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Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Mary Shelly also named this novel The Modern Prometheus. Find out more about Prometheus, and explain why this is fitting title. Discuss this among yourselves.
I believe that Frankenstein’s alternative title, The Modern Prometheus, can be interpreted in reference to both Victor Frankenstein and the monster. Prometheus is a titan originating from Greek mythology who is said to have endowed the human race with, among other things, the gift of fire. Some believe that Prometheus, who was known as a trickster, was punished by Zeus (leader of the Olympian gods) for this action. To me, this relates to the monster’s relationship with the cottagers. In his story he tells to Victor, the monster makes a flimsy shelter for himself from which he observes a family consisting of a father and his two children to learn human traditions and language. Along the way, he kindly assists them by secretly bringing firewood home that would last for several days at a time (Shelley 118). The monster, despite having been shunned for his horrid appearance in the past, hopes that the family will reciprocate his generosity and accept him as a friend. Since the father of the cottage is blind, Frankenstein’s monster introduces himself to him first. His lack of sight does indeed work in his favor until the children arrive home and meet him with violent attacks (Shelley 145). Like Prometheus, the monster is penalized after only displaying an act of altruism (in both cases providing fire). Moreover, Prometheus is known for his being bestowed, along with titan Epimetheus, with the task of creating man. Therefore, Prometheus’ story can also be viewed in comparison to Victor Frankenstein’s. Victor’s goal, too, is to create a living human out of lifeless material (Shelley 52). Some myths say that Prometheus stole fire from the gods to give to the men he created since he constructed them in the gods’ likeness. Zeus, who had not permitted Prometheus giving man fire in the first place, became enraged to the point of chaining Prometheus to a rock. Parallels can be drawn between this and Victor’s story, as Victor attempts to “play God” by ambitiously creating a human from dead matter, which no person who came before him had ever accomplished. He was even previously dissuaded from pursuing alchemy, the aforementioned study being denounced as useless and foolish theory (Shelley 45). When Victor’s idea for creation finally comes to fruition, he is punished as it (that being the monster) horrifies him and wreaks havoc on all that he loves. Throughout the entirety of the novel, he is “chained” (like Prometheus) to his suffering and misery as his mental state repeatedly declines.
In Greek mythology, Zeus assigned the task of creating man to the titan Prometheus. Prometheus created man in the image of the gods, and gave the species the gift of fire. Angered by the power humans were allowed to possess, Zeus chained Prometheus to a boulder, and every day a giant eagle would come down to eat his flesh and liver. “The Modern Prometheus” is a fitting title not only because of the similarities between Prometheus and Frankenstein, but also because of the parallels between Prometheus and the monster. Like Prometheus, Frankenstein brought his creation to life, and both were eternally tormented as a result of their actions. However, one is tortured by his creator, the other by his creation. The monster originates as a kindhearted and curious creature that, Like Prometheus, is spurned and punished for acts of kindness. Despite the clear parallels between Frankenstein and Prometheus in the beginning of the novel, there is a distinct shift of power between creator and creation (Zeus and Prometheus) that reverses these roles. In an act of defiance not unlike how Prometheus stole fire from the gods, Frankenstein destroys his progress of creating a companion for his monster. The monster retaliates by professing “Remember that I have power; you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful to you. You are my creator, but I am your master; obey!” (Shelley 157). In this declaration, the punisher becomes the punished, and Frankenstein becomes Prometheus: chained down and tortured by the more powerful being.
Mary Shelly most likely named this book The Modern Prometheus because of the similarities between Victor Frankenstein and the Grecian myth of Prometheus. Prometheus, according to myth, was the creator of mankind. He also gave the gift of fire to the people he created because he believed it would better the society. In a way it did, we see that fire has many positive effects; it gives us warmth and can cook food. However as we see on the news almost everyday, fire is also very destructive. It can burn down houses, neighborhoods, or even entire forests. The obvious connection between Prometheus and Frankenstein is that they both create life, however the actions of Frankenstein's monster and Prometheus’ gift are very similar. At first the two creations are deemed incredible, Frankenstein's monster is the greatest scientific discovery of the century, similarly when Prometheus gave the people fire they were amazed by its power and beauty. However as previously explained, fire can be deadly, and so is Frankenstein's monster. Just like fire the monster quickly starts to get out of control. After the death of William, the monster keeps killing until he gets his wish of a companion, which as we know never occurs and so he continues his violent rage until Frankenstein dies. So just like fire when it runs out of fuel, when there is nothing left to kill the monster stops.
Mary Shelley’s nickname, “The Modern Prometheus,” is very fitting to Frankenstein, as Victor’s life story related to the events from the Greek myth of Prometheus. According to the Greek myth, this clever Titan managed to steal the secret to the creation of fire from the gods and gave spread the wisdom to the rest of the world. As a result of his actions, he was severely punished by Zeus, as he was tied to a rock, his liver eaten every day and growing back the next, for all eternity. One day, Hercules, setting off past Mount Caucasus while undergoing the Twelve Labors, passed Prometheus, killed the eagle, and freed him from his chains. Likewise, Victor releases the secret to creating life, a secret of nature and God. The narrator (Victor) states, “The different accidents of life are not so changeable as the feelings of human nature. I had worked hard… to infuse life into an inanimate object…” (Shelley 58) So, by creating life and neglecting his creation, he is punished for the rest of his life, as the beast destroys all that he loves. Day after day, he searches for his creation, to destroy it. Night after night, he relives the torture, when he dreams about his family's murders. The punishment does not end until Frankenstein dies. Victor passes his prophecy to Robert Walton, who stays with him until he passes away. After his death, the monster’s job is complete, and decides that its time has come. Frankenstein’s “chains” are broken, and he is finally free in Heaven. Due to this, Victor Frankenstein really is the "Modern Prometheus.”
The title The Modern Prometheus fits the book Frankenstein as well because of the parallels that can be drawn between the Greek myth and Victor Frankenstein. Prometheus, according to Greek mythology is responsible for equipping humans with the knowledge necessary to do everything we have accomplished. In Frankenstein, Victor is credited with building a monster, very much like a human. In both of these stories, the responsible party was punished. Prometheus was to have his liver eaten every day by an eagle, while Victor was to have everyone he loved and cared about killed by his own creation. Because Prometheus goes against his orders by giving humans knowledge to advance he is punished, likewise Victor is punished by his creation because he neglects the creation. While doing the research on the title and story I also saw that MAry Shelley's husband, Percy, published a play called Prometheus Unbound, suggesting that the family had an affection with this particular myth, and that it influenced their writing.
Prometheus was a Titan in Greek mythology. In the legends, he stole fire from Mount Olympus in order to give it to mankind. This is the Greek legend explaining how humans first discovered fire. There are many versions of the story of how he stole fire, but they all have in common that Prometheus was a low- status challenger to Zeus. Similar to Prometheus, Frankenstein was of lower class, and he also stole, even though it wasn’t a physical thing; it was a a secret to the creation of life, which he took from the natural world. The story is also called The Modern Prometheus because Victor is literally the modern day version of Prometheus. He thinks that he is being helpful and is on the verge of a ground- breaking discovery that will change the course of science, but it doesn’t work out for him, just how Prometheus was punished forever by Zeus after stealing fire. Until Frankenstein dies, the punishment tortures him. Prometheus was punished eternally, as is Frankenstein. Prometheus was chained to a rock, and his liver was eaten, only to be replaced to be eaten again, forever. Every day of Frankenstein's life, he has to live with the pain he feels from creating a monster who murdered his friends and family, but Victor also has to deal with the guilt from allowing Justine to die as an innocent person.
Prometheus was a Titan in Greek mythology. In the legends, he stole fire from Mount Olympus in order to give it to mankind. This is the Greek legend explaining how humans first discovered fire. There are many versions of the story of how he stole fire, but they all have in common that Prometheus was a low- status challenger to Zeus. Similar to Prometheus, Frankenstein was of lower class, and he also stole, even though it wasn’t a physical thing; it was a a secret to the creation of life, which he took from the natural world. The story is also called The Modern Prometheus because Victor is literally the modern day version of Prometheus. He thinks that he is being helpful and is on the verge of a ground- breaking discovery that will change the course of science, but it doesn’t work out for him, just how Prometheus was punished forever by Zeus after stealing fire. Until Frankenstein dies, the punishment tortures him. Prometheus was punished eternally, as is Frankenstein. Prometheus was chained to a rock, and his liver was eaten, only to be replaced to be eaten again, forever. Every day of Frankenstein's life, he has to live with the pain he feels from creating a monster who murdered his friends and family, but Victor also has to deal with the guilt from allowing Justine to die as an innocent person.
After further research about the Greek myth of Prometheus, it is apparent that Victor Frankenstein closely resembles Prometheus. Beginning with the element of creation, Prometheus is asked by Zeus to form mankind from the mud. Similarly, Victor is responsible for the creation of the monster which he also pieces together using dead limbs. Upon finishing his creation, Victor states "The dissection room and the slaughterhouse furnished many of my materials" (Shelley 49). Victor's ability to give life to his creation parallels to Prometheus when he gives fire to mankind. Furthermore, the resemblance between Victor and Prometheus is shown through their suffering and punishment. In the myth, Zeus condemns Prometheus to be chained to a rock and have his liver eaten by an eagle as his eternal punishment. It is also evident in Frankenstein that Victor feels haunted by his creation and suffers in his coexistence with the monster. These parallels contribute to the relevant, alternate title "The Modern Prometheus." Shelley closely uses the story of Prometheus to articulate the relationship between creation and punishment in Frankenstein, making the title most appropriate.
Prometheus is a titan in Greek mythology that is said to be the creator of mankind who steals fire from Mount Olympus to give to man in order to survive. In looking at Prometheus and Frankenstein and comparing the two, The Modern Prometheus is a fitting title to the novel. Both Prometheus and Frankenstein create life. Prometheus creates the first man from clay, and when referring back to his creation of the monster, Frankenstein refers to body as “lifeless clay” (Shelley 55). The description of the monster’s body by Frankenstein relates him even closer to Prometheus and his creation of man. Another similarity between the two is that both endure punishment. Zeus punishes Prometheus for stealing the fire from Mount Olympus by keeping him chained to a rock where eagles eat his liver every day. Now, obviously Victor is not punished in the same way, but parallels can be drawn between the two punishments. Once the monster is created, Victor’s life can never be separated from it. His family members and friend are victims of his own creation, and just as Prometheus has to live with pain day in and day out, Frankenstein has to live with the guilt and pain of the deaths his creation causes. After his family is gone, Frankenstein travels around the world facing many hardships to find and kill the monster. Frankenstein’s life is never without his creation again, and the monster becomes the rock to which Victor is chained.
In the Greek myth of Prometheus, Prometheus steals fire from the Gods on Mount Olympus in order to give it to humankind. His punishment for stealing is that he is to be chained to a mountain where every day, an eagle would feed on his liver which would regenerate every night. Similarly, in Frankenstein, Victor steals the body parts he needs to make the monster and further mankind’s knowledge of science. After his experiment succeeds and the monster comes to life, Victor is so horrified by the monster’s appearance, he abandons his creation, leaving the monster alone in the world that he has just entered. The creature scares away anyone who he comes into contact with because he is so hideous. As a result, the monster decides to punish Victor for making him so unsightly. He kills most of the people closest to Victor including his brother, his best friend, and his wife. Similar to Prometheus who is tortured every day by the eagle, Victor is tortured for the remainder of his life, chasing the murderer of his loved ones.
In the Greek myth of Prometheus, Prometheus steals fire from the Gods on Mount Olympus in order to give it to humankind. His punishment for stealing is that he is to be chained to a mountain where every day, an eagle would feed on his liver which would regenerate every night. Similarly, in Frankenstein, Victor steals the body parts he needs to make the monster and further mankind’s knowledge of science. After his experiment succeeds and the monster comes to life, Victor is so horrified by the monster’s appearance, he abandons his creation, leaving the monster alone in the world that he has just entered. The creature scares away anyone who he comes into contact with because he is so hideous. As a result, the monster decides to punish Victor for making him so unsightly. He kills most of the people closest to Victor including his brother, his best friend, and his wife. Similar to Prometheus who is tortured every day by the eagle, Victor is tortured for the remainder of his life, chasing the murderer of his loved ones.
“The Modern Prometheus” is a fitting title for Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, as it accurately depicts the overall plot of the story. Prometheus is a Titan in Greek mythology who is credited as being the creator of mankind. This aspect greatly connects to Dr. Frankenstein’s story as he is the creator of mankind as well. Although Frankenstein did not create the human race, he possessed the ability to do so which is inconceivable to others. In addition to this similarity, Prometheus is believed to have given the gift of fire to mankind. Fire is a natural element and is often viewed positively when considering its vital roles in society. However, fire also obtains an extremely negative connotation when occurring in a destructive and fatal manner. The introduction of a potential danger to the human race is an action that associates Dr. Frankenstein with Prometheus. Frankenstein created a monster and then immediately sent it out into society. This monster was uncontrolled and eventually, uncontrollable, just as fire has grown to be. It was granted freedom to conduct horrific and traumatic occurrences on society with no ability implemented to control its rage. This similarity of creating a danger to mankind connects Frankenstein to Prometheus and explains why “The Modern Prometheus” makes sense as the title of his story.
According to many accounts of Greek mythology, the name Prometheus seems to be not necessarily a good thing. In this story Prometheus betrays Zeus during a fight and gives humans the gift of fire. After this incident Zeus punished Prometheus by tying him to a rock where his liver would be eaten by an eagle each and every day. It seems as if this titan meant well, but ultimately made a bad decision which greatly affected his life, and the lives of those around him. This can be directly related to Frankenstein and is mostly likely why Mary Shelley nicknamed her book “The Modern Prometheus”. The two are related because like Prometheus, Victor only meant well as he dedicated years to trying to create life, which he accomplished with the creation of his monster, an event that greatly affected his life and the lives of others around him negatively. With the creation of this monster came the death of his brother and family friend who was executed and blamed for his brother’s death. It also affected the monster’s life very negatively as he was abandoned and forced to learn and live on his own. Victor’s choices, just like Prometheus’s determined his fate and that of others.
Prometheus, in Greek Mythology, was a titan that created mankind. According to Greek Mythology, the Titans were the parents of the Gods (Reinhardt, Karl. Aischylos als Regisseur und Theologe, p. 30.). Later, Zeus banished the Titans to Tartarus, which, in Greek Mythology, is an abyss where the evil are tortured. This relates to Mary Shelley’s novel as Frankenstein, like Prometheus, creates man. After losing his family and friends as a repercussion of creating the monster, Frankenstein banishes himself from his home village and devotes the rest of his very short lived life to chasing and destroying the monster. Zeus banishes Prometheus and forces him to live a life of torture. This torture derives from his act of creating humans. Prometheus and Frankenstein both have god-complexes which lead to their torturing and demise.
Mary Shelly borrowed many themes from the Promethean myth while writing her novel. Both her work and the myth are tales of creation and punishment and the connection between the two. In the Greek myth, the Titan, Prometheus, creates mankind from clay by order of Zeus, but then decides to give them fire from the gods. This angers Zeus, and as punishment, he ties up Prometheus, has birds eat out his liver, has his liver grow back at the end of the day, and lets the cycle continue for all of eternity. In the novel, Victor Frankenstein is like Prometheus and Zeus; he is the creator and the punisher. Similar to how Prometheus molded man from clay, Frankenstein created his monster by stitching together the remains of human body parts. When he gives life to his creation, he describes it as being a “spark,” which parallels the Titan granting humans fire. Victor’s anger and disgust with his creation mirrors that of Zeus,’ and his desire to destroy his monster while also tormenting himself with guilt and regret emulates Zeus’ harsh punishment towards Prometheus. The eventual pity Victor feels towards his creation and his brief willingness to create him an “Eve” emulates Prometheus’ pity towards mankind, but Victor’s destruction of his second creation showcases his role as the punishing Zeus. After his “Eve’ is destroyed, the monster murders Elizabeth, Victor’s lover, and as a result, both the creator and his creation experience Promethean pain; infinite pains.
The Modern Prometheus would be a fitting title because Victor Frankenstein is similar to Prometheus. Prometheus is known to be the titan who created mankind and gifted them with fire, but he was punished by Zeus, who chained him to a rock where he would have his liver eaten over and over again since he was immortal. Prometheus is like Victor because they both created something and gifted it, but in the end they were both punished. Prometheus created mankind and gifted it with fire, while Victor created the monster and gifted it with life. In the end, both were punished as a result of their actions. Prometheus was punished by Zeus, and Victor was punished by his monster who killed his family, leaving him alone in the world. Due to the similarities between Prometheus and Victor, it makes sense for Mary Shelley to have considered naming the novel after the Greek myth of Prometheus.
The Modern Prometheus would be a fitting title because Victor Frankenstein is similar to Prometheus. Prometheus is known to be the titan who created mankind and gifted them with fire, but he was punished by Zeus, who chained him to a rock where he would have his liver eaten over and over again since he was immortal. Prometheus is like Victor because they both created something and gifted it, but in the end they were both punished. Prometheus created mankind and gifted it with fire, while Victor created the monster and gifted it with life. In the end, both were punished as a result of their actions. Prometheus was punished by Zeus, and Victor was punished by his monster who killed his family, leaving him alone in the world. Due to the similarities between Prometheus and Victor, it makes sense for Mary Shelley to have considered naming the novel after the Greek myth of Prometheus.
The Greek Myth, Prometheus has many similarities with Victor Frankenstien. Thus, a good reason for Mary Shelley to name the novel "The Modern Prometheus." Prometheus was known to the creator of mankind in Greek mythology. Victor is the creator of a new kind as well, the monster. Prometheus tricked Zeus and as a result Zeus punished the humans by hiding fire from them. Without fire the human population could not thrive. When Prometheus stole fire back for the humans was punished by Hephaestus day after day by having him chained to a rock where an eagle would eat his liver during the day but at night the liver would regenerate because he was immortal. Some may look see that Victor created the monster for a personal accomplishment. After he realized what he created he was horrified of it. This shame turned to be a punishment for his creation. His creation did not have company or love in his life. This halting the monster to thrive. Victor then decided to give the monster a companion, a female monster to allow him to be happy. Allow Victor turned on his deal with the monster and sabotaged the creation of the female monster. This infuriated the monster and made the monster decide to exact revenge. From that day forward Victor suffered for not finishing the creation of the female monster by having his family, friends, and true love killed. Both Prometheus and Victor suffered from their creations of a new kind.
As stated and discussed before, Prometheus gave fire to human, and then was punished by Zeus for interfering. Like in Prometheus, Victor also interfered and attempts to use the godly power of the creation of man, and was then punished through witnessing the deaths of his friends and family, and finally his own death, after spending the rest of his life on a hunt for the monster. Another way of looking at the myth of Prometheus, however, is how Prometheus is a hero who struggled and endured, never giving up. Shelly also describes this point of view in Frankenstein through the ambition of Victor. At the end of the novel when the captain listens to the crew in turning around so they don’t die, Victor states, “Oh! Be men, or be more than men…return as heroes who have fought and conquered and who know not what it is to turn their backs on the foe”(153). This shows how Victor desperately want the crew to continue his hunt. Once the crew officially decides to turn around, Victor states, “You may give up your purpose, but mine is assigned to me by heaven”(155). Victor is laying on his death bed, yet he still desires to go and finish what he started by creating the monster. Shelly describes the ambivalence two views, the caution of overstepping boundaries and following ambition and determination to death.
Prometheus was known as the Greek titan who created mankind. It seems suitable for Frankenstein to be referred to as “The Modern Prometheus” because he created life too. Both Prometheus and Frankenstein were later punished by the choices they made following their creations. Prometheus was punished for stealing fire from Mt. Olympus and and giving it to mankind. Zeus had Prometheus chained to a rock so eagles could eat his liver everyday. Victor was punished differently. Victor was punished by the monster who killed his family and friends but he also punished himself. Victor was so obsessed with the horrible creature he created that the guilt pretty much ate him alive. Victor died with the weight of bringing that creature to life on his shoulders. Prometheus had to endure grueling physical pain everyday while Victor had to deal with guilt and emotional pain.
Victor’s creation of the monster uses a lot of imagery that reminds the reader of fire, such as “sudden light” that gives him the knowledge to create another human, relating the creation of the monster to a spark, and the general idea that he used electricity in this experiment. Prometheus and Victor both act as Gods by creating man, but giving them fire, or electricity, begins a cycle of endless punishment for the creators. Prometheus gives humanity fire and as a result, he is bound and forced to have a bird eat his liver every day. Victor gives the monster electricity (to bring him to life) and as a result, he loses all he holds dear and loses his purpose in life. Victor truly is the Prometheus of his time, but is that a title worth holding?
Prometheus is a Greek myth about the Titan who created mankind and gifted him with fire and the skill of metalwork. He pitied man, as they were weak and helpless so Prometheus stole fire from Athena’s workshop and taught the humans how to use it. However, this act did not go unpunished. Zeus made it so that every day a bird would come and eat the liver of Prometheus who was helplessly chained to a rock. The title Prometheus would be appropriate for the novel as there are striking similarities between the Titan and the protagonist Victor. Prometheus gifted his creation of mankind with fire while Victor made this creation and gifted it with life. He thought his creation was a scientific breakthrough and would change life forever. However, his experiments created nothing but a monster who ended up murdering his entire family. For Victor, that was his punishment and he will forever live in pain and suffer like Prometheus.
In Greek mythology, Prometheus is a titan who sides with Zeus in the Titan/ Olympian Gods' war. Prometheus is seen as a hero and protector of all due to the fact that he ends up on the winning side of the battlefield, overthrowing the old gods. However, Prometheus ends up playing a trick on Zeus, offering him beef in an Ox stomach, or bones wrapped up in fat. When Zeus picked the bag of bones, judging its quality by the glistening fat on the outside, he became upsettingly angry. This is a blatant parallel to Victor's intentions on creating Frankenstein. Victor had expected his creation to be majestic- "His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful." (Shelley 58), however he became upset once he realized that his creation was unpleasant to the eye- " but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips" (Shelley 58). Based on his appearance, Victor abandons his creation on a whim, just as Zeus chose his package from Prometheus based on appearance, not value of character. In addition to this connection, Frankenstein can also be a symbol of Prometheus in the fact that in his actions, from helping bring firewood to a family with no food, to going out of his way to learn how to communicate with others, he is his own hero. Additionally, he, in a way, does trick others into thinking that he is a horrible creature (although unintentionally) due to how he looks. People are fooled by his appearance and therefore gravitate away from him. Little do they know that he his just like Prometheus's beef in the ox stomach- he is something great surrounded by a vile appearance.
“The Modern Prometheus” would be a fitting title because Victor Frankenstein shares many similarities with Prometheus. For example, Prometheus was known as the Greek titan who created mankind in Greek mythology, and Frankenstein creates life by creating the monster. Both Prometheus and Frankenstein create life. Like Prometheus, Frankenstein with his creation of the monster tries to act as a god and create man. Another similarity between the two is that they both end up facing punishments for their actions. Prometheus is punished by Zeus for stealing the fire from Mount Olympus by keeping him chained to a rock where birds eat at his liver every day. Frankenstein is punished by his creation, he has to witness the deaths of his friends by the hands of his creation, and has to live with the guilt and pain of the destruction his creation causes. Both suffer for trying to act like a god. Prometheus suffers physical pain as his punishment every day, and Frankenstein suffers emotion pain every day as his punishment.
Prometheus is known to be the deity in Greek mythology as the creator of mankind and its greatest helper when it stole fire from Mount Olympus and gave it to man. Victor Frankenstein is the creator of the creature. Zeus had asked Hephaestus to create Pandora, who was the first woman, and thought she would create trouble to mankind. Pandora could be thought be the girl the creature wanted in the novel. Victor had thought that she would create more problems and cause further trouble. Prometheus payed the price of helping mankind by being chained to a rock and having his liver be eaten every day. Yet, his liver was regenerated every night because of his immorality. The creature could be seen as the rock tying Victor down. Each loss Victor faces is like the slow torture Prometheus faced as his liver was eaten by an eagle every day.
Prometheus, a Titan in Greek mythology, is the creator of all mankind. This Titan gained the reputation of being a bit of a trickster and he gave the human race “the gift of fire and the skill of metalwork.” For this, Zeus punished Prometheus every day. The title, The Modern Prometheus, certainly serves as a fitting title to this novel because Prometheus is very similar to the main character, Victor Frankenstein. Both Prometheus and Victor created life in this world. As they created life, they gifted it. Prometheus created human kind and gifted the human race with fire and metalwork. Victor created the monster and gifted him with life itself. Although both men created something very beautiful, they were both punished for their creations. Zeus punished the immortal Prometheus by ensuring that an eagle would go and eat the liver of Prometheus as he was chained to a rock. Victor was also punished, but by his own creation. Years after Victor abandons his creation, the monster becomes aware of his surroundings and discovers that his creator left some papers behind which will lead the monster right to Victor. Victor is soon faced with the death of his youngest brother, William. Throughout the novel, Victor suffers through the punishment of watching his own creation kill his whole entire family.
Prometheus is credited with bringing knowledge and enlightenment to all of mankind. He stole fire from the Gods of Mount Olympus. For acting against the Gods, Prometheus was harshly punished as he was chained to a rock to have his liver eaten out every day by an eagle. This was to be his punishment for all of eternity. Therefore, “The Modern Prometheus” is a fitting title because Victor formulated a creature who had the capacity to become enlightened. Yet, the moment when Victor gave life to this once inanimate being, he immediately felt an overwhelming sense of repulsion, regret, and disappointment as he absorbed the outcome of his vigorous project. Along with these feelings, he felt an intense fear of this creature which caused him to abandon his monster. His eternal punishment for creating this knowledgeable being was the fact that Victor’s family was killed by his “child,” he lives in constant fear and regret, and eventually his own creation destroyed him.
“The Modern Prometheus” is a fitting alternative title to Frankenstein because it suits both main characters of the novel, Victor and the monster. Prometheus was a Greek God who was credited for the creation of man. Much like Victor, Prometheus found the key to creating life. In mythology, the secret was fire. Prometheus had previously tried to create man but only succeeded with his stolen treasure. Although fire was used in different tenses the purpose of survival is the same. Through the novel, the monster states he survived alone in the woods with nothing to shelter or keep him warm but fire. Fire was the monster's way of life and destruction (when he burned the cottage down). The rest of Prometheus’ story correlates with the monster as well. Because he loved man more than his own kind, The Greek god reacted to certain situations which ultimately led to being chained to a rock with unbreakable chains. The monster wished to become normal and finally be apart of something other than himself. He loved the thought of being man but certain situations led him to be feared and hated, forcing him to a life in the shadows.
"The Modern Prometheus" is a very appropriate title for Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. A brief summary of the Prometheus myth is that, Prometheus steals fire (knowledge) to give to man, which proves to be a danger to himself and the human race. This brings about his destruction (Zeus punishes him). In the story, Victor is Prometheus. He studies science at his university, and that is his main focus for year. As a result, he becomes too knowledgeable about things he shouldn't know about, which is learning how to make a human. From his, he creates a monster which, in turn, destroys him and many of his close friends and relatives, including his wife, Elizabeth, his youngest brother, William, and his best friend, Henry. Dr. Frankenstein then released this danger into the world, which ties into how Prometheus gave fire to mankind. The monster he created grew out of control, due to the constant hatred he received from man, and this is similar to how the fire grew and grew until it was out of control and became a danger to mankind.
In the Greek myth Prometheus, Zeus, who was supposed to be the protector of all of mankind, made a bad choice which all of humanity was effected by. The same way that Frankenstein created a monster who became a threat to humanity. When the monster asked for a companion, Frankenstein realized that creating another monster could lead to more harm than good for humanity. The two could join forces and start a new race which could potentially put an end to the human race. Zeus was punished for keeping fire from humanity by being chained to a rock where an eagle ate his liver everyday and he was immortal until he was saved by Hercules. Frankenstein was punished with immortality. He had to watch all of his loved ones die and he just wanted to end his pain and suffering as well.
"The Modern Prometheus" is a settable title because of the relationship between Prometheus and Victor. The protagonist of the novel gives knowledge to a creature that doesn't deserve it. Prometheus did this but the creatures that weren't worthy of it are humans. As in many references in the novel, the monster in is referred to be the humans or the people. He is given this but is not taught how to use it by his master. So did happen in Greek mythology. The humans had this new thing which came with no instructions and only were to know about their masters and how they operated. Victor is in the same torture that Prometheus was in too. Prometheus is constantly had his liver eaten out by an eagle everyday since he was immortal. Frankenstein in this way relates as he is constantly haunted either by thoughts or the physical picture of his creation. The suffering man and Titan are punished by giving, to lifeless creatures, knowledge and its powers.
Prometheus is a Titan in Greek mythology who created mankind by stealing fire from the gods at Mount Olympus and giving it to the humans. Prometheus stole from the head god Zeus and used his booty of fire to create mankind, thus playing his gods. This fire gave man knowledge, so they could now create a society separate from their gods. Zeus's punishment for this criminal act was banishing the Titans except Prometheus, who received a life of immortality and is forever tied to a rock in which an eagle eats his regenerating liver everyday, just an everlasting life of pain and solitude. Because of this, "The Modern Prometheus" would be a completely fitting title for Frankenstein.Frankenstein created a new life form, in which he played his God as well. His monster turns against him and kills all that he loved, and continued to wreak havoc on mankind. The monster made Victor's life misery, just like how Zeus did with Prometheus so "The Modern Prometheus" could definitely be a title for "Frankenstein".
In Greek mythology, Prometheus was a Titan associated with knowledge and enlightenment. In Shelley's novel Victor possess great intelligence and his passion for learning is emphasized. Like Victor, Prometheus decides to create a man but steals fire from the Gods in order to do so. With this, Prometheus is punished severely as birds tear out and feast upon his own liver. Likewise, Victor also suffers because of his creation. The monster kills many of his loved ones and Victor is left feeling miserable.
I believe that Frankenstein’s alternative title, The Modern Prometheus, can be interpreted in reference to both Victor Frankenstein and the monster. Prometheus is a titan originating from Greek mythology who is said to have endowed the human race with, among other things, the gift of fire. Some believe that Prometheus, who was known as a trickster, was punished by Zeus (leader of the Olympian gods) for this action. To me, this relates to the monster’s relationship with the cottagers. In his story he tells to Victor, the monster makes a flimsy shelter for himself from which he observes a family consisting of a father and his two children to learn human traditions and language. Along the way, he kindly assists them by secretly bringing firewood home that would last for several days at a time (Shelley 118). The monster, despite having been shunned for his horrid appearance in the past, hopes that the family will reciprocate his generosity and accept him as a friend. Since the father of the cottage is blind, Frankenstein’s monster introduces himself to him first. His lack of sight does indeed work in his favor until the children arrive home and meet him with violent attacks (Shelley 145). Like Prometheus, the monster is penalized after only displaying an act of altruism (in both cases providing fire). Moreover, Prometheus is known for his being bestowed, along with titan Epimetheus, with the task of creating man. Therefore, Prometheus’ story can also be viewed in comparison to Victor Frankenstein’s. Victor’s goal, too, is to create a living human out of lifeless material (Shelley 52). Some myths say that Prometheus stole fire from the gods to give to the men he created since he constructed them in the gods’ likeness. Zeus, who had not permitted Prometheus giving man fire in the first place, became enraged to the point of chaining Prometheus to a rock. Parallels can be drawn between this and Victor’s story, as Victor attempts to “play God” by ambitiously creating a human from dead matter, which no person who came before him had ever accomplished. He was even previously dissuaded from pursuing alchemy, the aforementioned study being denounced as useless and foolish theory (Shelley 45). When Victor’s idea for creation finally comes to fruition, he is punished as it (that being the monster) horrifies him and wreaks havoc on all that he loves. Throughout the entirety of the novel, he is “chained” (like Prometheus) to his suffering and misery as his mental state repeatedly declines.
ReplyDeleteIn Greek mythology, Zeus assigned the task of creating man to the titan Prometheus. Prometheus created man in the image of the gods, and gave the species the gift of fire. Angered by the power humans were allowed to possess, Zeus chained Prometheus to a boulder, and every day a giant eagle would come down to eat his flesh and liver. “The Modern Prometheus” is a fitting title not only because of the similarities between Prometheus and Frankenstein, but also because of the parallels between Prometheus and the monster. Like Prometheus, Frankenstein brought his creation to life, and both were eternally tormented as a result of their actions. However, one is tortured by his creator, the other by his creation. The monster originates as a kindhearted and curious creature that, Like Prometheus, is spurned and punished for acts of kindness. Despite the clear parallels between Frankenstein and Prometheus in the beginning of the novel, there is a distinct shift of power between creator and creation (Zeus and Prometheus) that reverses these roles. In an act of defiance not unlike how Prometheus stole fire from the gods, Frankenstein destroys his progress of creating a companion for his monster. The monster retaliates by professing “Remember that I have power; you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful to you. You are my creator, but I am your master; obey!” (Shelley 157). In this declaration, the punisher becomes the punished, and Frankenstein becomes Prometheus: chained down and tortured by the more powerful being.
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ReplyDeleteMary Shelly most likely named this book The Modern Prometheus because of the similarities between Victor Frankenstein and the Grecian myth of Prometheus. Prometheus, according to myth, was the creator of mankind. He also gave the gift of fire to the people he created because he believed it would better the society. In a way it did, we see that fire has many positive effects; it gives us warmth and can cook food. However as we see on the news almost everyday, fire is also very destructive. It can burn down houses, neighborhoods, or even entire forests. The obvious connection between Prometheus and Frankenstein is that they both create life, however the actions of Frankenstein's monster and Prometheus’ gift are very similar. At first the two creations are deemed incredible, Frankenstein's monster is the greatest scientific discovery of the century, similarly when Prometheus gave the people fire they were amazed by its power and beauty. However as previously explained, fire can be deadly, and so is Frankenstein's monster. Just like fire the monster quickly starts to get out of control. After the death of William, the monster keeps killing until he gets his wish of a companion, which as we know never occurs and so he continues his violent rage until Frankenstein dies. So just like fire when it runs out of fuel, when there is nothing left to kill the monster stops.
ReplyDeleteMary Shelley’s nickname, “The Modern Prometheus,” is very fitting to Frankenstein, as Victor’s life story related to the events from the Greek myth of Prometheus. According to the Greek myth, this clever Titan managed to steal the secret to the creation of fire from the gods and gave spread the wisdom to the rest of the world. As a result of his actions, he was severely punished by Zeus, as he was tied to a rock, his liver eaten every day and growing back the next, for all eternity. One day, Hercules, setting off past Mount Caucasus while undergoing the Twelve Labors, passed Prometheus, killed the eagle, and freed him from his chains. Likewise, Victor releases the secret to creating life, a secret of nature and God. The narrator (Victor) states, “The different accidents of life are not so changeable as the feelings of human nature. I had worked hard… to infuse life into an inanimate object…” (Shelley 58) So, by creating life and neglecting his creation, he is punished for the rest of his life, as the beast destroys all that he loves. Day after day, he searches for his creation, to destroy it. Night after night, he relives the torture, when he dreams about his family's murders. The punishment does not end until Frankenstein dies. Victor passes his prophecy to Robert Walton, who stays with him until he passes away. After his death, the monster’s job is complete, and decides that its time has come. Frankenstein’s “chains” are broken, and he is finally free in Heaven. Due to this, Victor Frankenstein really is the "Modern Prometheus.”
ReplyDeleteThe title The Modern Prometheus fits the book Frankenstein as well because of the parallels that can be drawn between the Greek myth and Victor Frankenstein. Prometheus, according to Greek mythology is responsible for equipping humans with the knowledge necessary to do everything we have accomplished. In Frankenstein, Victor is credited with building a monster, very much like a human. In both of these stories, the responsible party was punished. Prometheus was to have his liver eaten every day by an eagle, while Victor was to have everyone he loved and cared about killed by his own creation. Because Prometheus goes against his orders by giving humans knowledge to advance he is punished, likewise Victor is punished by his creation because he neglects the creation. While doing the research on the title and story I also saw that MAry Shelley's husband, Percy, published a play called Prometheus Unbound, suggesting that the family had an affection with this particular myth, and that it influenced their writing.
ReplyDeletePrometheus was a Titan in Greek mythology. In the legends, he stole fire from Mount Olympus in order to give it to mankind. This is the Greek legend explaining how humans first discovered fire. There are many versions of the story of how he stole fire, but they all have in common that Prometheus was a low- status challenger to Zeus. Similar to Prometheus, Frankenstein was of lower class, and he also stole, even though it wasn’t a physical thing; it was a a secret to the creation of life, which he took from the natural world. The story is also called The Modern Prometheus because Victor is literally the modern day version of Prometheus. He thinks that he is being helpful and is on the verge of a ground- breaking discovery that will change the course of science, but it doesn’t work out for him, just how Prometheus was punished forever by Zeus after stealing fire. Until Frankenstein dies, the punishment tortures him. Prometheus was punished eternally, as is Frankenstein. Prometheus was chained to a rock, and his liver was eaten, only to be replaced to be eaten again, forever. Every day of Frankenstein's life, he has to live with the pain he feels from creating a monster who murdered his friends and family, but Victor also has to deal with the guilt from allowing Justine to die as an innocent person.
ReplyDeletePrometheus was a Titan in Greek mythology. In the legends, he stole fire from Mount Olympus in order to give it to mankind. This is the Greek legend explaining how humans first discovered fire. There are many versions of the story of how he stole fire, but they all have in common that Prometheus was a low- status challenger to Zeus. Similar to Prometheus, Frankenstein was of lower class, and he also stole, even though it wasn’t a physical thing; it was a a secret to the creation of life, which he took from the natural world. The story is also called The Modern Prometheus because Victor is literally the modern day version of Prometheus. He thinks that he is being helpful and is on the verge of a ground- breaking discovery that will change the course of science, but it doesn’t work out for him, just how Prometheus was punished forever by Zeus after stealing fire. Until Frankenstein dies, the punishment tortures him. Prometheus was punished eternally, as is Frankenstein. Prometheus was chained to a rock, and his liver was eaten, only to be replaced to be eaten again, forever. Every day of Frankenstein's life, he has to live with the pain he feels from creating a monster who murdered his friends and family, but Victor also has to deal with the guilt from allowing Justine to die as an innocent person.
ReplyDeleteAfter further research about the Greek myth of Prometheus, it is apparent that Victor Frankenstein closely resembles Prometheus. Beginning with the element of creation, Prometheus is asked by Zeus to form mankind from the mud. Similarly, Victor is responsible for the creation of the monster which he also pieces together using dead limbs. Upon finishing his creation, Victor states "The dissection room and the slaughterhouse furnished many of my materials" (Shelley 49). Victor's ability to give life to his creation parallels to Prometheus when he gives fire to mankind. Furthermore, the resemblance between Victor and Prometheus is shown through their suffering and punishment. In the myth, Zeus condemns Prometheus to be chained to a rock and have his liver eaten by an eagle as his eternal punishment. It is also evident in Frankenstein that Victor feels haunted by his creation and suffers in his coexistence with the monster. These parallels contribute to the relevant, alternate title "The Modern Prometheus." Shelley closely uses the story of Prometheus to articulate the relationship between creation and punishment in Frankenstein, making the title most appropriate.
ReplyDeletePrometheus is a titan in Greek mythology that is said to be the creator of mankind who steals fire from Mount Olympus to give to man in order to survive. In looking at Prometheus and Frankenstein and comparing the two, The Modern Prometheus is a fitting title to the novel. Both Prometheus and Frankenstein create life. Prometheus creates the first man from clay, and when referring back to his creation of the monster, Frankenstein refers to body as “lifeless clay” (Shelley 55). The description of the monster’s body by Frankenstein relates him even closer to Prometheus and his creation of man. Another similarity between the two is that both endure punishment. Zeus punishes Prometheus for stealing the fire from Mount Olympus by keeping him chained to a rock where eagles eat his liver every day. Now, obviously Victor is not punished in the same way, but parallels can be drawn between the two punishments. Once the monster is created, Victor’s life can never be separated from it. His family members and friend are victims of his own creation, and just as Prometheus has to live with pain day in and day out, Frankenstein has to live with the guilt and pain of the deaths his creation causes. After his family is gone, Frankenstein travels around the world facing many hardships to find and kill the monster. Frankenstein’s life is never without his creation again, and the monster becomes the rock to which Victor is chained.
ReplyDeleteIn the Greek myth of Prometheus, Prometheus steals fire from the Gods on Mount Olympus in order to give it to humankind. His punishment for stealing is that he is to be chained to a mountain where every day, an eagle would feed on his liver which would regenerate every night. Similarly, in Frankenstein, Victor steals the body parts he needs to make the monster and further mankind’s knowledge of science. After his experiment succeeds and the monster comes to life, Victor is so horrified by the monster’s appearance, he abandons his creation, leaving the monster alone in the world that he has just entered. The creature scares away anyone who he comes into contact with because he is so hideous. As a result, the monster decides to punish Victor for making him so unsightly. He kills most of the people closest to Victor including his brother, his best friend, and his wife. Similar to Prometheus who is tortured every day by the eagle, Victor is tortured for the remainder of his life, chasing the murderer of his loved ones.
ReplyDeleteIn the Greek myth of Prometheus, Prometheus steals fire from the Gods on Mount Olympus in order to give it to humankind. His punishment for stealing is that he is to be chained to a mountain where every day, an eagle would feed on his liver which would regenerate every night. Similarly, in Frankenstein, Victor steals the body parts he needs to make the monster and further mankind’s knowledge of science. After his experiment succeeds and the monster comes to life, Victor is so horrified by the monster’s appearance, he abandons his creation, leaving the monster alone in the world that he has just entered. The creature scares away anyone who he comes into contact with because he is so hideous. As a result, the monster decides to punish Victor for making him so unsightly. He kills most of the people closest to Victor including his brother, his best friend, and his wife. Similar to Prometheus who is tortured every day by the eagle, Victor is tortured for the remainder of his life, chasing the murderer of his loved ones.
ReplyDelete“The Modern Prometheus” is a fitting title for Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, as it accurately depicts the overall plot of the story. Prometheus is a Titan in Greek mythology who is credited as being the creator of mankind. This aspect greatly connects to Dr. Frankenstein’s story as he is the creator of mankind as well. Although Frankenstein did not create the human race, he possessed the ability to do so which is inconceivable to others. In addition to this similarity, Prometheus is believed to have given the gift of fire to mankind. Fire is a natural element and is often viewed positively when considering its vital roles in society. However, fire also obtains an extremely negative connotation when occurring in a destructive and fatal manner. The introduction of a potential danger to the human race is an action that associates Dr. Frankenstein with Prometheus. Frankenstein created a monster and then immediately sent it out into society. This monster was uncontrolled and eventually, uncontrollable, just as fire has grown to be. It was granted freedom to conduct horrific and traumatic occurrences on society with no ability implemented to control its rage. This similarity of creating a danger to mankind connects Frankenstein to Prometheus and explains why “The Modern Prometheus” makes sense as the title of his story.
ReplyDeleteAccording to many accounts of Greek mythology, the name Prometheus seems to be not necessarily a good thing. In this story Prometheus betrays Zeus during a fight and gives humans the gift of fire. After this incident Zeus punished Prometheus by tying him to a rock where his liver would be eaten by an eagle each and every day. It seems as if this titan meant well, but ultimately made a bad decision which greatly affected his life, and the lives of those around him. This can be directly related to Frankenstein and is mostly likely why Mary Shelley nicknamed her book “The Modern Prometheus”. The two are related because like Prometheus, Victor only meant well as he dedicated years to trying to create life, which he accomplished with the creation of his monster, an event that greatly affected his life and the lives of others around him negatively. With the creation of this monster came the death of his brother and family friend who was executed and blamed for his brother’s death. It also affected the monster’s life very negatively as he was abandoned and forced to learn and live on his own. Victor’s choices, just like Prometheus’s determined his fate and that of others.
ReplyDeletePrometheus, in Greek Mythology, was a titan that created mankind. According to Greek Mythology, the Titans were the parents of the Gods (Reinhardt, Karl. Aischylos als Regisseur und Theologe, p. 30.). Later, Zeus banished the Titans to Tartarus, which, in Greek Mythology, is an abyss where the evil are tortured. This relates to Mary Shelley’s novel as Frankenstein, like Prometheus, creates man. After losing his family and friends as a repercussion of creating the monster, Frankenstein banishes himself from his home village and devotes the rest of his very short lived life to chasing and destroying the monster. Zeus banishes Prometheus and forces him to live a life of torture. This torture derives from his act of creating humans. Prometheus and Frankenstein both have god-complexes which lead to their torturing and demise.
ReplyDeleteMary Shelly borrowed many themes from the Promethean myth while writing her novel. Both her work and the myth are tales of creation and punishment and the connection between the two. In the Greek myth, the Titan, Prometheus, creates mankind from clay by order of Zeus, but then decides to give them fire from the gods. This angers Zeus, and as punishment, he ties up Prometheus, has birds eat out his liver, has his liver grow back at the end of the day, and lets the cycle continue for all of eternity. In the novel, Victor Frankenstein is like Prometheus and Zeus; he is the creator and the punisher. Similar to how Prometheus molded man from clay, Frankenstein created his monster by stitching together the remains of human body parts. When he gives life to his creation, he describes it as being a “spark,” which parallels the Titan granting humans fire. Victor’s anger and disgust with his creation mirrors that of Zeus,’ and his desire to destroy his monster while also tormenting himself with guilt and regret emulates Zeus’ harsh punishment towards Prometheus. The eventual pity Victor feels towards his creation and his brief willingness to create him an “Eve” emulates Prometheus’ pity towards mankind, but Victor’s destruction of his second creation showcases his role as the punishing Zeus. After his “Eve’ is destroyed, the monster murders Elizabeth, Victor’s lover, and as a result, both the creator and his creation experience Promethean pain; infinite pains.
ReplyDeleteThe Modern Prometheus would be a fitting title because Victor Frankenstein is similar to Prometheus. Prometheus is known to be the titan who created mankind and gifted them with fire, but he was punished by Zeus, who chained him to a rock where he would have his liver eaten over and over again since he was immortal. Prometheus is like Victor because they both created something and gifted it, but in the end they were both punished. Prometheus created mankind and gifted it with fire, while Victor created the monster and gifted it with life. In the end, both were punished as a result of their actions. Prometheus was punished by Zeus, and Victor was punished by his monster who killed his family, leaving him alone in the world. Due to the similarities between Prometheus and Victor, it makes sense for Mary Shelley to have considered naming the novel after the Greek myth of Prometheus.
ReplyDeleteThe Modern Prometheus would be a fitting title because Victor Frankenstein is similar to Prometheus. Prometheus is known to be the titan who created mankind and gifted them with fire, but he was punished by Zeus, who chained him to a rock where he would have his liver eaten over and over again since he was immortal. Prometheus is like Victor because they both created something and gifted it, but in the end they were both punished. Prometheus created mankind and gifted it with fire, while Victor created the monster and gifted it with life. In the end, both were punished as a result of their actions. Prometheus was punished by Zeus, and Victor was punished by his monster who killed his family, leaving him alone in the world. Due to the similarities between Prometheus and Victor, it makes sense for Mary Shelley to have considered naming the novel after the Greek myth of Prometheus.
ReplyDeleteThe Greek Myth, Prometheus has many similarities with Victor Frankenstien. Thus, a good reason for Mary Shelley to name the novel "The Modern Prometheus." Prometheus was known to the creator of mankind in Greek mythology. Victor is the creator of a new kind as well, the monster. Prometheus tricked Zeus and as a result Zeus punished the humans by hiding fire from them. Without fire the human population could not thrive. When Prometheus stole fire back for the humans was punished by Hephaestus day after day by having him chained to a rock where an eagle would eat his liver during the day but at night the liver would regenerate because he was immortal. Some may look see that Victor created the monster for a personal accomplishment. After he realized what he created he was horrified of it. This shame turned to be a punishment for his creation. His creation did not have company or love in his life. This halting the monster to thrive. Victor then decided to give the monster a companion, a female monster to allow him to be happy. Allow Victor turned on his deal with the monster and sabotaged the creation of the female monster. This infuriated the monster and made the monster decide to exact revenge. From that day forward Victor suffered for not finishing the creation of the female monster by having his family, friends, and true love killed. Both Prometheus and Victor suffered from their creations of a new kind.
ReplyDeleteAs stated and discussed before, Prometheus gave fire to human, and then was punished by Zeus for interfering. Like in Prometheus, Victor also interfered and attempts to use the godly power of the creation of man, and was then punished through witnessing the deaths of his friends and family, and finally his own death, after spending the rest of his life on a hunt for the monster. Another way of looking at the myth of Prometheus, however, is how Prometheus is a hero who struggled and endured, never giving up. Shelly also describes this point of view in Frankenstein through the ambition of Victor. At the end of the novel when the captain listens to the crew in turning around so they don’t die, Victor states, “Oh! Be men, or be more than men…return as heroes who have fought and conquered and who know not what it is to turn their backs on the foe”(153). This shows how Victor desperately want the crew to continue his hunt. Once the crew officially decides to turn around, Victor states, “You may give up your purpose, but mine is assigned to me by heaven”(155). Victor is laying on his death bed, yet he still desires to go and finish what he started by creating the monster. Shelly describes the ambivalence two views, the caution of overstepping boundaries and following ambition and determination to death.
ReplyDeletePrometheus was known as the Greek titan who created mankind. It seems suitable for Frankenstein to be referred to as “The Modern Prometheus” because he created life too. Both Prometheus and Frankenstein were later punished by the choices they made following their creations. Prometheus was punished for stealing fire from Mt. Olympus and and giving it to mankind. Zeus had Prometheus chained to a rock so eagles could eat his liver everyday. Victor was punished differently. Victor was punished by the monster who killed his family and friends but he also punished himself. Victor was so obsessed with the horrible creature he created that the guilt pretty much ate him alive. Victor died with the weight of bringing that creature to life on his shoulders. Prometheus had to endure grueling physical pain everyday while Victor had to deal with guilt and emotional pain.
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ReplyDeleteVictor’s creation of the monster uses a lot of imagery that reminds the reader of fire, such as “sudden light” that gives him the knowledge to create another human, relating the creation of the monster to a spark, and the general idea that he used electricity in this experiment. Prometheus and Victor both act as Gods by creating man, but giving them fire, or electricity, begins a cycle of endless punishment for the creators. Prometheus gives humanity fire and as a result, he is bound and forced to have a bird eat his liver every day. Victor gives the monster electricity (to bring him to life) and as a result, he loses all he holds dear and loses his purpose in life. Victor truly is the Prometheus of his time, but is that a title worth holding?
ReplyDeletePrometheus is a Greek myth about the Titan who created mankind and gifted him with fire and the skill of metalwork. He pitied man, as they were weak and helpless so Prometheus stole fire from Athena’s workshop and taught the humans how to use it. However, this act did not go unpunished. Zeus made it so that every day a bird would come and eat the liver of Prometheus who was helplessly chained to a rock. The title Prometheus would be appropriate for the novel as there are striking similarities between the Titan and the protagonist Victor. Prometheus gifted his creation of mankind with fire while Victor made this creation and gifted it with life. He thought his creation was a scientific breakthrough and would change life forever. However, his experiments created nothing but a monster who ended up murdering his entire family. For Victor, that was his punishment and he will forever live in pain and suffer like Prometheus.
ReplyDeleteIn Greek mythology, Prometheus is a titan who sides with Zeus in the Titan/ Olympian Gods' war. Prometheus is seen as a hero and protector of all due to the fact that he ends up on the winning side of the battlefield, overthrowing the old gods. However, Prometheus ends up playing a trick on Zeus, offering him beef in an Ox stomach, or bones wrapped up in fat. When Zeus picked the bag of bones, judging its quality by the glistening fat on the outside, he became upsettingly angry. This is a blatant parallel to Victor's intentions on creating Frankenstein. Victor had expected his creation to be majestic- "His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful." (Shelley 58), however he became upset once he realized that his creation was unpleasant to the eye- " but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as
ReplyDeletethe dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled
complexion and straight black lips" (Shelley 58). Based on his appearance, Victor abandons his creation on a whim, just as Zeus chose his package from Prometheus based on appearance, not value of character. In addition to this connection, Frankenstein can also be a symbol of Prometheus in the fact that in his actions, from helping bring firewood to a family with no food, to going out of his way to learn how to communicate with others, he is his own hero. Additionally, he, in a way, does trick others into thinking that he is a horrible creature (although unintentionally) due to how he looks. People are fooled by his appearance and therefore gravitate away from him. Little do they know that he his just like Prometheus's beef in the ox stomach- he is something great surrounded by a vile appearance.
“The Modern Prometheus” would be a fitting title because Victor Frankenstein shares many similarities with Prometheus. For example, Prometheus was known as the Greek titan who created mankind in Greek mythology, and Frankenstein creates life by creating the monster. Both Prometheus and Frankenstein create life. Like Prometheus, Frankenstein with his creation of the monster tries to act as a god and create man. Another similarity between the two is that they both end up facing punishments for their actions. Prometheus is punished by Zeus for stealing the fire from Mount Olympus by keeping him chained to a rock where birds eat at his liver every day. Frankenstein is punished by his creation, he has to witness the deaths of his friends by the hands of his creation, and has to live with the guilt and pain of the destruction his creation causes. Both suffer for trying to act like a god. Prometheus suffers physical pain as his punishment every day, and Frankenstein suffers emotion pain every day as his punishment.
ReplyDeletePrometheus is known to be the deity in Greek mythology as the creator of mankind and its greatest helper when it stole fire from Mount Olympus and gave it to man. Victor Frankenstein is the creator of the creature. Zeus had asked Hephaestus to create Pandora, who was the first woman, and thought she would create trouble to mankind. Pandora could be thought be the girl the creature wanted in the novel. Victor had thought that she would create more problems and cause further trouble. Prometheus payed the price of helping mankind by being chained to a rock and having his liver be eaten every day. Yet, his liver was regenerated every night because of his immorality. The creature could be seen as the rock tying Victor down. Each loss Victor faces is like the slow torture Prometheus faced as his liver was eaten by an eagle every day.
ReplyDeletePrometheus, a Titan in Greek mythology, is the creator of all mankind. This Titan gained the reputation of being a bit of a trickster and he gave the human race “the gift of fire and the skill of metalwork.” For this, Zeus punished Prometheus every day. The title, The Modern Prometheus, certainly serves as a fitting title to this novel because Prometheus is very similar to the main character, Victor Frankenstein. Both Prometheus and Victor created life in this world. As they created life, they gifted it. Prometheus created human kind and gifted the human race with fire and metalwork. Victor created the monster and gifted him with life itself. Although both men created something very beautiful, they were both punished for their creations. Zeus punished the immortal Prometheus by ensuring that an eagle would go and eat the liver of Prometheus as he was chained to a rock. Victor was also punished, but by his own creation. Years after Victor abandons his creation, the monster becomes aware of his surroundings and discovers that his creator left some papers behind which will lead the monster right to Victor. Victor is soon faced with the death of his youngest brother, William. Throughout the novel, Victor suffers through the punishment of watching his own creation kill his whole entire family.
ReplyDeletePrometheus is credited with bringing knowledge and enlightenment to all of mankind. He stole fire from the Gods of Mount Olympus. For acting against the Gods, Prometheus was harshly punished as he was chained to a rock to have his liver eaten out every day by an eagle. This was to be his punishment for all of eternity. Therefore, “The Modern Prometheus” is a fitting title because Victor formulated a creature who had the capacity to become enlightened. Yet, the moment when Victor gave life to this once inanimate being, he immediately felt an overwhelming sense of repulsion, regret, and disappointment as he absorbed the outcome of his vigorous project. Along with these feelings, he felt an intense fear of this creature which caused him to abandon his monster. His eternal punishment for creating this knowledgeable being was the fact that Victor’s family was killed by his “child,” he lives in constant fear and regret, and eventually his own creation destroyed him.
ReplyDelete“The Modern Prometheus” is a fitting alternative title to Frankenstein because it suits both main characters of the novel, Victor and the monster. Prometheus was a Greek God who was credited for the creation of man. Much like Victor, Prometheus found the key to creating life. In mythology, the secret was fire. Prometheus had previously tried to create man but only succeeded with his stolen treasure. Although fire was used in different tenses the purpose of survival is the same. Through the novel, the monster states he survived alone in the woods with nothing to shelter or keep him warm but fire. Fire was the monster's way of life and destruction (when he burned the cottage down). The rest of Prometheus’ story correlates with the monster as well. Because he loved man more than his own kind, The Greek god reacted to certain situations which ultimately led to being chained to a rock with unbreakable chains. The monster wished to become normal and finally be apart of something other than himself. He loved the thought of being man but certain situations led him to be feared and hated, forcing him to a life in the shadows.
ReplyDelete"The Modern Prometheus" is a very appropriate title for Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. A brief summary of the Prometheus myth is that, Prometheus steals fire (knowledge) to give to man, which proves to be a danger to himself and the human race. This brings about his destruction (Zeus punishes him). In the story, Victor is Prometheus. He studies science at his university, and that is his main focus for year. As a result, he becomes too knowledgeable about things he shouldn't know about, which is learning how to make a human. From his, he creates a monster which, in turn, destroys him and many of his close friends and relatives, including his wife, Elizabeth, his youngest brother, William, and his best friend, Henry. Dr. Frankenstein then released this danger into the world, which ties into how Prometheus gave fire to mankind. The monster he created grew out of control, due to the constant hatred he received from man, and this is similar to how the fire grew and grew until it was out of control and became a danger to mankind.
ReplyDeleteIn the Greek myth Prometheus, Zeus, who was supposed to be the protector of all of mankind, made a bad choice which all of humanity was effected by. The same way that Frankenstein created a monster who became a threat to humanity. When the monster asked for a companion, Frankenstein realized that creating another monster could lead to more harm than good for humanity. The two could join forces and start a new race which could potentially put an end to the human race. Zeus was punished for keeping fire from humanity by being chained to a rock where an eagle ate his liver everyday and he was immortal until he was saved by Hercules. Frankenstein was punished with immortality. He had to watch all of his loved ones die and he just wanted to end his pain and suffering as well.
ReplyDelete"The Modern Prometheus" is a settable title because of the relationship between Prometheus and Victor. The protagonist of the novel gives knowledge to a creature that doesn't deserve it. Prometheus did this but the creatures that weren't worthy of it are humans. As in many references in the novel, the monster in is referred to be the humans or the people. He is given this but is not taught how to use it by his master. So did happen in Greek mythology. The humans had this new thing which came with no instructions and only were to know about their masters and how they operated. Victor is in the same torture that Prometheus was in too. Prometheus is constantly had his liver eaten out by an eagle everyday since he was immortal. Frankenstein in this way relates as he is constantly haunted either by thoughts or the physical picture of his creation. The suffering man and Titan are punished by giving, to lifeless creatures, knowledge and its powers.
ReplyDeletePrometheus is a Titan in Greek mythology who created mankind by stealing fire from the gods at Mount Olympus and giving it to the humans. Prometheus stole from the head god Zeus and used his booty of fire to create mankind, thus playing his gods. This fire gave man knowledge, so they could now create a society separate from their gods. Zeus's punishment for this criminal act was banishing the Titans except Prometheus, who received a life of immortality and is forever tied to a rock in which an eagle eats his regenerating liver everyday, just an everlasting life of pain and solitude. Because of this, "The Modern Prometheus" would be a completely fitting title for Frankenstein.Frankenstein created a new life form, in which he played his God as well. His monster turns against him and kills all that he loved, and continued to wreak havoc on mankind. The monster made Victor's life misery, just like how Zeus did with Prometheus so "The Modern Prometheus" could definitely be a title for "Frankenstein".
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ReplyDeleteIn Greek mythology, Prometheus was a Titan associated with knowledge and enlightenment. In Shelley's novel Victor possess great intelligence and his passion for learning is emphasized. Like Victor, Prometheus decides to create a man but steals fire from the Gods in order to do so. With this, Prometheus is punished severely as birds tear out and feast upon his own liver. Likewise, Victor also suffers because of his creation. The monster kills many of his loved ones and Victor is left feeling miserable.
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