Prometheus

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von, 1749-1832Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.3

Word count: 14K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Prometheus by Johann Wolfgang von GoetheAuthor: Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von, 1749-1832,Language: German, Class: PT: Language and Literatures: Germanic, Scandinavian, and Icelandic literatures, Release Date: Nov 1, 2005

Editor's review

This Prometheus is a short verse-drama fragment that Goethe wrote in German. Though brief, it concentrates the rebellious spirit and cult of genius of his Sturm und Drang period. Goethe's Prometheus is no mere suffering fire-thief but a figure who dares to question Zeus's authority and independently creates mankind; the verse is charged with power and intellectual edge. For readers who want to understand Goethe's early thought, German classical literature, or the literary reworking of myth, this is a short but dense text. The German original preserves Goethe's rhythm and diction and rewards close reading alongside a translation. Read it with the Greek myth and the Enlightenment currents of Goethe's time in mind, and appreciate how he uses myth to express individual will and a vision of creation. The ebook edition is provided by Project Gutenberg, making it easy to search and carry, though the edition information is rather brief.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who want to understand Goethe's early work and Sturm und Drang literature
Those interested in the Prometheus myth and its literary reworkings
Learners with some German who want to close-read a short text in the original
Students and enthusiasts of German literature or comparative mythology

Not a good fit for

General fiction readers expecting a full-length play or complex plot
Complete beginners with no German who are unwilling to use a translation
Readers looking only for light entertainment

Reading tips

Start with the basic plot of the Prometheus myth, then enter the text and see what Goethe changes.
Read the German alongside a reliable translation and pay attention to the verse rhythm and key words.
After reading, map the opposition between Prometheus and Zeus and consider the themes of rebellion and creation Goethe expresses through it.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this Prometheus a complete full-length play?

No. It is a short verse-drama fragment Goethe wrote on the Prometheus theme, limited in length rather than a fully structured long play. It is better suited to close reading for Goethe's early thought and language than to being read as a plot-rich grand drama.

Can I read this book without knowing German?

Yes, but you will need a translation. The Project Gutenberg edition is the German original, and reading it directly requires some German. If you do not know German, use a reliable Chinese translation alongside, or read the translation first to grasp the content and then return to the original to feel Goethe's verse rhythm.

What background knowledge do I need before reading?

It helps to know the Greek myth of Prometheus stealing fire and being punished, and to have a rough sense of the Sturm und Drang period Goethe lived in, with its emphasis on individual genius and rebellion against authority. This background helps you understand why Goethe shapes Prometheus as a creator who questions Zeus.

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About the author

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von, 1749-1832 Author

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) is a highly important writer in the history of German literature, whose work spans poetry, fiction and drama. The library holds 75 of his works, including the tragedy Faust: Der Tragödie erster Teil in several editions and translations, the epistolary novel Die Leiden des jungen Werther — Band 2, and the play Iphigeneia Tauriissa. Faust centers on a scholar's pact with the devil, combining philosophical reflection with poetic language; Die Leiden des jungen Werther uses the epistolary form to portray the conflict between personal feeling and social constraint. Goethe's works cover a wide range of subjects and combine lyricism with philosophical depth, exerting a profound influence on German literature and later European writing. Public information is limited, so biographical details are omitted here.