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The Modern Prometheus In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

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When you read the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley you may oversee something very important that could possibly answer many questions for you. One question it has answered for me was what was the purpose for writing Frankenstein and to me it really doesn 't have much to do with it just being a horror story. To me it is about a man who defy 's the laws of nature and because of that experienceses the after math of bringing the deceased back to life. Now another thing that may be racing through your mind is why exactly would Mary Shelley title this The Modern Prometheus. Well, in my research I had found out that according to Rebecca Dudczak the one reason was that Pometheus experiences consequences from power and enlightenment,(Dudczak) just as Victor Frankenstein does in the novel. Experiencing consequesnes is the first reason Frankenstein is considered The Modern Prometheus. The inquiry for power and enlightenment and not being precautious of what could happen if you temper with the laws of nature. The consequences in Frankenstein can be compared with the original story Prometheus because there is an abundance of tragedy in this story and it seems to repeat itself as it does in Prometheus. The monster continues to strangle and kill multiple people and the bird continues to attack and eat the liver of prometheus. It is a repetitive consequence and it all originates from the selfishness of trying to attain the power and enlightenment of the unknown. Prometheus
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There are very few pieces of literature with more mystery surrounding them than Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. One of the aspects of the book that is still controversial is the topic of religion, and how religion comes into play in the book. Although multiple interpretations can be made into what was intended by Mary, since the title of the work includes “A Modern Prometheus” Greek mythology is inarguably present in her work. Similar to Prometheus Victor exceeds what the gods allow, and as a result of this is punished.

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In her romantic novel, Mary Shelley introduces Victor Frankenstein, an ambitious and young natural philosopher, and calls into question the wisdom of creating a complex being with equally complex feelings. After two years of painstaking work, Frankenstein completes his creation, but is quickly repulsed by it and represses the idea of his imminent return. With the early abandonment of his creator, the creature is left on his own and develops his sense of morality and ethics— his superego—by observing an oblivious family. In Frankenstein, Shelley uses the De Lacey family to characterize the creature and mold his personality from one of compassion to one bent on revenge, leading to a schism between creation and creator.

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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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Mary Shelley's Frankenstein depicts the remarkable resemblance to the “modern” myth of Prometheus. The intertextuality used to connect these two stories, allow Shelley to bring out the most prominent themes of Power and suffering. As both of the characters deal differently with the struggle to resist the power that comes with creating life, the inevitable end for both characters are the same; they fall at the hands of their own creations. Shelley carefully utilizes the legend of Prometheus to express the connection between punishment and creation.

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