Excerpt from Prometheus by Aeschylus Scene—A rocky ravine in the mountains of Scythia. STRENGTH Lo, the earth's bound and limitary land, The Scythian steppe, the waste untrod of men! Look to it now, Hephaestus—thine it is, Thy Sire obeying, this arch-thief to clench Against the steep-down precipice of rock, With stubborn links of adamantine chain. Look thou: thy flower, the gleaming plastic fire, He stole and lent to mortal man—a sin That gods immortal make him rue to-day, Lessoned hereby to ownth' omnipotence Of Zeus, and to repent his love to man! HEPHAESTUS O Strength and Force, for you the best of Zeus Stands all achieved, and nothing bars your will: But I—I dare not bind to storm-vextcleft One of our race, immortal as are we. Yet, none the less, necessity constrains, For Zeus, defied, is heavy in revenge! (To PROMETHEUS) O deep-devising child of Themis sage, Small will have I to do, or thou to bear, What yet we must. Beyond the haunt of man Unto this rock, with fetters grimly forged, I must transfix and shackle up thy limbs, Where thou shalt mark no voice nor human form, But, parching in the glow and glare of sun, Thy body's flower shall suffer a sky-change; And gladly wilt thou hail the hour when Night Shall in her starry robe invest the day, Or when the Sun shall melt the morning rime. But, day or night, for ever shall the load Of wasting agony, that may not pass, Wear thee away; for know, the womb of Time Hath not conceived a power to set thee free. Such meed thou hast, for love toward mankind For thou, a god defying wrath of gods, Beyond the ordinance didst champion men, And for reward shalt keep a sleepless watch, Stiff-kneed, erect, nailed to this dismal rock, With manifold laments and useless cries Against the will inexorable of Zeus. Hard is the heart of fresh-usurpèdpower! STRENGTH Enough of uselessruth! why tarriest thou? Why pitiest one whom all gods wholly hate, One who to man gave o'er thy privilege? HEPHAESTUS Kinship and friendship wring my heart for him. STRENGTH Ay—but how disregard our Sire's command? Is not thy pity weaker than thy fear? HEPHAESTUS Ruthless as ever, brutal to the full! STRENGTH Tears can avail him nothing: strive not thou, Nor waste thine efforts thus unaidingly. HEPHAESTUS Out on my cursed mastery of steel! STRENGTH Why curse it thus? In sooth that craft of thine Standeth as soiled of all that here is wrought. HEPHAESTUS Would that some other were endowed therewith! STRENGTH All hath its burden, save the rule of Heaven, And freedom is for Zeus, and Zeus alone. HEPHAESTUS I know it; I gainsay no word hereof. STRENGTH Up, then, and hasten to do on his bonds, Lest Zeus behold thee indolent of will! HEPHAESTUS Ah well—behold the armlets ready now! STRENGTH Then cast them round his arms and with sheer strength Swing down the hammer, clinch him to the crags. HEPHAESTUS Lo, 'tis toward—no weakness in the work! STRENGTH Smite harder, wedge it home—no faltering here! He hath a craft can passth' impassable! HEPHAESTUS This arm is fast, inextricably bound. STRENGTH Then shackle safe the other, that he know His utmost craft is weaker far than Zeus. HEPHAESTUS He, but none other, can accuse mine art! STRENGTH Now, strong and sheer, drive thro' from breast to back The adamantine wedge's stubborn fang. HEPHAESTUS Alas, Prometheus! I lament thy pain. STRENGTH Thou, faltering and weeping sore for those Whom Zeus abhors! 'ware, lest thou rue thy tears! HEPHAESTUS Thou gazest on a scene that poisons sight. STRENGTH I gaze on one who suffers his desert. Now between rib and shoulder shackle him— HEPHAESTUS Do it I must—hush thy superfluous charge! STRENGTH Urge thee I will—ay, hound thee to the prey. Step downward now,enring his legs amain! HEPHAESTUS Lo, it is done—'twas but a moment's toil. STRENGTH Now, strongly strike, drive in the piercing gyves— Stern is the power that oversees thy task! HEPHAESTUS Brutish thy form, thy speech brutality! STRENGTH Be gentle, an thou wilt, but blame not me For this my stubbornness and anger fell! HEPHAESTUS Let us go hence; his legs are firmly chained. STRENGTH (To PROMETHEUS) Aha! there play the insolent, and steal, For creatures of a day, the rights of gods! O deep delusion of the powers that named thee Prometheus, the Fore-thinker! thou hast need Of others' forethought and device, whereby Thou may'st elude this handicraft of ours! {Exeunt HEPHAESTUS, STRENGTH, and FORCE.—A pause.)
Use both excerpts to answer the question.
Explain the differences between realist plays and non-realist plays using details from both excerpts from Prometheus and The Cherry Orchard. Your response should be one paragraph in length and supported with details from the texts.
In both Prometheus and The Cherry Orchard, there are clear differences between realist and non-realist plays. In Prometheus, the language used is highly poetic and dramatic, with characters like Strength and Force personified. The dialogue is filled with grandiose speeches and descriptions, and the actions of the characters are larger than life. Hephaestus speaks of his fear of Zeus, the heavy consequences of defying him, and the agony that Prometheus will endure, all in a highly dramatic and exaggerated manner. On the other hand, The Cherry Orchard, a realist play, has a more naturalistic and conversational tone. The characters speak in a more ordinary language, discussing mundane and everyday matters. The dialogue is filled with interruptions, unfinished thoughts, and non-linear conversations, reflecting the chaos and complexity of real life. The actions of the characters are also more realistic, dealing with relatable struggles and conflicts. These differences in language, tone, and action highlight the distinctions between realist and non-realist plays.
The excerpts from Prometheus by Aeschylus and The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov demonstrate the differences between realist plays and non-realist plays. In Prometheus, the dialogue is filled with larger-than-life characters and dramatic events, such as the gods punishing Prometheus for his defiance. The language is grand and poetic, with vivid descriptions of suffering and punishment. On the other hand, The Cherry Orchard portrays everyday life and ordinary characters dealing with mundane issues like financial struggles and social change. The language used is simple and realistic, showcasing the natural dialogue of the characters. While Prometheus is an example of a non-realist play that explores mythical themes and larger moral dilemmas, The Cherry Orchard is a prime example of a realist play that focuses on social commentary and the complexities of human relationships in a specific time and place.
In comparing the excerpts from Prometheus and The Cherry Orchard, we can observe the differences between realist plays and non-realist plays. The excerpt from Prometheus, a play by Aeschylus, falls into the category of a non-realist play as it features mythical gods and elements of fantasy. The dialogue between Hephaestus and Strength revolves around the punishment of Prometheus for his defiance of Zeus. The language used is poetic and metaphorical, with references to gods, immortality, and omnipotence. On the other hand, The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov represents a realist play set in a more relatable world. The characters in The Cherry Orchard, such as Lopakhin and Madame Ranevskaya, are ordinary individuals dealing with realistic situations like financial troubles and social changes. The language in this excerpt is more conversational and naturalistic, focusing on human relationships and social issues. Thus, the key difference between these two excerpts lies in the fantastical and metaphorical nature of Prometheus, characteristic of non-realist plays, and the realistic portrayal of everyday life in The Cherry Orchard, representing a realist play
Use both excerpts to answer the question.
Explain the differences between realist plays and non-realist plays using details from both excerpts from Prometheus and The Cherry Orchard. Your response should be one paragraph in length and supported with details from the texts.