Prometheus Unbound by A.D. Hope.

 

Prometheus Unbound by A.D. Hope.

            In Greek mythology, Prometheus is a man of strength as well as a man of intelligence and his duty is to create mankind out of clay. Once, He steals fire from Gods and gives it to people for their progress and advancement. Here, the fire metaphorically means knowledge, wisdom and spirit. He instills the fire of wisdom, the fire of knowledge and the fire of spirit in the minds of human beings in order to wipe out ignorance. He dispels the darkness of ignorance and ignites people to learn civilization, art, and science. Elevated by his enlightenment, People celebrate him as a champion of mankind and a paragon of wisdom. For having stolen fire from gods, he earns a heavy rage of Zeus who is the head of all gods. As a result, he is awarded an eternal punishment for his transgression; he is chained to a rock at Caucasian mountain where an eagle devours his liver daily until he is saved by (Hercules or Hermes).

In this sonnet, A.D. Hope registers not only the myth of Prometheus but also the disorder of the modern age. The noble cause of Prometheus is mocked, abused, misunderstood and misused by educated people in the age of so called civilization. In the name of science, people kill themselves in cold blood. In the name of advancement, they yield moral values into the hands of destruction. In the name of civilization, they ring the constructive past out and ring the destructive future in.  Here, Hope indirectly denotes the outcry of the World Wars which left sad remembrance of people who lost their life.

Prometheus proposes but man disposes; his gift is actually a curse in disguise. His noble cause is backfired. Though he is saved by Hermes, his punishment is not fulfilled. His punishment is not decreased over the time but it is being increased by the people who are educated by him. He undergoes an irrevocable punishment that is given by people whom he has taught, ignited, and educated. Science and technology hold the power to exploit the fire that is intended only for the enhancement of people. Nuclear explosions annihilate the life of people. This is the greatest punishment which is the bane-cum- punishment given by Zeus.