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A STUDY

SHELLEY'S PROMETHEUS^ UNBOUND

BY

WILLIAM, MICHAEL^ ROSSETTI.

Eonbon:

PRINTED FOR PRIVATE (^) CIRCULATION, MDCCCLXXXVI.

Of this^ Book

Twenty-five Copies only have^ been^ printed.

PERCY (^) BYSSHE (^) SHELLEY,

FROM THE (^) ORIGINAL (^) PICTURE BY CLINT

SHELLEY'S PROMETHEUS UHBOUHD.

A STUDY OF ITS MEANING AND PERSONAGES.

BY WILLIAM (^) M. ROSSETTI.

Being a^ Lecture^ delivered^ to^ the^ Shelley^ Society

on (^) Jth December, 1886.

Ladies and (^) Gentlemen,— I have undertaken to deliver to the members of the (^) Shelley Society a lecture (^) constituting a (^) study of our

poet's most^ colossal^ performance, the^ Prometheus^ Unbound.

This (^) is, I am (^) fully aware, a task which (^) might well (^) appall

the boldest of Shelleyites : nor do I undertake it with a

light heart, or^ with^ any idea^ of^ rendering adequate justice

to it from (^) any point of view—still less from all the (^) points

of view which might properly be taken. It would be

possible to^ consider^ the^ Prometheus^ Unbound—1, in^ its

essential meaning or main outline and purport ; 2, as a

poem and^ work^ of^ art^ ;^ and^ 3,^ in^ detail,^ or^ the^ individual

significance and^ value^ of^ its^ successive^ passages. I^ can

only expect, in^ the^ short^ space at^ my disposal, to^ treat^ the drama in the first of these (^) relations—z.£,, in its essential

meaning or^ main^ outline^ and^ purport ; in^ other^ words,^ I

will explain to^ you what^ I^ regard as having been Shelley's

intention in the substance and structure of his masterpiece,

the Prometheus Unbound. My interpretation may be right,

or it (^) may be (^) wrong : it (^) will (^) certainly fall (^) very far short

of being final or exhaustive. It is at any rate the out-

come of (^) repeated readings and (^) prolonged consideration.

I might add that this is by no means the first time that I

have (^) put into (^) writing, or into (^) print, (^) my view of the (^) meaning

SHELLEY'S PROMETHEUS UNBOUND,

To know nor faith nor love nor (^) law, to be Omnipotent but^ friendless, is^ to^ reign. And (^) Jove now (^) reigned ; for on the race of Man First (^) famine, and then (^) toil, and then (^) disease, Strife, wounds, and^ ghastly death^ unseen^ before, Fell (^) ; and (^) the unseasonable seasons (^) drove, "With (^) alternating shafts of frost and (^) fire, Their (^) shelterless (^) pale tribes to mountain-caves (^) : And in (^) their desert hearts fierce wants he (^) sent, And mad (^) disquietudes, and' shadows (^) idle Of unreal (^) good, which (^) levied mutual (^) war, So (^) ruining the lair wherein (^) they raged. Prometheus (^) saw, and waked the (^) legioned hopes Which (^) sleep within folded (^) elysian (^) flowers, Nepenthe, moly, amaranth, fadeless^ blooms, That (^) they might hide with thin and rainbow (^) wings The (^) shape of Death (^) ; and Love he sent to bind The disunited tendrils of that vine "Which bears the wine of (^) life, the human heart (^) ;

And he tamed fire, —which, like some beast of prey

Most terrible but (^) lovely, played beneath The frown of (^) man, and tortured to his will Iron and (^) gold, the slaves and (^) signs of (^) Power, And (^) gems and (^) poisons, and all subtlest forms Hidden beneath the mountains and the waves.

He gave Man speech, and speech created thought,

"Which is the measure of the universe (^) ; And science struck the thrones of earth and (^) heaven, "Which shook but fell not (^) ; and the harmonious mind Poured itself forth in (^) all-prophetic song ; And music lifted (^) up the (^) listening spirit, Until it (^) walked, (^) exempt from mortal (^) care, Godlike, o'er^ the^ clear^ billows^ of^ sweet^ sound^ ; And human hands first (^) mimicked, and then mocked With moulded limbs more (^) lovely than its (^) own, The human (^) form, till marble (^) grew divine, And (^) mothers, (^) gazing, drank the love men see Reflected in their race, behold, and (^) perish.

He told the hidden power of herbs and springs,

And Disease drank and (^) slept. Death (^) grew like (^) sleep.

He taught the implicated orbits woven

Of the (^) wide-wandering Stars (^) ; and how the Sun Changes his^ lair,^ and^ by what^ secret^ spell The (^) pale Moon is transformed when her broad (^) eye Gazes not on the interlunar sea.

He taught to rule, as life directs the limbs,

The (^) tempest-winged chariots of the ocean And the Celt knew the Indian. Cities then Were (^) built, and (^) through their snow-like columns flowed The warm (^) winds, and the azure ether (^) shone, And the blue sea and (^) shadowy hills were seen. Such, the^ alleviations^ of^ his^ state, Prometheus (^) gave to man : for which he (^) hangs, Withering in^ destined^ pain. But^ who^ rains^ down Evil, the^ immedicable^ plague, which, while

Man looks on his creation like a God,

A 2

io SHELLEY'S PROMETHEUS UNBOUND.

And sees that it is (^) glorious, drives (^) him on, — The wreck of his own (^) will, the scorn of (^) Earth, The (^) outcast, the (^) abandoned, the a'one? Not (^) Jove. While (^) yet his frown shook (^) heaven, (^) ay when His (^) adversary from adamantine chains Cursed (^) him, he trembled like a slave. Declare

Who is his master? Is he too a slave? "

This speech is fertile of meaning and suggestion. We

find that according to Asia (or, let us say, according to

Shelley) the^ primal powers of^ the^ World^ were^ four

—

Heaven, Earth, Light, and^ Love.^ This^ was^ the^ world^ ;

which, so^ far^ as^ Asia's^ speech is^ concerned,^ is^ postulated as self-existent, —of^ a^ creative^ power no^ word^ is^ breathed^ by her : but it is true that (^) Demogorgon, with whom she is in

colloquy, had^ already said^ that^ the^ world^ and^ its^ contents

were made (^) by God. Then came (^) Saturn, the author of Time. Under him human life was (^) agreeable sensation without sentiment^ :^ life^ became^ (as we^ might express it) individuated, but^ barely self-conscious^ ; Saturn^ refused^ to men the (^) birthright of^ their^ being—knowledge, (^) power, and those other (^) prerogatives named (^) by Asia. The Saturnian

reign was^ interrupted by Prometheus.

"Then Prometheus Gave (^) wisdom, which is (^) strength, to (^) Jupiter, And, with^ this^ law^ alone^ '^ Let^ man^ be^ free,' Clothed him^ with^ the^ dominion^ of^ wide^ Heaven."

I regard these^ few^ words^ as^ being supremely important

to the correct understanding of Prometheus Unbound: but,

as we are for the (^) present only occupied with^ the^ myth of

the poem, I shall not analyse them here, but leave them

for consideration when we discuss Prometheus and (^) Jupiter. The rule of^ Jupiter was^ perfidious and^ cruel^ :^ every kind

of material and moral evil resulted from it to the race

of man. Prometheus again came to the^ rescue.

"He gave Man speech, and speech created thought,

Which is the measure of the universe."

For this, and for his other boons to mankind, was he

doomed (^) by Jupiter to^ incessant^ torture. Asia then (^) proceeds (as we have (^) seen) to (^) ask, "^ Who is the

Author or^ Lord^ of^ Evil^?

" Not

Jove, as^ she^ says ;^ for^ he

trembled even before his own victim Prometheus.

11 Who is his master? Is he too a slave? "

12 SHELLEY'S PROMETHEUS UNBOUND.

the cave of (^) Demogorgon ; with the (^) message that meekness alone can unloose to life the doom from (^) under the throne

of the Eternal. This meekness in Asia corresponds to the

forgiving mood^ of^ mind,^ the^ universal^ charity, which^ Pro- metheus has (^) just evinced. Then ensues the (^) colloquy between Asia and (^) Demogorgon, of which (^) we have been

reading a^ part. Asia^ finally asks^

" (^) When will the destined Hour arrive "^ for the (^) release of (^) Prometheus? "Behold!^ "^ is the (^) reply of (^) Demogorgon. At that (^) very moment the Hour arrives : (^) Demogorgon mounts the car which (^) conveys the

Hour, and^ they disappear into^ space, the^ Spirit of^ the

Hour (^) having announced that he comes for the final

dethronement of Jupiter.

That which immediately follows seems to have more

relation to Greek (^) mythology than to the Shelleian (^) myth

of Prometheus Unbound: at any rate, its connexion with

the former up to a certain point is clear, while its signifi-

cance for the (^) purposes of (^) the latter is (^) ambiguous. Jupiter,

among the^ gods of^ Heaven^ or^ Olympus, is^ celebrating his nuptials with^ the^ sea-goddess Thetis^ —

" Thetis, (^) bright image of^ Eternity." He^ forecasts^ that^ the^ result^ of^ their

nuptials will^ be^ that^ he^ will^ himself^ become^ omnipotent,

subduing his^ last^ opponent or^ rebel,^ the^ soul^ of^ man.^ He

says (and this^ I^ cannot^ attempt to^ present with^ more

clearness and condensation than (^) Shelley gives it) —

11 Even now have I begotten a strange wonder—

That fatal^ Child, the terror of the (^) earth,

Who waits but till the destined Hour arrive

(Bearing from^ Demogorgon's vacant^ throne The dreadful (^) might of (^) ever-living limbs Which clothed that awful (^) spirit unbeheld) To re-descend and (^) trample out the (^) spark."

He adds (^) (putting the same (^) thing in (^) slightly different

words) that^ the^ two^ mighty spirits, himself^ and^ Thetis,

have generated another spirit mightier than either, await-

ing even^ now^ its^ incarnation^ from^ Demogorgon's throne. Thus far^ Jupiter's vision has^ served him^ : but his^ prevision has deceived him (^) wofully. (^) Demogorgon at this moment arrives. He (^) pronounces the (^) words,

"lam thy child, as thou wert Saturn's child

Mightier than^ thou^

and summons (^) Jupiter to descend with him into The (^) abyss

SHELLEY'S PROMETHEUS UNBOUND: (^13)

—"^ We must dwell (^) together Henceforth in darkness/' For

one instant^ Jupiter attempts to^ resist^ and^ destroy his

antagonist. At^ the^ next^ moment,^ he^ has^ nothing for^ it^ but

abject and^ unavailing prayers, and^ he^ sinks^

"

Dizzily down,

ever for ever down."

Hercules now unbinds Prometheus from his^ Caucasian

rock, and^ the^ Titan^ is^ reunited^ with^ Asia, who, along with

Panthea, has^ arrived^ in^ the^ car^ of^ another^ Spirit of^ the

Hour. Prometheus speaks to^ lone of^ a^ shell^ which^ had

been given by Proteus as a nuptial-boon to Asia, breathing

within it a voice to be accomplished : lone had, in the day

of (^) calamity, hidden it beneath a rock. He asks lone to

deliver this shell to the Spirit of the Hour, with "^ the

dovelike (^) eyes of (^) Hope ;" the (^) Spirit is^ to traverse the world

blowing the^ shell,^ for^ now^ at^ length^ shall^ its^ voice^ be accomplished. Mother^ Earth, who^ assumes^ a^ personal

presence as^ she^ had^ done^ in^ the^ first^ scene^ of^ the^ drama,

says that^ henceforth^ all^ her^ animal^ and^ vegetable^ progeny

shall take sweet nutriment. Death shall be but like a

mother resuming final^ possession of^ her^ child^ :^ but^ she

cannot define to the questioning Asia what Death actually

is —only thus— " (^) Death is the veil which those who live call life— They sleep, and^ it^ is^ lifted." Then comes "^ a (^) Spirit in^ the likeness of a^ winged child."

This is "^ the Spirit of the Earth "^ : not Earth herself the

general mother, but^

" (^) the delicate spirit that^ guides the

earth through heaven." After Prometheus, Asia, and their

company, have^ arrived^ at^ the^ cavern^ which^ is^ to^ be^ their

dwelling-place, this^ Spirit describes^ what^ he^ has^ seen^ as

consequent upon the^ sounding of^ the^ shell^ by the^ Spirit of

the Hour : an (^) all-pervasive amelioration in Man and Nature. The (^) Spirit of the Hour next (^) returns, and relates the result of his mission. The (^) change which has (^) just

been wrought was not abruptly startling, but thrones were

kingless, women^ elevated^ in^ sentiment,^ "all^ things had put their^ evil^ nature^ off";^ kingfishers,^ for^ instance^ (as just previously stated^ by the^ Spirit of^ the^ Earth), having become (^) vegetarians. The^ temples of^ Jupiter, in^ his various forms or (^) attributes, are now (^) mouldering. • Man Is not (^) 'passionless, he is still man (^) ; but he is free from

SHELLEY'S PROMETHEUS (^) UNBOUND. (^15)

his (^) imagination, and idealizes the forms of creation—such as we know (^) them, instead of such as (^) they appeared to the

Greeks. Maternal^ Earth^ the^ mighty parent is superseded

by the^ Spirit of^ the^ Earth, the^ guide of^ our^ planet through the realms of^ sky."

We now come to the last utterance, the last passage, of

Prometheus Unbound. (^) Demogorgon rises. He (^) addresses

Daemons and Gods, living beyond heaven's constellated

wildernesses; he^ addresses^ the^ Dead, who^ may (the poet leaves the (^) point undetermined) be of the nature of the universe, or^ may change and^ pass away. This^ is^ the^ day

which, at^ the^ spell of the^ Earthborn, of the^ Titan^ Prome^

theus, yawns for^ Heaven's^ despotism. Gentleness, Virtue,

Wisdom, and^ Endurance^ (the qualities which^ have^ sus-

tained Prometheus through his agelong agonies), are the

seals to bar the (^) pit over Destruction's (^) strength. To (^) suffer,

to forgive, to defy, to love, to hope, neither to change nor

falter nor (^) repent —^ this is alone (^) life, (^) joy, empire, and

victory. So,^ with^ trumpet-tone as^ of^ a^ world^ emancipated

through the^ sum^ of^ its^ human^ greatness, terminates^ the

Prometheus Unbound of Shelley.

The (^) general moral (^) conceptions upon which this drama proceeds are,^ I^ think,^ sufficiently self-evident^ :^ the^ observa- tions which I shall (^) proceed to make (^) upon the (^) personality

of Prometheus, and^ of^ the^ other^ agents in the drama, will

aim to make that (^) point all the more (^) perspicuous. I will

therefore at this stage limit myself to quoting a few words

from Mrs. (^) Shelley's note to (^) Prometheus Unbound:—"The

prominent feature,"^ she^ says,^

" (^) of Shelley's (^) theory of^ the destiny of^ the^ human^ species, was^ that^ evil^ is^ not^ inherent

in the system of the creation, but an accident that might

be expelled. Shelley believed that mankind had only to

will that there should be no evil, and there would be none.

It is not (^) my part in these notes to notice the (^) arguments

that have been urged against this opinion, but to mention

the fact^ that^ he^ entertained it, and was indeed attached

to it with fervent enthusiasm. That man could be so

perfectionized as^ to^ be^ able^ to^ expel evil^ from^ his^ own

nature, and^ from^ the^ greater part of^ the^ creation, was^ the

cardinal (^) point of his (^) system." No doubt Mrs. (^) Shelley speaks correctly here.^ The^ idea^ which^ Shelley thus

symbolizes in^ Prometheus^ Unbound^ is^ the^ very same^ which

16 SHELLEY'S PROMETHEUS (^) UNBOUND.

animates Queen Mab, and which is formulated in Julian

and (^) Maddalo,—not to (^) speak of other (^) poems, (^) especially The

Revolt of Islam,

There is one point in Shelley's theory of the perfecti-

bility of^ man —of man (^) as he shall exist after the unbind-

ing of^ Prometheus

—which I should like to illustrate out

of one of his notes to Queen Mab. It will have been

observed that^ Shelley does^ not—even^ in^ this^ symbolic or (^) allegorical method of (^) exposition—contemplate that man will become (^) deathless (^) ; on (^) the (^) contrary, he (^) says expressly that^ man^ will^ remain^ subject to^ death, and

what death is he declines to attempt defining with any

precision. But^ there^ is^ a^ certain^ sense^ in^ which^ human life (^) might be extended or (^) protracted ad (^) infinitum ; the note to (^) Queen Mab^ propounds this. It runs thus : —

"Time is our (^) consciousness of (^) the succession of ideas in our mind. Vivid sensation of^ either^ pain or^ pleasure makes the time seem (^) long, as the common phrase is, because^ it^ renders^ us^ more^ acutely conscious^ of^ our^ ideas.^ If^ a^ mind be conscious of a hundred ideas (^) during one minute (^) by the (^) clock, and of two hundred (^) during another, the latter of these (^) spaces would (^) actually occupy so much greater extent^ in^ the^ mind^ as^ two^ exceed^ one^ in^ quantity. If^ therefore^ the human (^) mind, (^) by any future (^) improvement of its (^) sensibility, should (^) become con- scious of an infinite number of ideas in a (^) minute, that minute would (^) be (^) eternity. I do not hence infer that the actual (^) space between the birth and (^) death of a man will ever be (^) prolonged ; but that his (^) sensibility is (^) perfectible, and that the number of ideas which his mind is (^) capable of (^) receiving is indefinite. Thus the life of a man of virtue and talent who should die in his thirtieth (^) year is, with^ regard to^ his^ own^ feelings, longer than^ that^ of^ a^ miserable^ priest-ridden slave who dreams out a (^) century of dullness."

How (^) significant has become to us that (^) phrase about the " (^) man of virtue and talent who should die in his thirtieth

year!

"

It is^ the very age at which Shelley himself died.

I have now done with (^) the (^) myth of (^) Prometheus (^) Unbound, and I (^) proceed to (^) my second (^) stage—the (^) inquiry, "^ Who

is Prometheus?

"

This inquiry I shall at once answer by saying that

Prometheus is the Mind of Man. I wish to (^) emphasize this

point, for^ I^ think^ the^ amplitude and^ precision of^ meaning

in this (^) great ideal drama are (^) only elicited when we have

realized the definition to ourselves. Prometheus is not in

a vague general sense man, collective humankind ; he is

the mind of man—human mind— the intellect of the race—