The tales of Gun and Prometheus are famous respectively in the east and west. Since we are a kid,we always hear the tales of Yu that he tries his best to lead to the gradual recession of flood. Most people praise the achievement of Yu but overlook the fruit of his father, Gun. As the first people to control the water, Gun devotes his energy and patience into his magnificent project and shows extraordinary courage and resolution. Prometheus, the first man in the western tales to bring fire to human beings, also shows the characteristics which are different from other mythological characters. He never forgets his responsibility to protect human beings, works hard to safeguard the interests of mankind. And at the risk of irritating Zeus, he stoles the fire for the human and has the courage to bear the consequences. This spirit of sacrifice is common in the culture of the East and the West. Through this comparative study, We can explore the similarities and differences of the attitude and spirit when facing difficulties in the eastern and western cultures,analysis the tales in the literary works and the profound influence of heroes in different environments and evaluate the benefit points that we can use. Also, we need to compare two image in the people’s minds.What is more important is observing the differences between the eastern and Western cultures, looking for the root of this difference, and then it assists us to understand the western culture better, promotes the learning of English and propagate the Chinese culture. Comparison is a permanent theme for us to study. Only through comparing, can we improve our understand of the culture we have familiar with and explain it to other people.

At present, most of the research on the two mythological characters is a directly comparison,involving individual consciousness, moral standards and social rules. We can also see the admiration for those two heroes from these documents. Especially two people are experiencing lots of hardships when stealing treasures and have courage to accept the punishment without retreating. That point is consensus for two cultures to esteem. But The final destiny indicates that east and west are two system culture, especially in the literature works. Prometheus Unbound provides us with a good example to analysis the Prometheus in the value of literary works. And the Chinese ancient story is also showing us a brave image of Gun in the history. So both the two persons keep in mind as a hero. Lots of analysis for them are based on the heroism. In the Shelley’s work of Prometheus Unbound, we see that Prometheus puts up with the pain and torture, rejects to surrender to Zeus and still believes that there is hope for himself and human beings. Gun is also experiencing lots of hardships, refuses the instructions of God and brings xirang to human beings secretively. They all show their bravery and kind to the normal people. But the final destiny for the two people let us see the results of heroism in the two cultures. The research for their heroism attach great importance on the west and east but most people overlooks the further meaning behind their behavior. For example, Prometheus suffers pains because he thinks he should shoulder the responsibility brought by the stealing but the tragic destiny for Gun is resulted by his resistance that he does not obey the God’s order. It covers the two value system in the different cultures. Apart from the literary works, the scholars also tries to narrate the two different image in the mind of people, Prometheus becomes one of the gods respected by the western people and is admired in the literary work but Gun is unusual. He leaves in the record of historical literary as a person who is stubborn. In another word, expect for stealing xirang for people he is a negative model in the mind of Chinese people because he is killed by the God. It is one of the differences between two persons. And the analysis for two person is researched by the Chinese people. The tales of Gun is not famous in the western culture. Seldom people pay attention to the Chinese tales so the number of the foreigner reference is very small, and most are connected with Prometheus. It is reasonable for English learners to propagate the Chinese cultures. That is one of the goals for us to learn English.

Usually, people take advantage of the book to explore and research the two person’s influence for the people. The present study that I observe for the Gun and Prometheus is colourful and we need to distinguish which one is suitable for our learn. Undeniably, the tales still play a significant part in people’s life.

The similarities between the Chinese and Greek mythology is well-informed for most people, but the difference between the two is also obvious. Especially for Gun and Prometheus, it can be on behalf of the difference saliently. Contrast of Cultural Differences between the East and the West Based on the Tales of Gun and Prometheus tries to explain it from the factors of natural, historical, social and cultural. The paper contrasts Gun and Prometheus' tales from three parts: family ideas and individualism, harmony of nature and human and contract society, spirit of rites and harmony and liberalism. The author explains the difference from the two social system formed by various thought, seeks the root that causing the difference and tells us her own opinion for these difference. The west people and east people’s view and understanding on the world and life gradually develop into a different culture today. The best way to truly recognize the culture is exploring the root of the culture and the myth is the representative of that rooted culture.

The symbol of the human liberator-Prometheus Unbound gives us a detailed analysis for the Prometheus. It appreciates the poem from the background of the Prometheus, the writing skills in the poem and the implication behind the poem. For the background, the writer introduces the information of the Shelley, tries to understand the poem in that age and investigates the aim for Shelley to write the poem. The article also learns other works about the Prometheus and shows a new understanding for Prometheus. Also, the writer seeks the writing principle in this poem. That is the principle of kind. Because Prometheus struggles with Zeus laboriously and rejected to surrender to the him. From that principle, the writer explains the writing aim of this passage. The poem conveys the meaning that people should bravely revolt the absolutism and express their pleasant willing for the life. The center of the poem is expressing the human idealism and optimism.

Analysis of the suffering archetype introduces west and east suffering persons and try to seek the reason for them to experience the hardships. In Greek mythology, Prometheus is locked on the cliff of the Caucasus because of stealing Skyfire, spear through his chest, the eagles eat his liver every morning, thousands of years of torment shapes the tragic hero——as the prototype of human suffering. The article also write the image of Jesus as a prototype of the literary image. In Chinese mythology, Da Yu's father Gun, is also a model of the suffering archetype. Through these persons, we can draw a conclusion that normally The protagonist of the tragedy is the forerunner of human beings. They all have their reputation in the history or the mind of people.

2. 研究的基本内容与方案

This thesis is to explain the comparison of the cultural difference between east and west based on the tales of Gun and Prometheus. By comparing the two person, we may explorer the deep meaning behind the tales, and try to find the cultural difference in many aspects. The main content of this thesis include the analysis of literary image of two person in different works, the different destiny for two persons when they contribute a lot at the same time and the influence and the spiritual implication for two kinds people living in the two different culture, and learning the experience from western culture how to improve the cultural education or propagate Chinese culture effectively. The major ways to do the thesis are reading the books and seeking related references to rich my knowledge.

1.刘炳善. 英国文学简史 英文版[M].郑州：河南人民出版社,2007

2.DenJohn, 浩瀚. 希腊神话精选[M].北京：首都经济贸易大学出版社,2002.

3.刘冲.《解放了的普罗米修斯》中的英雄主义探究[J].中外企业家.2014（09）：258-258.