The Role Of Myth In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

He developed a deep love for the noble, albeit impoverished, family. Seeking some kind of human relationship, to be more accurate, just any kind of contact, he first tried to talk to the oldest family member as he was blind and the monster knew that his hideous physiognomy, excites not only disgust but more so fear. However, the other members of the family returned unexpectedly, and drove him with stones from the cottage.

Upon this, the monsters sorrow increased, and he cursed his creator and his own hideousness. Thus, his thirst for revenge on Victor, whose whereabouts he had discovered from the laboratory notebooks. Upon his arrival in Geneva, the creature encountered William, he did not plan to kill the boy but he was enraged when he

However, the Romantics saw a hero in Prometheus. A figure who does not give up, and helps mankind, even with the knowledge of having to face consequences.

The relationship between the myth and Frankenstein however, is ambivalent. Certainly, just like the myth it can be read as a tale of caution, like Mary Shelley already said in her ‘waking dream’ Frankenstein’s creation would be horrifying because “supremely frightful would be the effect of any human endeavor to mock the stupendous mechanism of the Creator of the world.”

As far as Victor Frankenstein is regarded, he certainly is punished for his actions, he witnesses the murder of his family and friends, which shortly after is followed by his own tragic death.

The mentioned ambivalent relation, is for example put into play when Frankenstein is read as celebration of ambition and

In fact, almost all women in the novel die because of Victor’s work-life balance, or the lack of it. With the creation of the monster Victor downright triggers a snowball effect, it leads to the hanging of the servant Justine as well as to the murder of Elizabeth on her wedding night. Occasionally, Shelley refers to Nature itself as female, suggesting that Victor is violating it, as when Victor describes how he “[…] with unrelaxed and breathless eagerness, I pursued nature to her hiding-places.” (Shelley, p.43). It could also be suggested, that Frankenstein might not like women very much. The creatures offer is that he will leave Victor and all mankind alone forever if Victor just creates a mate for him. Whereupon, Victor eventually and reluctantly defers into. Repugnant he begins to work, but freaks out over what it will mean to create a female monster, not only does he think of monster progeny “[…] a race of devils would be propagated upon the earth who might make the very existence of the species of man a condition precarious and full of terror.” (Shelley, p. 149-150), but moreover, he says “[…] she might become ten thousand times more malignant than her mate, and delight, for it on sake, in murder and wretchedness.” (Shelley, p. 149). So, Victor destroys the female creature while the monster watches. Another point for this case