Summary

The tragic drama Prometheus Bound is based on the ancient myth of Prometheus, the Greek god responsible for bringing fire to mankind. It is part of a trilogy of related plays written in the 5th century BC by Aeschylus, one of the three most famous classical Greek dramatists. Only the first play, Prometheus Bound, survived in its entirety; the second play was preserved in fragments while the third was lost completely. Yet even considered alone, Prometheus Bound is filled with such striking dialogue, principled characters and provocative themes that it has held people's interest for over two and a half millennia.

The audience of Aeschylus's day would have immediately recognized the following characters in the play: Prometheus, the god of Forethought, who often aided mankind; Zeus, the supreme ruler of the gods (who has just ascended to his throne); Hermes, the...