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Allusions In Frankenstein Essay

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In the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley there are many allusions. One of the main allusions was to a mythical character named Prometheus. The subtitle of the book is called, The modern Prometheus which is a reference to the Greek Titan Prometheus. Prometheus was a god of forethought and was given the task of creating mankind out of clay. After he created the man out of clay Athena would breath life into it. Prometheus tries to steal fire so that the mankind he created could prosper, learn and discover new things. Prometheus then gets punished by Zeus for his theft, Similar to how Victor Frankenstein spends his time trying to bring old body parts back to life, ultimately creating the monster that he abandons. Shelley’s allusion to Prometheus …show more content…

Soon after he was created he was abandoned, Ever since that moment he began to face many challenges. The monster did everything in his power to try and be friendly and meet new people but everyone rejected him. Village to village the monster got looked down upon and thrown out. The monster had finally found a cottage to live near. While observing the people in this cottage the monster began to learn to to read and write, soon he knew right from wrong. He then realizes who he was and why he was created. The monster became angry and wanted his creator, Victor to feel just as lonely as him. The monster then began to kill Victors loved ones in spite. After killing a few of his loved ones he finally decides to meet with Victor himself. He wanted Victor to make him a girl that looked just as hideous as him so that he wouldn’t be lonely anymore. If Victor agreed to this, the monster would stop killing his loved ones. Victor made this promise but didn’t keep it. This ultimately led to the death of the rest of his family ending with him. The story of Prometheus is similar in some ways. As stated before Prometheus was a Greek Titan. His purpose was to create man using clay. Prometheus did his job for a while but then began to wonder what men would be like if they could prosper, learn and discover new things. In order to try this Prometheus would need fire. Prometheus stole fire and was punished by Zeus

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They are enthusiastic about their occupations and will continue to work even if others try to discourage them. When people encourage Frankenstein to stop his creation, he ignores them and continues regardless of the dangers and terrible consequences that might harm him. He is serious about becoming well-known and clouted. He is determined and never gives up: "For when I would account to myself for the birth of that passion, which afterwards ruled my destiny, I find it arise, like a mountain river, from ignoble and almost forgotten origins," (Shelley, 43) As seen in Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein. Victor Frankenstein is the Modern Prometheus because he shares similar character attributes as the old Prometheus.

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Throughout Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, a great comparison is shown between Victor Frankenstein, the main character, and Prometheus, one of Greek mythology’s greatest Gods. Shelley borrows from the tale of Prometheus a consequence resulting from searching for a great source of enlightenment and power. In creating a being and giving it life, Frankenstein seems to take on the remarkable role of God which leads him to thinking that a power that is so heavenly cannot be played with by mankind. During his quest to expand his creative knowledge, abilities, drive, and ambition to know the origin of life, he puts himself in conflict. Frankenstein gambled his way into the godly realm without realizing he committed a sin by creating the monster, and

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