpreted the text. After our discussion I re-read and sensed his self-pitying, self indulgent tone immediately. As I read on, however, I sensed no change. When Io is told of her misfortunes and, struck by hopelessness, wondering what point there is to living at all, Prometheus responds, “How ill wouldst thou endure my sufferings/ Who am by Fate appointed not to die.” Io is just as put upon as he, and he shows no pity for her. He only speaks of his own suffering and how she wouldn’t be able to handle it. Prometheus remains enslaved, chained to his fate and to his attitude about it.
ReplyDeleteThe only time that Prometheus could possibly be considered free is when he speaks of Zeus’s eventual fall from power. However, although he knows his physical slavery will one day be over, he can still see beyond that and thus, continues to be enslaved by his foreknowledge. No matter what action he makes, he will always know its outcome. He will be governed and controlled forever by the knowledge of his fate.
After yesterday's class, my opinion of who is or isn't free and the terms by which freedom is defined changed drastically. Now that I realize fate can be a constraining factor in freedom, I do completely agree with the idea that Prometheus is bound by fate, and is therefore not "free." Here, "freedom" to me means to be able to (still) do what one likes, as well as having the ability to determine one's own future, something fate disallows (I personally don't believe in fate to a certain extent, but am still rather superstitious about it at times).
ReplyDeletePrometheus does seem to undergo a change of heart to some extent in the second half of the text. In the first half, he complains about his fate, and about his predicament, but in the second half, he seems to accept his fate, and seems to know that he will eventually be freed from his current situation. This change of heart seems to come from revealing to Io her own future. Perhaps by realizing Io's own fate, and her offsprings' fate, he comes to term with his own, finding comfort in the fact that he will inevitably be released from his constraints.
Honestly, after reading the second half, and then reading the sparknotes to understand it, I'm not 100 percent sure what I think about Prometheus. Obviously he's not physically free, 'cause he's still chained down. Does he gain freedom in this half? I don't think so. He has a chance to free himself, but instead he's stubborn and refuses. This makes him a slave to his own pride, but that's just what I think.
ReplyDeleteTo have a discussion on the relative freedom of one character based on how he approaches his fate, I believe it is important to first discuss the relationship between freedom and fate. Freedom, first of all, is not the ability to make one's own fate. Freedom is not the ability to practice your own religion or wear your favorite color sandals. Freedom is a blissful state that accompanies the wisdom of knowing your relationship as a part to the greater whole of the world. Freedom comes from acknowledging that those things which are not in our control should not be worried about, and that those things which we can control, should be controlled virtuously.
ReplyDeleteBased on this definition, we can see that at the end of the play Prometheus becomes free. Starting off mourning his fate, he learns that he is powerless and begins to act wisely. This change, sparked by a realization of the futility of the situation, is on set by the tale of Io. It is only fitting that he with the gift of prophecy, is the one freest of the bonds of fate - as he alone can truly respect the infallibility of destiny
I argued that Prometheus is free in the first half, and I still hold to that. Io, I believe, represents a ray of hope for Prometheus' physical freedom. We talked in class about hope and Prometheus' gift of blind hope to mankind; Prometheus, with his prophecy of Io's offspring bringing down Zeus (and thus saving him from his fate), now has a blind hope for his freedom. Io is like Prometheus in that she has been trapped by a god (Hera, in this case), left to flee forever from the gadfly (who is perpetually stinging her).
ReplyDeleteWhen I read the first half of the book, I believed that Prometheus was the most free character. I still agree that, in comparison to the rest of the characters, he was the most free. However, I do believe that Prometheus gains more freedom in the second half because he has the ability to manipulate his own situation. He knows who will eventually give him his freedom, but Prometheus keeps this information from Zeus because even though he is boud by chains, his actions reflect a completely liberated mind.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I would like to say that I do agree with what was said pertaining to Prometheus's freedom during last class: his fate, his enslavement, etc., etc. It was his own actions that led to his eventual downfall and imprisonment, therefore leaving him with no or little freedom.
ReplyDeleteAs far a change goes, I see none. Maybe I had trouble understanding the text (most likely), but I could not wrap my mind around any character change on Prometheus's part. Io comes, he tells her the future as well as his own, and she leaves. And then it ends. I failed to grasp any personal revelation or revolution for any character.
As far as Prometheus goes, doesn't his prophetic power hinder his likeliness to change as a character? He knows his future, his eventual release from his captivity (by Heracles, if I'm not mistaken?) and all that ancient jazz. I didn't grasp how he "became free" all of the sudden.
Then again, I feel as though I missed something. I'm looking forward to the clarity that I'm sure will come from the class discussion.
In the second half of the text Prometheus begins to talk about his prophetic gifts. This leads to him hinting at a prophesy which will eventually lead to the downfall of Zeus. This was where Prometheus’ mouth got ahead of his wisdom. His hinting at such a prophesy and then refusing to disclose it with the king of the Gods leads to his further suffering. This concept itself is rather strange due to the fact that since Prometheus can foretell his suffering, he should have been able to avoid it in the first place. But, then again, prophecies are related to fate and if Prometheus prophesized it then it must come true, otherwise his gift of prophecy would be questioned. It seemed as if the confrontation with Io changed the nature of his behavior completely. Instead of talking about the humans and what initially got him to his position in the first place, Prometheus shifts his laments more towards Zeus himself. Doing so only further hurts his cause and leads to only his further suffering. From a logical standpoint, it appears as if Prometheus himself has dug his own grave. However, if one views his situation from a mythological perspective, then the argument of fate planning his condemnation could also be valid.
ReplyDeletePrometheus's ability to see into the future gives him a certain freedom over the other divine beings, who, while powerful, still suffer from fear of the unknown. Prometheus's gift frees him from the unknown. However, he is still subject to Fate, something he is wholly aware of. Like the paradox I mentioned in the last post with the divine's seeming belief in free will in the midst of their awareness of Fate's control, we see another paradox: Prometheus's hope after meeting Io, whose ancestor one day will save him from his punishment. However, Prometheus's gift of foresight still applies, implying that he knew all which was going to happen from the beginning. So, on one hand, I see the reason for his change in attitude. On the other, I don't understand why he didn't feel that way in the first place, because the way I understood it, he already knew what was going to happen? So I'm really looking forward to discussion on this point.
ReplyDeleteI know we talked about the near-absence of Pandora and her box in class on Wednesday, I'd like to argue that we see the Pandora story on a larger scale with Prometheus and Io, who, because of their transgressions, must suffer punishment. However, they find hope in each other in their exchange.
Io seems to represent a sort of hope, in that her sufferings will one day end; likewise Prometheus' sufferings will end by the hand of one of Io's descendants. She asks why not just dash herself off the rocks, and Prometheus answers by saying well I can't even die at all. And then their content seems to come from Zeus' eventual downfall. There seems to be a hope in it. And if not hope, for the hope doesn't seem to be a hope of anything so much, there does seem to be a pride in just going through it. Prometheus says, "Come what may: He won't put me to death." And Io will persevere, that's what makes her so special and why people name seas after her. They seem to all agree that life is unjust, full of suffering but it's the persevering and doing it, the freedom to suffer it without anybody coming in and taking that individual freedom to suffer it and be okay with it, that strange freedom that makes you feel special seems to be the true freedom of Prometheus and Io and any man. The chorus ends with, "Majesty of my mother! and of SKY sky sky wheeling your light over us all, watching all of us, in common, see how I suffer, how unjust this is." Those lines, especially, the "in common" makes life feel worth it, why she doesn't dash herself off those rocks and why Prometheus seems free at the end: we're going to bear it and bear it together.
ReplyDeleteI think that Prometheus still feels bounded by fate, but instead of focusing on the negative aspects of being chained to a rock for a really long while, he's focusing on the positive aspects of Zeus eventually failing. To me, it seems that this change occurred just by Io entering and talking to him. Prometheus may have a little freedom, such as being able to choose what he says or not, but he is not free. But I feel that the important thing to note is that Prometheus has developed a free mindset, such as that he feels free and can choose his actions, no matter how bounded he may be.
ReplyDeleteI still vehemently that out of the tangible characters in the play, Prometheus is the most free, but that is not to say that he doesn't change. In the beginning of the play he stands behind what he has done, and whether or not he went along with fate, he still chose to support his decision and except his punishment and bear the brunt of necessity. By the end of the play, he is now physically incapable of holding back his anger for Zeus and verbally rebels against him. It is important to remember that he said that if he is to be freed, he must not explain his way out until the end, so by accepting fate and confronting the power and rage of Zeus, he creates his own fate.
ReplyDeleteIt is never clear what Prometheus sees in his future, or whether he is lying to Hermes, but his vision is what sets him free.
Io represents Fate by wandering. She may seem lost, but regardless, by meeting Prometheus, she fulfills her Fate. Her destiny is to produce the child that will take down Zeus, or so it is said by Prometheus, but because Prometheus tells Io this, his plan may not come to fruition, because he makes it clear that he can not let out the secrets of his plan until they happen. Prometheus needs Io to set him free, whether it be by bearing an offspring that will require Zeus to let him out, or to provoke the wrath of a God that will ultimately set him free.
I had a hard time coming up with a satisfactorily concrete viewpoint on this one. I spent a lot of time dwelling on the fact that fate is inevitable so how can anyone actually be free, yaddah yaddah. But that's a really boring and not entirely creative point, so I've attempted to weed out some sort of thesis based on Permetheus' effect on Io and his schooling of Hermes.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, Hermes theoretically could have changed Io's fate if he had lied to her. If he had not told her where to go and who to find in his 4 page-long rambles, and instead said that she was fated to hide under a rock for a hundred years. She would have reacted differently, and perhaps would have missed one of the fated appointments. In this way Prometheus has freedom BECAUSE he possesses forethought and has the ability to tell people to do otherwise. Theoretically, anyway.
Prometheus insinuated that Hermes and the other gods were almost conforming to the will of Zeus, as opposed to obeying it; he tells Hermes that he believes it "better indeed to wait upon a rock than serve as trusted minister of Zeus." This means that he willingly chose to be chained to the rock. Willingly, as in free will, as in freedom. He accentuates the contrast by calling Hermes a slave and hurtling more insults as the two continue to bicker.
PROMETHEUS IS BLINDED BY HIS FORESIGHT! In every situation that comes his way, his foresight pollutes his actions in the present. Simply the fact that he knows what will happen makes him try to act in a manner that will make the prophecy happen rather than let it take it's natural course like it should. Looking at it from this perspective, I honestly don't think that Prometheus even changed that much in the second half, standing by my opinion in the last post.
ReplyDeleteIo plays the role of highlighting the relationship of fate to freedom. Both Io and Prometheus are bound to torturous lives by fate and the will of the gods. Prometheus has showed acceptance, self-realization, and a noble lack of resistance to his fate, because, in my opinion, his foresight makes him free. Io appears mad, angry, wild, and disbelieving of her fate, showing that she is not free because her mental faculties are bound by anxiety, due to lack of knowledge about the future. Caught in an endless quest for certainty and hope, she cannot be sane or free until she hears what there is to know.
ReplyDeleteTheir lives are intertwined because it is through Io's suffering, which Prometheus' prophecy will help her endure, that Io will become pregnant by Zeus and her descendants will eventually free Prometheus in defiance of Zeus.
This irony, to me, says that freedom is not always as it seems or where we find it. Freedom is a mental state of having no obstruction to one's reason and inentions. Prometheus is free, although physically chained, and, ironically, it is his acceptance of fate, which he cannot alter, that gives him more freedom than Zeus. Zeus remains a slave to blind fate, which makes him question and suffer, while Prometheus, although no more able to fight fate, is able to accept with dignity, thereby gaining freedom through his unfettered reasoning. Thus in the attitude of Prometheus does the play attempt to unite in harmony the two greatest opposing ideas in the world: fate v freedom. Aeschulys argues for both at once.
One of my friends, between stints at juvie, told me that "freedom is in the mind." It stuck with me, impart because of the context and impart because of its meaning. I agree with the phrase to an extent, and to that extent, Prometheus becomes more free in the second half of the text. Io's entrance uplifts his spirit and reminds him that Zeus and his reign are neither untouchable or eternal. He knows he will eventually be free and from that he gains the perspective of a free man. However, his new freedom is only of the mind. His situation remains otherwise the same. In fact, so does his knowledge of his plight. The only change is one in mood and perspective brought about by Io's company. She gives him hope, the defining possession of a free individual.
ReplyDeleteObviously Io and Prometheus share the fact that Zeus has unjustly caused them immense pain. Seeing Io and her pain further infuriates Prometheus. Because we know that Zeus' offspring does not one day destroy him, this means that Prometheus' prophecy is false. Zeus will not fall. Perhaps Prometheus relates a deep desire instead of what he knows to be the truth. Io helps Prometheus realize yet again how dangerous unchecked power can be, and therefore, acts to deepen the chasm between Zeus and Prometheus; between power and thought. Prometheus is chained to his stone for thinking for himself. Zeus demands total obedience, anything less is treason. Zeus himself is a servant to his whims. Therefore, all who serve Zeus are without a mind, without a self. When Prometheus chooses more torture and pain over helping Zeus, knowing that Zeus will not be overthrown, he is remaining loyal to his mind. He refuses to relinquish his hold on whatever "self" he may possess. Hermes is a slave to Zeus. Zeus is a slave to his whim. Prometheus is a thinking, sentient being, who values his freedom of mind over physical freedom. Because of his loyalty to his mind, i.e., his self, one could call Prometheus an egotist. Aeschylus wants to show that man's free will derives solely from the use of his mind, and anything less than independent thought is slavery.
ReplyDeleteAeschylus uses Io, in my opinion, to show Prometheus that other people are suffering from their destiny and not their fate. I believe that the conversation with Io indeed causes a change in Prometheus because he does talk about how is stuck to a rock but when he will be able to be physically free. I think that allows Prometheus to be freer than he was in the first half of the text. Furthermore, as it will be one of Io’s children with Zeus that will set Prometheus free, Io and Prometheus seems to have a closer relationship because it seems that they need one another in the text.
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