THE SPLIT CONSCIOUSNGS
"Prometheus unbound," s a y s Richard Cronin,
" h a s provoked a b e w i l d e r i n g v a r i e t y o f c o n f l i c t i n g
interpretations."
This i s perhaps i n e v i t a b l e
whenever t h e work i n q u e s t i o n is a complex one.
Prometheus Unbound a p p e a r s t o be designed a s a
multi-layered
s t r u c t u r e i n which many t h i n g s a r e
happening a t once.
The problem o f complexity,
however, i s n o t one o f f r a c t i o u s e l e m e n t s t h a t must
be r e c o n c i l e d .
I t c o n s i s t s of t h e f a c t t h a t t h e
s u b t l e t i e s imparted by f i n e l y honed f a c e t s r e f u s e
t o be a d e q u a t e l y d e s c r i b e d by any one e x p o s i t i o n .
The k i n d o f b l e n d i n g o f s p e c i f i c i t y and comprehensiveness
a c h i e v e d by S h e l l e y h e r e i s a t once t h e charm and t h e
c h a l l e n g e o f t h e poem.
One way o f approaching t h e poem i s t o r e l a t e
i t s meaning t o t h e i d d n t i t i e s o f t h e main p r o t a g o n i s t s .
The s h a p e o f t h e poem can be s e e n t o emerge from t h e
r e l a t i o n s h i p s between t h e c h a r a c t e r s , from t h e p o s i t i o n s
1. R i c h a r d C m n i n , S h e l l e y ' s P g e t i c T h o u ~ h t s (London:
The Macmillan P r e s s , Ltd.,
19811, p.133.
t h e y occupy r e l a t i v e t o each o t h e r and t h e dynamics o f
t h e i r interactions.
A l l t h i s a g a i n d e v e l o p s from
t h e i d e n t i t i e s they possess.
'What J u p i t e r d o e s t o
Prometheus flows from what h e r e p r e s e n t s a s opposed
t o what Prometheus r e p r e s e n t s .
The n a t u r e o f t h e i r
r e l a t i o n s h i p i s r o o t e d i n what t h e y a r e , i n t h e i r
identities.
Prometheus i s t h e Champion o f mankind and
J u p i t e r t h e Oppressor
preface.'
--
so Shelley t e l l s us i n t h e
But t h e poem i s n o t t h e k i n d o f s i m p l e
p o l i t i c a l c o n f r o n t a t i o n s u g g e s t e d by t h e s e d e f i n i t i o n s .
I t i s n o t even a b a s i c a l l y p o l i t i c a l c o n f r o n t a t i o n
w i t h a p h i l o s o p h i c dimension.
p o l i t i c a l and philosophic
--
The two a s l l e c t s
--
a r e s o f i n e l y blended
t h a t t h e f l a v o u r o f t h e one i s p a l p a h l e i n t h e o t h e r ;
and t h e d i s c u s s i o n o f b o t h i s s u e s s e e ~ 1 6t o c o n ~ i s t e n t l y
p o i n t t o a t h i r d and b r o a d e r u n d e r l y i n g one
-- t h e
psycholoeical.
E x i s t i n g e x p o s i t i o n s o f t h e poem
--
whether
philosophic, s o c i o - p o l i t i c a l o r purely l i t c r a r y
aware o f t h e p s y c h o l o g i c a l a n g l e o f t h e work.
2. Shelley, Shelley:
--
are
The
P o e t i c a l Works, e d . Thomas
Hutchinson, 2nd e d i t i o n (London: Oxford University
P r e s s , 1970), p.205.
f a c t t h a t J u p i t e r and Frometheus a r e a c t u a l l y two
a l i e n a t e d p a r t s o f one e n t i t y r a t t l e r tha11 two s e p a r a t e
b e i n g s i s acknowledged hy d i f f e r e n t c r i t i c s .
Wassernan,
who s e e s t h e theme o f t h e One Mind i n t h e poem, n o t e s
t h a t "Jupiter i s but t h e d i s t o r t e d r e f l e c t i o n o f
~ r o r n e t h e u s . " ~Holmes, while s p e a k i n g o f t h e d e s o l a t i o n
o f t h e f i r s t a c t a s " t h e w i n t e r o f p o l i t i c a l hope, t h e
f r o z e n misery o f t h e s i c k and hungry and t h e i p n o r a n t , "
d e s c r i b e s i t s s e t t i n g a s "a whole world o f d i s a s s o r i a t e d ,
dispossessed, schizophrenic and a l i e n a t e d b e i n g s .
lu4
R e f e r r i n g t o J u p i t e r , Cronin s a y s t h a t Frometheus "has
allowed independent r e a l i t y t o what i n t r u t h i s o n l y
a ghost o f h i s o m imagination."5
While a d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e p s y c h o l o g i c a l a s p e c t
i s t h u s p r e s e n t , it f i g u r e s more a s a p a r t o f an
e x p o s i t i o n whose emphasis i s e l s e w h e r e
-- e i t h e r on t h e
philosophic, s o c l o - p o l i t i c a l o r genernl l i t e r a r y a s p e c t s .
The theme o f t h e s p l i t c o n s c i o u s n e s s i s , however,
3. E a r l R. Wasserman, S h e l l e y :
A C r i t i c a l Reading
( B a l t i m o r e , Md., JohnsHopkins U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 197.1).
4 . R i c h a r d Holmes, S h e l l e y : The P u r s u i t (1974;
C u a r t e t Books Ltd., 1976), p.497.
5. Richard Cronin, o p . c i t . , p.139.
rpt.
i m p o r t a n t enough t o be d i s c u s s e d on i t s own.
Prometheus
Unbound can be s e e n a s a p o e t i c a n a l y s i s and d e s c r i p t i o n
of t h e s c h i z o i d mind.
I t n e e d s t o be mentioned t h a t t h i s p e r s o n a l i t y
o f t h e poem i s one among o t h e r s , a l l o f them major and
important.
The work i s n o t d e s i g n e d t o be d e c i p h e r e d
a s meaning o r b e i n g one t h i n g t o t h e e x c l u s i o n of
others.
D i f f e r e n t metaphorical presences e x i s t
w i t h o u t each i m p l y i n g t h e o t h e r ' s n e g a t i o n .
I t thus
happens t h a t w h i l e c e r t a i n y a s c a g e s s u g r e s t s t r o n g l y
one kind o f i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , o t h e r ? may n e i t h e r e n d o r s e
n o r r e f u t e it, but o f f e r something e l s e .
This i s i n
k e e p i n g w i t h t h e many-layered s t r u c t u r e o f t h e poem.
F u r t h e r , t h e r e a r e images and e v e n t s i n t h e poem
t h a t simultaneously carry different sienificances.
example, J u p i t e r i s a c r p a t i o n o f Prometheus
a l l / He h a s l t 6
--
--
For
"I gave
h e owes h i s powers t o Prometheus.
T h i s phenomenon i s a t once p h i l o s o p h i c , p o l i t i c a l and
psychological i n nature.
6. S h e l l e y , S h e l l e y :
E v i l i s a n emanation o f t h e
P o e t i c a l Works, ed. Thomas
Hutchinson, 2nd e d i t i o n (London: Oxford U n i v e r s i t y
P r l s s , 1970), p.216, 1.391-2.
A l l other quotations
from Promettleus Unbound i n t h i s c h a p t e r a r e from t h e
same s o u r c e .
one Kind i n i t s s t a t e o f e r r o r ;
t h e t y r a n t owes h i s
power t o t h e v e r y p e o p l e he t y r r a n i s e s ;
s p l i t s and c r e a t e s a n o t h e r " s e l f " .
t h e s i c k psyche
There i s enough i n
t h e t e x t t o s u p p o r t a l l t h r e e r e a d i n g s , so t h a t none o f
them can be s a i d t o c a n c e l o u t any o f t h e o t h e r s .
The poem opens a t a c r i t i c a l p o i n t i n p s y c h o l o g i c a l
time.
Prometheus i s on t h e b r i n k o f a major mental e v e n t ,
t h e f l o ? e r i n g of which i s h i s d e s i r e t o r e c a n t h i s c u r s e .
I n h i s opening speech, he s p e a k s g r a p h i c a l l y of t h e
ruinous f a t e t h a t awaits Jupiter
--
"How w i l l t h y s o u l ,
cloven t o i t s depth with terror,/Gape l i k e a h e l l within!"
(Act I , 1.54-6)
-- but adds t h a t h e no l o n g e r r e l i s h e s
t h e t h o u g h t , which c a u s e s hlm g r i e f r a t h e r tiran e x u l t a t i o n ,
because h e i s s o changed t h a t "aught e v i l wish/ Is dead
w i t h i n . " (Act I , 1.70-1).
From t h e i n t e n s i t y o f h i s
h a t r e d f o r J u p i t e r h e has moved t o a n e q u a l l y i n t e n s e
s t a t e o f compassion, s o t h a t on h e a r i n @ h i s c u r s e spoken
a g a i n he s a y s :
I t d o t h r e p e n t me: words a r e quick and v a i n ;
G r i e f f o r a w h i l e i s b l i n d , and so was mine.
I wish no l i v i n g t h i n g t o s u f f e r p a i n .
This event
it
-- i s one o f
-- t h e r e c a n t a t i o n
and t h e reason f o r
g r e a t psychological s i g n i f i c a n c e .
This
i s t r u e even i f one chooses t o p l a c e t h e event w i t h i n a
philosophic o r p o l i t i c a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n .
Both t h e philosophic and p o l i t i c a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s
of t h e r e c a n t a t i o n a c q u i r e g r e a t e r depth when l i n k e d t o
a psychological dimension,
Without i t s psychological
r e f e r e n c e p o i n t , t h e r e c a n t a t i o n has more of a r e l i e i o u s
o r moral tone r a t h e r than a p h i l o s o p h i c a l one.
Prometheus appears t o be d i s p l a y i n g more t h e p i e t y of a
martyr r a t h e r than t h e wisdom of a sage.
Without a
psychological foundation, t h e r e c a n t a t i o n looks more
l i k e a highly i d e a l i s t i c attempt t o i n f l u s e s p i r i t u a l
values i n t o t h e pragmatics of p o l i t i c s r a t h e r than a
p e n e t r a t i n g i n s i g h t i n t o t h e r o o t s o f t y r r a n y and
confrontation.
I n r e c a n t i n g h i s c u r s e what Prometheus withdraws
i s not h i s courage o r endurance
--
"The T i t a n i s
unvanquished s t i 1 l " s a y s Ione ( ~ c It , 1.315).
He
withdraws h i s support t o an emotional s t a t e t h a t s u s t a i n s
s c h i z o p h ~ e n i cp a t t e r n s of being.
I n a sense both
a b s t r a c t and s p e c i f i c , J u p i t e r ' s p a i n i s h i s own pain,
and t h e r e f o r e i n wishing pain f o r J u p i t e r Prometheus
would succeed only i n prolonging h i s o m .
As l o n g a s
v i o l e n t emotions continue i n him, he remains a l i e n a t e d
from h i s o t h e r s e l f , J u p i t e r , and t h i s a l i e n a t i o n i n
t u r n f e e d s and nourishes t h e v i o l e n t emotions.
A
v i c i o u s c i r c l e i s t h u s e s t a b l i s h e d i n which s e l f and
o t h e r - s e l f a r e locked i n a v i t i a t i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p .
Prometheus' l i b e r a t i o n , though p r e - d e s t i n e d , would
remain a mockery u n l e s s he succeeded i n a c h i e v i n g t h e
p s y c h o l o g i c a l l i b e r a t i o n o f t h e wholeness of being a s
opposed t o a s c h i z o i d s t a t e .
Prometheus succeeds i n
breaking t h e v i c i o u s c i r c l e o f a l i e n t a t i o n - v i o l e n c e a l i e n a t i o n by r e c a n t i n g h i s c u r s e , and h e i s a b l e t o
do t h i s by breaking through t o a s u p e r i o r l e v e l o f
consciousness where u n i f y i n g v i s i o n r e p l a c e s fragmented
perception.
T h i s u n i f y i n g v i s i o n c o n s i s t s i n becoming
capable o f t r a n s c e n d i n g t h e s p e c i f i c s of a s i t u a t i o n
t o achieve a perception of t h e overruling g e n e r a l i t i e s .
Prometheus i s a b l e t o c u t through t h e s p e c i f i c s o f t h e
torment t h a t c h a r a c t e r i s e s h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h
J u p i t e r t o perceive t h e basic f a c t t h a t J u p i t e r is a l s o
a l i v i n g being
-
a f a c t he s h a r e s i n common with a l l
o t h e r c r e a t u r e s , even t h o s e most u n l i k e him i n a l l
other respects.
Once he h a s seen J u p i t e r i n h i s
mind i n t h e l i g h t of t h i s u n i f y i n g v i s i o n , h e can no
l o n g e r e n t e r t a i n t h e kind of d i v i d i v e emotion e n t a i l e d
i n t h e c u r s e , which u n d e r s c o r e s t h r o u g h i t s v i o l e n c e
t h e c o n d i t i o n Of c o n f l i c t and t h e r e f o r e , s p l i t :
I c u r s e thee!
l e t a sufrerer's curse
Clasp t h e e , h i s t o r t u r e r , l i k e remorse;
T i l l thine Infinity s h a l l be
A robe o f envenomed agony;
And t h i n e Omnipotence a crovm o f p a i n ,
To c l i n g l i k e burning gold round t h y d i s s o l v i n g
brain.
(Act I , 1.286-91)'
S i g n i f i c a n t l y , when Prometheus h e a r s h i s c u r s e
a g a i n , h e d e s c r i b e s t h e f e e l i n g t h a t gave r i s e t o i t a s
a blindness:
"Grief f o r a w h i l e i s b l i n d , and s o was
mine" (Act I , 1.304).
I n t h a t blindness he l o s t s i g h t
of t h e t r u t h t h a t now i l l u m i n e s h i s mind
--
that Jupiter
i s a l s o a l i v i n g being, s o t h a t t o wish him p a i n would
amount t o being no d i f f e r e n t from J u p i t e r h i m s e l f .
Through h i s " t h r e e thousand y e a r s o f S l e e p - u n s h e l t e r e d
hours" ( ~ c t , I , 1.12) Prometheus h a 5 moved from a p h a s e
i n which h e h a t e d J u p i t e r t o one i n which h e p i t i e s him.
The p a i n i n f l i c t e d on him made him t h e n wish back
s i m i l a r p a i n on h i s tormentor, b u t h e i s now w i s e r , and
-
8 Ibid.
cannot e x u l t o v e r t h e thought o f J u p i t e r ' s i n e v i t a b l e
downfall.
To do s o would o n l y succeed i n s u s t a i n i n g
t h e s p l i t between them.
The r e a l i s a t i o n o f a l l t h e s e f a c t s i s n o t merely
a n i n t e l l e c t u a l achievement, but a t o t a l psychic one,
because Prometheus a c t s upon it i n r e c a n t i n g h i s c u r s e .
He i s a b l e t o c o n v e r t p e r c e p t u a l r e a l i t i e s i n t o o p e r a t i v e
realities.
I n achievening t h i s c a p a b i l i t y he has moved
d e c i s i v e l y towards a u n i f i e d mode of being.
Among t h e v a r i o u s e n t i t i e s p r e s e n t i n a s t a t e o f
S p l i t t h e r e e x i s t s what one may r e f e r t o a s t h e " r e a l
self."
T h i s r e a l s e l f may e x i s t disconnected from a
"false self."
I t might even be a l i e n a t e d from p o r t i o n s
o f i t s own t o t a l i t y .
a two-way s p l i t .
The s p l i t i n Prometheus Unbound i s
Prometheus i s not o n l y d i s s o c i a t e d
from (and t h e r e f o r e t y r r a n i s e d by) h i s f a l s e s e l f
J u p i t e r , he i s a l s o s e p a r a t e d from a p a r t o f h i s e s s e n t i a l
s e l f , Asia, who, a s t h e l y r i c s a y s , i s " L i f e o f l i f e "
(Act 11, s c e n e V , 1.48).
The reunion o f Prometheus and
Asia i s t h e r e f o r e a companion event t o t h e overthrowing
Of J u p i t e r , o r t h e d i s s i p a t i o n of t h e f a l s e s e l f .
Having thwarted t h e F u r i e s s e n t by J u p i t e r , Prometheus
t u r n s h i s mind towards Asia
--
t h e dissolving of t h e
f a l s e s e l f i s accompanied by t h e r e a b s o r p t i o n o f t h e
a l i e n a t e d p a r t o f t h e t r u e s e l f i n t o its e n t i r e t y .
I n psychological terms, it would appear t h a t
t h e s p l i t between Prometheus and J u p i t e r o c c u r s by a
c e r t a i n a c t of a b d i c a t i o n on t h e p a r t o f Frometheus.
He, a s it were, c r e a t e s t h i s f a l s e s e l f .
Then h e
endows it with powers and t u r n s o v e r c e r t a i n c r i t i c a l
c o n t r o l l i n g f u n c t i o n s t o it
-- t h e a c t of
As a r e s u l t , he i s no l o n g e r f r e e .
He i s chained and
tormented by t h i s f a l s e s e l f , J u p i t e r .
c r u c i a l t h i n g he r e t a i n s i s h i s w i l l
abdication.
--
The one
"O'er a l l
t h i n g s but t h y s e l f I gave t h e e power,/ And my own w i l l "
(1.273-4).
Also, t h i s f a l s e s e l f i s , by t h i s s t a t e m e n t ,
n o t under i t s own c o n t r o l .
Yet, such i s t h e p e r v e r s i t y of t h e S p l i t s t a t e
t h a t t h e r e a l i t y appears t o be t h e r e v e r s e o f t h i s .
The f a l s e s e l f seems t o be i n f u l l c o n t r o l of n o t o n l y
i t s e l f , but a l s o t h e t r u e s e l f .
The t r u t h of t h e
s i t u a t i o n however, i s t h a t t h e t r u e s e l f has allowed
t h e f a l s e s e l f t o assume powers and r o l e s n o t r e a l l y
its om.
R.D.
Laing's exposition o f schizophrenia
sketches a similar pattern.
I n h i s book The Divided
-
S e l f he d e s c r i b e s t h e s c h i z o i d c o n d i t i o n a s one i n
which t h e i n d i v i d u a l s u f f e r s from n o n t o l o g l c a l
e
insecurity"'
b e c a u s e o f which h e s e p a r a t e s h i s b o d i l y
s e l f from h i s p s y c h i c one.
T h e r e i s t h u s an "embodied"
s e l f and a n "unembodied" s e l f (Chapter 4 ) .
While t h e r e
i s no compulsory c o n n e c t i o n between p s y c h o s i s and t h e
s e p a r a t i o n o f t h e s e l f i n t o "embodied" and "unembodied"
u n i t s , i n t h e s c h i z o i d c o n d i t i o n t h e r e i s "a p e r s i s t e n t
s c i s s i o n between t h e s e l f and t h e body" (Chapter 5 ) .
The i n d i v i d u a l h a s c r e a t e d t h i s s c i s s i o n because t h e
o t h e r h r i s e f e e l s "more u n r e a l t h a n r e a l ;
s e n s e , more dead t h a n a l i v e ;
in
<I
lli~ral
precariously differentiated
from t h e r e s t of t h e world, s o t h a t h i s l d e n t i t y and
autonomy a r e always i n q u e s t i o n . "
f i e t h u s becomes
"absorbed i n c o n t r i v i n g ways o f t r y i n g t o be r e a l , o f
keeping himself o r o t h e r s a l i v e , of preserving h i s
i d e n t i t y , i n e f f o r t s , a s he w i l l o f t e n p u t i t , t o
p r e v e n t h i m s e l f l o s i n g h i s s e l f " (Chapter 3 ) .
9. R.D.Laing,
The Divided S e l f : An
S a n i t v and Kadness,Felicar. %oks
Penguin Books, 19751, p.39.
All
The Divided S e l f i n t h i s c h a p t e r
source.
E x i s t e n t i a l Study i n
(1960; r p t . England:
o t h e r q u o t a t i o n s from
a r e from t h e same
T h i s background t o t h e s c h i z o i d s t a t e d o e s n o t
have a matchin8 p a r a l l e l
i n Frometheus Unbound
i s no h i n t o f any " o n t o l o p i c a l i n s e c u r i t y - n
- there
l'ron~etheus.
But t h e r e i s c o n s i d e r a b l e and s i g n i f i c a n t consonance
between t h e Pronletheen s i t u a t i o n and what f o l l o w s a s
a r e s u l t o f t h e schi7oid individuul's attempt t o de8l
with h i s o n t o l o g i c a l i n s e c u r i t y .
I f we keep i n mind
Laing's statenlent t h a t "the s p l i t i n t h e experience o f
o n e ' s own b e i n g i n t o unemhodied and emhodied p a r t s i s
no more an i n d e x o f l a t e n t p s y c h o s i s t h a n i s t o t a l
embcdiment any g u a r a n t e e o f s a n i t y " (Chapter 4 ) , t h e
a b s e n c e o f o n t o l o g i c a l i n s e c u r i t y and t h e r e s u l t a n t
embodied-unembodied phenomenon i n t h e Promethean
s i t u a t i o n a p p e a r s t o be more a m a t t e r o f d e t a i l t h a n
basic desicn.
I n o t h e r words, t h e a b s e n c e o f any
i n d i c a t i o n t h a t J u p i t e r c o r r e s p o n d s t o t h e embodied
s e l f and Frometheus t o t h e unembodied s e l f does n o t
damage t h e c a s e f o r a p s y c h o l o g i c a l r e a d i n g o f t h e
poem.
The b a s i c f a c t o f a s p l i t i s t h e more e s s e n t i a l
point.
P r o n e t h e u s Unbound i s , a f t e r a l l , a poem and
not a clinical case history.
The s i ~ n i f i c a n tand r e l e v a n t p o i n t c o n c e r n s
t h e consequences o f t h e s p l i t i n t o embodied and
unembodied s e l v e s .
The s c h i z o i d i n d i v i d u a l makes o v e r
t h e f u n c t i o n s o f i n t e r a c t i o n w i t 1 1 t h e world and o t h e r
people t o a " f a l s e - s e l f system" (Chapter 6 ) .
This
system, which t h e i n d i v i d u a l l o c a t e s i n t h e body o r
t h e embodied S e l f , t a k e s o v e r even t h e g e n e r a l b u s i n e s s
of l i v i n g .
"The s e l f engages i n phantasy i n t h e
p r i v a t e 'world' o f 'mental' t h i n g s , i . e . o f i t s own
o b j e c t s , and observes t h e f a l s e s e l f , which a l o n e i s
engaged i n l i v i n g i n t h e 'shared w o r l d ' "
(Chapter 9).
I f t h e t r u e s e l f h a s t o communicate with t h e o u t s i d e
s h a r e d world, it cannot do s o d i r e c t l y , h u t h a s t o u s e
t h e f a l s e s e l f system a s t h e channel o f comn~unication.
"Hence what was designed i n t h e f i r s t i n s t a n c e a s a
guard o r b a r r i e r t a prevent d i s r u p t i v e impingement on
t h e s e l f , can become t h e w a l l s o f a p r i s o n from which
t h e s e l f cannot escape" (Chapter 9 ) .
The Promethean s l t u a t i o n i s very s i m i l a r .
It
i s f a l s e - s e l f J u p i t e r who i n t e r a c t s with t h e world and
its c r e a t u r e s .
Prometheus i s bound i n s o u l - d e s t r o y i n g
isolation.
The f i r s t Act r e v e a l s t o u s h i s n e a r - t o t a l
loneliness.
He a s k s t h a t one o f t h e elements r e p e a t
t h e c u r s e h e l a i d on J u p i t e r , and r e c e i v e s
correctly, is not a b l e t o perceive
-
- o r more
any responsp.
"Mother," h e t e l l s t h e Earth (with whom a l o n e h e can
c o n v e r s e ) , "thy s o n s and t h o u / Scorn him, a i t l ~ o u twhose
a l l - e n d u r i n g w i l l / Beneath t,he f i e r c e o m n i [ l o t ~ n c eo f
~ o v e , / B o t h t h e y and t h o u tiad v a n i s h e d
..
.I'
(1.113-6).
The E a r t h t h m s t a t e s t h a t he, b e i n g immortal, c a n n o t
h e a r o r know " t h e l a n p u a p ~of t h e dead" ( 1 . 1 3 9 ) .
He con h e a r a ~ a i nh i s owti c u 1 . s ~o n l y i f it i s
spoken by one o f t h e p h a n t a s n , ~o f t h e " o t h e r world"
and wit11 s i n g u l a r a p p r o p r i a t e n e s s he c h o o s e s t h e
Phantasm o f J u p i t e r t o a r i s e and r ~ p e a tt h e c o u r s e .
Prometheus i s t h u s a l m o s t t o t a l l y l o n ~ l y ,b r i n g
a b l e t o communicate o n l y
kit)]
hi:
mother, t h e E a r t h , and
w i t h Ione and Fanthea who, s i g n i f i c a n t l y , a r e s i r . t , e r - b e i n g s
o f A s i a , h i s " L i f e o f L i f e " from whom a130 h e i s a l i e n a t e d .
His i s o l a t i o n i s l i k e thi. i s o l a t i o n of t h e t r u e s e l f i n 8
schizoid condition.
The t r u e s e l f i n such a s i t u a t i o n ,
s a y s Laing, l e a d s a n impoverished e x i s t e n c e , and P r o m e t h e u s
e x i s t s i n such a s t a t e o f in~poverishnlent, m i r r o r e d i n t h e
b l e a k n e s s o f t h e l a n d s c a r e i n wtlict! h i s t o r m e n t i s s e t :
Black, w i n t r y , dead, u m m ~ a s u r e d ; w i t h o u t h e r b ,
I n s e c t , o r b e a s t , o r shape o r sound of l i f e .
Ah me! a l a s , p a i n , p ? i n e v e r , f o r ever!
10. L h e l l e v :
P o e t i c a l Works, o p . c i t . ,
p.208.
With i s o l a t i o n and impovefishment, d e s p a i r i s
n o t f a r behind.
A t t h e p o i n t a t which we e n c o u n t e r
Prometheus, h e i s most v u l n e r a b l e t o d e s p a i r , knowing
which J u p i t e r send h i s F u r i e s t o a t t a c k Prometheus a t
t h a t p o i n t o f weakness
-- t h e t w i n v i s i o n s o f C h r i s t
and t h e p e r v e r s i o n o f t h e French R e v o l u t i o n a r e d e s i g n e d
t o convince him a h a t t h e b e s t of t h i n g s i n t h e world
a r e "confused t o ill" ( ~ c It , 1 . 6 2 8 ) .
But Prometheus, a l t h o u g h t h e Mind D i v i d e d , h a s
a l r e a d y s e t i n motion t h e p r o c e s s o f r e c o v e r y t h r o u g h
t h e r e c a n t a t i o n of t h e curse.
"Thy words a r e l i k e a
cloud of winged s n a k e s , " h e t e l l s t h e Fury;
"And y e t
I p i t y t h o s e t h e y t o r t u r e n o t t ' (Act I , 1 . 6 3 3 ) .
He
d e c l i n e s t h e apathy of despair, o p t i n g i n s t e a d f o r t h e
p a i n o f c o n t i n u i n g t o respdnd t o t h e world around him.
Consequently, t h e Fury v a n i s h e s , h a v i n ~been t h w a r t e d .
A
Chorus o f S p i r i t s , c a l l e d up by E a r t h , u n r o l l
p o s i t i v e and hope-giving v i s i o n s t o s o o t h e and b o l s t e r
Prometheus, who f i n d s them f a i r y e t d e c l a r e s "most v a i n
a l l hope b u t l o v e " (Act I, l.BOB), s e t t i n g i n motion
t h e second movement of h i s l i b e r a t i o n by t h u s t u r n i n g
h i s mind towards
Asia.
"I have n e v e r known,
who could say h e was loved
page 38).
"
s a y s Laing, "a s c h i z o p h r e n i c
. . ."(The Divided S e l f ,
Despair i s , i n h i s o p i n i o n , an e s s e n t i a l
f e a t u r e of t h e s c h i z o i d c o n d i t i o n .
The s c h i z o p h r e n i c
b u i l d s u p an i s o l a t i o n i n o r d e r t o have " s a f e t y f o r t h e
t r u e s e l f , i s o l a t i o n and hence freedom from o t h e r s ,
s e l f - s u f f i c i e n c y and c o n t r o l " (Chapter 4 ) .
But a l l
it l e a d s t o i s d e s p a i r and a "haunting s e n s e o f
f u t i l i t y " (Chapter 4 ) .
The c o n d i t i o n of Prometheus i n Act 1 i s t h a t
of a s p l i t constfousness, but one which h a s a l r e a d y
s e t i n motion t h e p r o c e s s o f i t s
integrity.
recovery i n t o
T y r r a n i s e d by a f a l s e s e l f he h i m s e l f h a s
c r e a t e d , h e y e t succeeds i n d i s m a n t l i n g t h e s t r u c t u r e
o f a l i e n a t i o n t h a t s u s t a i n s t h e s p l i t by going beyond
h a t e and r e c a n t i n g t h e c u r s e .
Captive i n tormenting
i s o l a t i o n and p o t e n t i a l l y eaay p r e y t o d e s n a i r , he i s
y e t a b l e t o h o l d o u t a g a i n s t it on t h e s t r e n g t h o f h i s
f a i t h i n l o v e , i n Asia, i n t h e " L i f e o f L i f e " .
The
i n n e r s e l f o f t h e s c h i z o i d i n d i v i d u a l , s a y s Laing,
b e g i n s by b e i n g u n c e r t a i n of i t s own e x i s t e n c e and a s
t h e f a l s e - s e l f system d e v e l o p s , becomes i n c r e a s i n g l y
u n r e a l and "no l o n g e r a b l e t o s u s t a i n what p r e c a r i o u s
s e n s e o f i t s own i d e n t i t y i t s t a r t e d w i t h " ( C h a p t e r 9 ) .
Confronted with t h e F u r i e s Frometheus i s i n i t i a l l y
u h a b l e t o r e t a i n a s e n s e o f h i s own i d e n t i t y
--
"Whilst
I behold s u c h e x e r a b l e s h a p e s , / Methinks I grow l i k e
what I contemplate,/And
laugh and s t a r e i n l o a t h s o m e
Sympathy" (Act I , 1,449-51).
There i s evan a n
element o f t h e h a l l u c i n a t o r y i n t h e s e q u e n c e , f o r
t h e Second Fury s a y s :
So from o u r v i c t i m ' s d e s t i n e d agony
The s h a d e which i s o u r form i n v e s t s u s r o u n d ,
E l s e we a r e a s s h a p e l e s s a s o u r mother N i g h t .
(Act I , 1.470-3)''
But Prometheus i s s p l i t c o n s c i o u s n e s s i n r e c o v e r y
--
t h e r e f o r e , while t h e p i c t u r e he p r e s e n t s corresponds
c l o s e l y t o t h e p s y c h i a t r i c s c h i z o i d one, t h e r e i s a l s o
p r e s e n t t h e o t h e r element o f t h e movement t o w a r d s
wholeness and h e a l t h .
The poem i s , a f t e r a l l , a b o u t
t h e unbinding o f t h e T i t a n .
In t h e course o f delindating
t h i s , Shelley p r e s e n t s us with a p o e t i c d e s c r i p t i o n o f
t h e s p l i t c o n s c i o u s n e s s and t h e t o r m e n t and d i s a s t e r
involved t h e r e i n .