Prometheus Unbound (Aeschylus)

Prometheus Unbound is a lyrical drama by Percy Bysshe Shelley, published in 1820. It is a four-act play inspired by the Greek tragedy Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus. While Shelley borrowed the figures and setting from Aeschylus, his work significantly diverges in its philosophical and political themes, offering a radically different resolution.

In Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound, Prometheus, a Titan, is punished by Zeus for giving fire to humanity and defying the gods. He is chained to a rock and subjected to eternal torture. The play explores themes of tyranny, justice, and the individual's struggle against oppressive power. Fragments of Aeschylus' Prometheus Unbound, believed to be the second play in a trilogy, suggest that the reconciliation between Zeus and Prometheus, hinted at in Prometheus Bound, was achieved through pragmatism and necessity.

Shelley, however, rejects the idea of a compromise with tyranny. His Prometheus Unbound envisions a world where Prometheus's defiance leads to the ultimate overthrow of Jupiter (Shelley's representation of tyranny and oppressive power) and the liberation of humanity. Shelley introduces the character of Asia, an Oceanid, who embodies the spirit of love and represents the force capable of redeeming humanity and transforming the world.

Shelley's play is not a direct continuation of Aeschylus' lost work. Instead, it reimagines the myth to express Shelley's own utopian vision of a world transformed by love, reason, and the overthrow of tyrannical authority. It is a Romantic celebration of human potential and the power of imagination to create a better future. The play's intricate symbolism and lyrical language make it a challenging but rewarding work of literature, deeply influenced by both the classical Greek tradition and Shelley's own radical political and philosophical beliefs.