English Frankenstein Prometheus
When observing the similarities between Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and the Greek tragedy and myth of a titan named Prometheus, a common “mistake” that most people see is man overstepping his place in the universe. Yet it is not only plot, these works are also very similar in their characters. This paper will show remarkable similarities in the comparison of the two stories.
After the children, of the titan Kronos, brought forth a major rebellion in the heavens, the titans were cast out with the exception of the titan Prometheus who helped Zeus and the others of the rebellion to defeat the titans and gain power. This brings us to the myth of Prometheus in which Prometheus attempted to help the disgraceful humans that Zeus despised so much. Preventing the die out of the human race, Prometheus bestowed the gift of fire to the human creatures of the earth. By doing this his friendship and favor with Zeus was lost, for Zeus wanted the humans to die so he could recreate things in what way he saw fit. Later Prometheus found himself chained to the topmost peak of the Caucasus Mountains where he would be enforced to suffer until Hercules came to free him. Every day upon the mountain top he went through the agonizing pain of his liver being eaten by an eagle for every dawn it would grow back.
By following natural sciences and ancient arts, Victor achieved an impossible task that mortal man had never laid eyes upon. In the gothic novel Frankenstein, Victor studied the body and learned about life and death. He then used his brilliance and acumen to create life through scientific means. But he did not have the consent of God and even though he did not intentionally go against the will of God his act of playing him caused great suffering. For the innocent life that he tried creating turned out to be a horrible beast “No mortal could support the horror of that countenance. A mummy again endued with animation could not be so hideous as that wretch” (Shelley 235). The
After the children, of the titan Kronos, brought forth a major rebellion in the heavens, the titans were cast out with the exception of the titan Prometheus who helped Zeus and the others of the rebellion to defeat the titans and gain power. This brings us to the myth of Prometheus in which Prometheus attempted to help the disgraceful humans that Zeus despised so much. Preventing the die out of the human race, Prometheus bestowed the gift of fire to the human creatures of the earth. By doing this his friendship and favor with Zeus was lost, for Zeus wanted the humans to die so he could recreate things in what way he saw fit. Later Prometheus found himself chained to the topmost peak of the Caucasus Mountains where he would be enforced to suffer until Hercules came to free him. Every day upon the mountain top he went through the agonizing pain of his liver being eaten by an eagle for every dawn it would grow back.
By following natural sciences and ancient arts, Victor achieved an impossible task that mortal man had never laid eyes upon. In the gothic novel Frankenstein, Victor studied the body and learned about life and death. He then used his brilliance and acumen to create life through scientific means. But he did not have the consent of God and even though he did not intentionally go against the will of God his act of playing him caused great suffering. For the innocent life that he tried creating turned out to be a horrible beast “No mortal could support the horror of that countenance. A mummy again endued with animation could not be so hideous as that wretch” (Shelley 235). The