Study Questions and Suggested Essay Topics
Study Questions
How are friendship and pity related to Zeus's tyranny within the play?
Somebody exclaims that Prometheus Bound is the story of an uncompromising rebel who stands up to tyrannical power, thereby giving hope to all those who want to rebel against political and religious evils. What evidence could you bring up to suggest that this is a bit of an exaggeration?
Compare and contrast different sorts of responses to Zeus's tyrannical authority within the play?
Suggested Essay Topics
Discuss the imagery and literary devices used to portray Zeus as a tyrant.
How does Prometheus balance the need for speech and silence within the play? For example, address the role of procrastination in his first conversations with the Chorus and Io, his reticence when meeting Oceanus, or the very gradual revelation of his prophecy.
Prometheus clearly demonstrates excessive pride, which is usually condemned in Greek tragedy. Why might it be taken as a heroic characteristic in this particular play?
Discuss the picture of human progress presented in Prometheus's descriptions of his contributions to humanity. How do fire and hope fit in? What is the importance of his reference to metal mining?
What features differentiate the Chorus from another advocate of moderation like Oceanus?
Compare and contrast the features various characters ascribe to Zeus and to Prometheus. How are the two similar? What might be the reasons for this similarity?
