The Prometheus Myth in the Novels of William Golding
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by BRAC University Institutional Repository BRAC University Journal, Vol. IV, No. 2, 2007, pp. 105-111 THE PROMETHEUS MYTH IN THE NOVELS OF WILLIAM GOLDING Sohana Manzoor Department of English and Humanities BRAC University, 66 Mohakhali Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh ABSTRACT Much influenced by the horrors of the two World Wars, William Golding (1911-93) began his literary career as a novelist during the second half of the 20th century. His novels depict the intricate human psychology and lack of human relationship in an age where men actually have little to live for. In explaining occurrences in the human world Golding went back to myths, just as writers and philosophers before him had used mythical stories to interpret various human situations. Hence, Golding has taken up a number of recurring mythical motifs, and detailed examination shows how these motifs are central to explaining his complex themes. One such motif is the figure of Prometheus, a champion of mankind from Greek mythology who revolted against the immortal gods to free mankind. Classical Greek writers, such as, Aeschylus portrayed him as a rebel who ultimately reconciled himself with the immortals. However, in the Renaissance and Romantic literature Prometheus became a symbol of suffering and aspiring humanity. In modern literature, once again the role of this great hero changed. Since that heroic world is lost in our non-heroic one Golding concentrates on the fallen or debased aspects of mankind interlinked with intense suffering. So, while examining Golding’s Promethean figures, this paper will try to assess the author’s philosophy of reshaping the myth of Prometheus. In classical antiquity, the Prometheus myth was influence and attitude of their times in his immortalized by the Greek dramatist Aeschylus character. So in Shelley’s Prometheus Unbound (525-456 B. C.) in his trilogy of which only the (1820), the chained and tormented Prometheus is a first, Prometheus Bound, survives in complete symbol of afflicted humanity. During the time span form. Originally, Prometheus was a Titan, a pre- of over two thousand years between Aeschylus and Hellenic fire god later replaced by Hephaestus. He Shelley, Prometheus grew into a hero of stole fire from Zeus and presented it to mankind. humanistic, liberal and suffering man. In his essay, As punishment for this crime along with other ‘On Pincher Martin,’ Samuel Hynes defines offences, Zeus, the supreme god had him tied on Prometheus as “an indestructible life worshipping the highest peak of Caucasus. There Prometheus identity whose very existence gives meaning to his endured terrible sufferings as an eagle tore at his suffering and whose suffering gives meaning to his immortal liver during day time. During the night existence” (130). Commenting on the essential the liver got replenished only to be devoured the sufferings of human life, Hynes points out that a next day. Thus Prometheus is not just a symbol of central theme of Golding’s novels is that the aspiring humanity but suffering humanity as well. sufferings of human beings arise from their lack of For poets and writers from the ancient times to the understanding of their own nature and the world modern Prometheus has been a very attractive around them. And these men are the Prometheuses figure, and among other things he has been of the confused, modern world. presented as the creator of mankind, a fire-bringer, a trickster and a skilled craftsman, a redeemer, a Indeed the world of modern men is one of intense rebel against the gods, and a great humanitarian. suffering and anxiety. The disbelief and lack of faith in religious dogma reflected in English Aeschylus showed proper reverence to the literature that started at the end of the Victorian immortal gods, and there are suggestions of a Age and deepened with the World Wars continued reconciliation between Prometheus and Zeus. At even after the Second World War. The literature of other times, other writers have imbued the the early twentieth century thus reflects a profound Sohana Manzoor sense of frustration. The later poems of Yeats, significance of this purgatorial suffering, Golding works by T.S. Eliot, Lawrence, Conrad, Green and has brought in the myth of Prometheus. He has Joyce acutely present this depression. shown how man the maker, the inventor, and the builder, must also suffer for his knowledge, which William Golding, one of the most religious is to say that he must suffer for being what he is. novelists of this age, began to write in the middle The mythical Prometheus had fore and hindsight, of the twentieth century. His voice, however, was but the sufferings he went through were imposed not that of a traditional or orthodox Christian. As a upon him. In contrast, ordinary men of our world modern man, he could not afford to follow any lack self-knowledge, and therefore, often embark established religion, though he made liberal use of on ventures that bring disaster on themselves as Christian symbols, ideas and motifs in his work. In well as their fellow human beings. ‘The World of William Golding,’ Peter Green calls him “a spiritual cosmologist” (172) as he The myth of Prometheus is thus used as a central concerned himself with the philosophy of all theme in Golding’s novels. In Lord of the Flies one religions of the world. He combined pagan and comes across Piggy, the fat, asthmatic, myopic Christian myths. Golding is also referred to as a friend of the protagonist Ralph. Although ‘Deist’ in the same essay, because he seems to outwardly a most unheroic figure, Piggy is believe unquestioningly in an ultimate existence, Golding’s version of Prometheus as it is with the although this belief is not based on one distinct thick lens of his spectacles that fire is lighted on the religion but on a firm faith in God. lonesome island. He is the voice of sanity and reason that Ralph slowly comes to recognize. It is Golding’s novels reflect a deep interest in mankind. always Piggy who talks about returning home, He seems, however, not so much concerned about civilization, rules and regulations. In spite of being the redeeming features of human nature, but harassed and ridiculed by his friends, he always concentrates on its depraved side. In his work, the tries to help them. In the end, like Prometheus, he fallen or the debased aspects of man and his intense too embraces a terrible fate while trying to sufferings are inter-linked, since his fallen nature introduce reason to his ‘savage’ companions. goads man to commit sin and sin leads to suffering. Yet Golding does not necessarily follow the A modern Prometheus, however, cannot be traditional formula of sin–suffering–redemption. flawless. Piggy too has his faults. He is hated by There is no perfect redemption in Golding’s world, Ralph’s rival Jack and his hunters. Unfortunately, as he describes the complex world of modern men. he is unable to oppose them strongly. On the These men suffer without knowing the reason for contrary, he asks for his share in the pig he did not their suffering, and sometimes their whole lives are hunt. He is wise, but his wisdom is tainted with spent thus. Even if they know the reason, they fear, greed and irresponsibility. He adamantly cannot always help it. A faithless, God-defying refuses to acknowledge his or Ralph’s share of utilitarian—that is how modern man is, as responsibility in the death of Simon: portrayed by Golding through characters like “It was an accident,” said Piggy suddenly, Pincher Martin in Pincher Martin, Sammy “that’s what it was. An accident.” His voice Mountjoy in Free Fall, or Wilfred Barclay in The was shrill again. “Coming in the dark—he Paper Men. hadn’t no business crawling like that out of the dark. He was batty. He asked for it.” (193) Golding’s men deliberately choose a safe aesthetic creed that does not demand religious practices. But Piggy is afraid of the hunters. And he never fully this belief can scarcely sustain them. Whenever realizes that they hate him in return for his sanity, they are dragged out of their puny shells to and for his logical turn of mind. In a world of confront things beyond their comprehension, they darkness and confusion, where man is deliberately collapse. Those that survive often turn into half- committed to evil, a Prometheus like Piggy cannot crazy monomaniacs like Barclay or groveling survive. He dependence on logic makes him creatures like Jocelyn in The Spire. A very few like emotionally sterile. And intellect and logic alone Sammy can hope for a purgatorial existence. cannot solve the problems he is faced with. He Nevertheless, Golding’s world is a bleak one; one wants to return to a civilization that is incapable of may spend one’s entire life searching for a speck of protecting itself. So at first he is blinded and light without ever finding it. And to enhance the reduced to futility when the hunters steal his 106 The Prometheus Myth in the Novels of William Golding glasses, and in the end he is brutally killed by Jack taken place in reality. They had been visualized in and his hunters. Martin’s sub-conscious mind and had registered there in the space of a few moments. Pincher In his second book, The Inheritors, Golding does Martin is actually the story of a man who died not introduce any distinct Promethean figure, but twice. Golding’s American publishers had he makes deliberate references to the link between published the book under the title The Two Deaths knowledge and evil, and indicates in the novel how of Christopher Martin.