Freud’s Theory on the Prometheus Myth

Freud sought to explain many concepts of the human condition with reference to mythology. For instance, he believed that our consciousness, or psyche, was made up of different levels, namely the ‘id’, ‘ego’ and ‘superego’.

Figure 1

Freud’s detailed discussion of the Prometheus myth, known as ‘The Mastery of Fire’ theory, concerned his interpretation of the subconscious manifesting itself in mythology. Freud believed that the conflict between the conscious and the unconscious mind explained psychological abnormalities in humans ^[1]. However, this theory subsequently ‘failed to gain credibility within the psychoanalytic profession’^[2] as it may well be argued that Freud was trying to force his point.

Firstly, the fennel stalk, which Prometheus used to steal fire back from the gods, is a supposedly a representation of phallic imagery and also used to symbolise water. By taking fire away from men Zeus is essentially destroying it for men, similar to how water destroys fire. The fennel stalk can also be seen as a challenge to Zeus’ lightening, another phallic image, which originates as fire. We are left with the image of water versus fire, however this supposed conflict is a weak theme to focus on. Hesiod’s work demonstrates that the conflict is not necessarily fire against water, but rather god against man.

Man’s desires are highlighted in this myth and Freud decided that if man wanted fire, then he must overcome his desire to urinate on it. Freud believed that this conflict was born out of a repressed homosexual desire, however, by harbouring this belief he completely disregards a major part of Greek culture in antiquity. Same-sex relationships between an Erstes and Eromenos, known as pederasty, were widespread in antiquity and were considered educational ^[3]. They were acknowledged in Greek society, rather than repressed or unaccepted. These relationships primarily took place in upper class society, due to social conditions of the time, for many peasants mingled more freely with the opposite sex, such as in market places, leading to a greater emphasis on what we understand today as heterosexuality. However, since the upper class brought the sexes up separately in aristocracy, homosexual relationships were more common and were seen as a normal stage of life.

These relationships are prominent in Greek literature and myths, from Plato’s Symposium where Alcibiades declares his love for Socrates, to the story of Zeus’ abduction of Ganymede to become his lover.

The gods, primarily Zeus, who Hesiod describes in this myth, are symbolic of what Freud named the ‘id’, a part of our subconscious responsible for primitive desires and instinct, because they are the embodiment of human desire. Freud draws a comparison between Prometheus and Zeus’ battle of wills and the power struggle between the ego and the id. As the liver was supposedly seen as the source of desire and passion, when Zeus becomes wrathful and punishes Prometheus by sentencing him to have his liver pecked out and destroyed by an eagle, this punishment could possibly be viewed as mans struggle to repress instinctive and subconscious desires.

Figure 2

Morales comments that perhaps if Freud had chosen to apply this theory to a wider range of myths, or even to the female psyche, then we may have paid more attention to his hypothesis, as Freud seems to be quite selective about the elements of this myth he chooses to focus on ^[4]. For instance Freud ignores the creation of Pandora, a prominent part of this myth. Freud also appears to inappropriately superimpose some of the values of his own time, namely the suppression of homosexuality, onto the ancient Greeks. In doing so he loses the context of the myth.

References

^[1] Villing, A. (2005), ‘Introduction: Building a Myth’ in Classical Athens, British Museum Press, P. 6.

^[2] Caspo, E. (2005), ‘Psychology: Psychoanalysisto Myth Analysis’ in Theories of Mythology, England: Blackwell Publishing, P. 91.

^[3] Morales, H. (2007), ‘On the Analyst’s Couch’ in Classical Mythology: A very short introduction, P. 70.

^[4] Morales, H. (2007), ‘What if psychoanalysis had chosen another myth’ in Classical Mythology: A very short introduction, P. 75.

Bibliography

Armstrong, R. H. A Compulsion for Antiquity: Freud and the Ancient World, Cornell University Press, 2005.

Caspo, E. Theories of Mythology, England: Blackwell Publishing, 2005.

Dougherty, C. Prometheus, London and New York: Routledge Publishing, 2006.

Glenn, J. ‘Psychoanalytic Writings on Classical Mythology and Religion: 1909-1960’, 1976.

Guisepi, R. Economy and Society in Classical Greece, (1998), Internet WWW page at URL: http://history-world.org/greece%20economy.htm, (Accessed 27.1.11).

Hesiod, Theogony and Works and Days, Translated by L. M. West, New York: Oxford World’s Classics, 2008.

Morales, H. Classical Mythology, New York: Oxford University Press Inc 2007.

Osdorne, R. The World of Athens: An Introduction to Classical Athenian Culture, England: Cambridge University Press, 2008.

Villing, A. Classical Athens, London: British Museum Press, 2005.


Illustrations
Figure 1: Freud
Figure 2: Prometheus