Myth and Morality in Frankenstein.

Department Of English

fact fiction Myth

Myth is fundamental , the dramatic representation of our deepest instinctual life, or awareness of man in the universal

capable of many configuration, upon which all particular opinions and

attitudes depends

“Myths are symbolic projection of people’s hopes, values , fears and aspirations.”

“Myths are public dreams, Dreams are private myth.”

Myths in Frankenstein

Temptation of knowledge and punishment.

Connection to the myth of Prometheus, known

in mythology as the “Friend of Mankind.

Shelley informs the readers that her tale is

“ The Modern Prometheus.”

Zeus, the supreme God of the Greeks asked Prometheus to create humanity from Mud & Water. Prometheus become a great benefactor to mankind, teaching them architecture, astronomy, navigation, medicine and a number of other useful skills. Prometheus later played a trick on Zeus, who retaliated by withholding the gift of fire from mankind. But.. Prometheus defied Zeus and stole fire from heaven to bring to earth. As a punishment, Prometheus was bound to a rock and everyday a Giant eagle ate his liver, which was miraculously renewed every night. He was eventually rescued from his suffering by Hercules, the Greek hero. As a further punishment, Zeus caused the beautiful but thoughtless Pandora to open a jar in which were imprisoned all the ills that afflict humanity :

Illness, Old age, The need to labor, Insanity, & vices.

Dr. Frankenstein as The Modern Prometheus

Shelley express the idea of gift of fire in her own story when in his attempts to build the Monster, Dr. Frankenstein steals the “ Fire of life” from God , whose job it is to bestow life upon each human that is born , gives it to a creation of his own making. In both situations , life or a source of life is stolen from a supreme being and given to man in defiance. Both played with fire, and neither escaped without being singed.

Similarity between Prometheus & Frankenstein

•Prometheus was a titan who had a soft spot for Humanity.

•He created man from Water & Mud.

• Frankenstein has desire to create a human being.

• Both Prometheus & Frankenstein built a human out of earthly materials.

Moralistic Approach

The moral significance is two fold :

( 1 ) Victor Frankenstein committed an act ofhubris He created life. That is the job of God, not man.

( 2 ) Once he did create life, he walked away from it without offering nurturing and guidance. That is morally wrong as well.

It should be noted that his instinctive sense of morality comes without knowledge of God or a creator & while this may seem to be an aesthetic or at least secular way of thinking about how morality is “Inborn”. It is impossible to ignore the way the bible & religious learning influence even this aspect of the story

“I am malicious because I am miserable.”

“ The creature is bitter and dejected after being turned away from human civilization, much

the same way that Adam in ‘ Paradise

Lost’ was turned out of the Garden of

Eden.”

“ I required kindness & sympathy; but I did not believe myself utterly unworthy of it.”

- Monster

Best example of Morality

“ My food is not that of man; I do not destroy the lamb and the kid to glut my appetite; acorns and berries afford me sufficient nourishment.”

- Frankenstein(157)The both the prodigal son & the monster

are on the verge of starvation , they choose not to kill and eat that pigs. He keeps them with his company.

Prodigal – Religious reason Monster - Morality

The creature is capable of learning moral and virtuous behavior without proclamation. The presence of a bible or other religious scripture is conspicuously absent from his education yet he is capable of developing a thoroughly structured sense of morality and ethics.