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영어

The purpose of this paper is to analyze Prometheus Unbound based on Hegelian dialectic. Prometheus Unbound is a dramatic poem which reveals Shelley’s idealism to seek a beautiful society. Shelley shows the liberation and freedom of humankind from the tyranny through the righteous hero, Prometheus. This poem which tells us the realization of ideal society and its process based upon love can be connected with Hegel’s dialectic that history develops through the conflict and struggle between thesis and antithesis. Firstly, Prometheus’ bringing fire and wisdom to the mankind is ‘thesis’ and his receiving physical punishment from Jupiter is ‘antithesis’. And Prometheus’ liberation by his endurance and Asia’s love can be told as synthesis. Secondly, analyzing the change of Prometheus’ psychology according to the ‘dialectic of master and slave’, his heart of hatred is the heart of slave and his heart of endurance conquering the hatred of Jupiter is the heart of master. So it can be said that the success of master’s heart after the struggle between two hearts within Prometheus brought his true liberation. Through this poem, Shelley shows us the hope that ideal society can be realized based upon love and endurance without surrender and compromise.