Similarities Between Frankenstein And Prometheus

Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley, is also interpreted as The Modern Prometheus. In Ancient Greek mythology, Prometheus was said to be the wisest of all the Titans. He stole fire from the Gods of Mount Olympus. For acting against the Gods, who wanted to keep the power of fire, Prometheus was harshly punished. He was chained to a rock to have his liver eaten out every day by an eagle, and every night his liver would grow back, for all of eternity. Throughout the novel, Victor Frankenstein can be seen similar to Prometheus by his actions and his punishment. Victor Frankenstein can also be seen as a Christ figure in this novel. Portrayed by what Victor calls “dangerous knowledge”, there is a boundary that draws a line between science and what humans are not suppose to know.
Both characters rebelled against natural creation by giving life with their own hands. Prometheus molded the first human beings out of clay and water, while Victor “found so astonishing a power placed within his hands… successfully collecting and arranging the materials” (Shelley) that he would need to created the creature. In having the ability to give life, both Prometheus and Victor gave a piece of themselves to their creations. Prometheus provided a piece of himself to human beings in creating them in the image of the gods, and Victor unintentionally transferred his nature to the monster. Despite the punishments, Prometheus presented excellent qualities of being a good creator, while Victor’s actions proved that he was a bad creator. While Prometheus fought to protect the human beings he had give life too, Victor never taught or loved the monster he created and abandoned