Promethean Themes in High Wizardry
An Example of Mythological Presentations in Children's Literature
Diane Duane’s High Wizardry, the third installment in the Young Wizard series, features the child-genius, Dairine, in the protagonist’s role as she travels all over the universe using wizardry in the form of a computer with magical software. There are many different themes drawn from different aspects of mythology, and one myth in particular that appears in High Wizardry is the story of Prometheus.
Background
Prometheus was known in Greek mythology as the bringer of fire to mankind. Prometheus stole the fire in defiance of Zeus, and as punishment, Zeus chained him to a rock where an eagle would eat his liver by day, and at night the liver would heal and become restored. In addition, Zeus forced mankind to pay for the fire by giving them many troubles (Hesiod 75-77). The fire represents knowledge and technology, both of which mankind has used in ways that are sometimes selfish, but both constructive and destructive.
Dairine as Firebringer
In High Wizardry, the myth of Prometheus is presented in the actions of Dairine on the silicon planet. Not only does she give the planet her knowledge, but she also transfers the power of wizardry to the planet. With this knowledge, the planet becomes able to create sensor mobiles, small glassy-looking turtles that can input information to the planet. Dairine is the fire-bringer, and is even called “lightbringer” by one of the mobiles created by the planet (Duane 257).
Wizardry is the allegorical fire, and the mobiles are like the humans who used the fire to make weapons, and devices of oppression. The mobiles want to use the wizardry to stop the flow of time and end death. If being consumed by an eagle is a metaphor for the consuming guilt Prometheus felt for what mankind did with the Fire, then the myth sheds some light into Dairine’s character, and exposes the potential consequences for having brought wizardry to beings who can misuse the power.
Interpretation
One interpretation of Duane’s use the Promethean theme is to comment on mankind’s tendency to use technological advances in an attempt to change the laws of nature, and better control the universe, but that these changes are not always in everyone’s best interest.
Like Prometheus, Dairine has given light to beings that could use it selfishly. And these are the troubles that resulted in consequence for Dairine’s actions. The stories antagonist says, “And all this would never have happened if you hadn’t made the Firebringer’s old mistake, if you hadn’t stolen fire from Heaven and given it to mortal matter to play with” (285). Here, the myth of Prometheus is explicitly playing a role in the events of the plot. It demonstrates the nature of myth and how it can reveal a cycle of behaviors that get repeated in different ways.
High Wizardry is not only a retelling of the Promethean myth, but the continuance of it. This is shown in the end when Machu Picchu turns out to be one of the Powers that brought wizardry to the world. She even says that Prometheus is one of the many names she has been called (329). This solidifies the idea of a circular nature to myth as it is presented in this story. Finally, Duane shows how the characters are drawn into the participation myth, and they become more than just stories, but demonstrations of human behavior in a universal context.
Works Cited
Duane, Diane. High Wizardry. Orlando: Harcourt, Inc. 1997.
Hesiod, Works and Days and Theogony. Trans. Stanley Lombardo. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. 1993.
Cover from Mass Market Edition
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