Frankenstein

Index

1) Introduction

2) Prometheus myth in Frankenstein

3) Gothic aspects

4) Feminism in Frankenstein

5) Popular Culture

6) Conclusion

Introduction

After reading Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus we decided that it would be interesting to analyse some of the different topics we can find in the novel as: the myth of Prometheus, the Gothics elements of the novel, the feminist themes in Frankenstein and the impact the novel has had in our society over the years and nowadays. We are going to use excerpts from the book in order to analyse Mary Shelley’s work. But first of all here is a little summary of the novel.

Brief summary: everybody knows what Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus is about, but, just in case, we are going to refresh your memory: Mary Shelley narrates the story of Victor Frankenstein, a famous scientist who creates a monster in a scientific experiment. Once he creates the monster, Frankenstein realizes the big mistake he has just made and then, he runs away leaving the creature alone. From that moment, the life of Frankenstein and his relatives change drastically. But this novel is more than just a scary story, it’s a story where Shelley reflects her thoughts, believes and fares and that’s why we find it much more interesting.

Prometheus myth in Frankenstein

The Modern Prometheus is the novel's subtitle. Prometheus was the main source of inspiration. In later versions of Greek mythology, Prometheus was the Titan who created mankind at the behest of Zeus.

The novel’s title –Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus- allows us to perceive both the parallelism and the antagonism we are going to face. Mary Shelley retook this myth, and created a character who, driven by the ambition towards knowledge, finds his misfortune when he plays God subverting the natural laws.

The primary theme is a parallel to the aspect of the Prometheus myth which concentrates on the creation of man by the titans, transferred and made contemporary by Shelley for British audiences of her time. The subject is that of the creation of life by a scientist, thus bestowing life through the application and technology of medical science rather than by the natural acts of reproduction.

This novel is not a mere rewriting of the Classical myth. Unlike Titan, the Modern Prometheus is not punished by God, but by his own creation. However, the creature has not an innate and inherent maliciousness. The way it is treated by the rest of beings –rejected by both its creator and its family- gave it the perversity to kill unavoidably. For example, we can see it when the creature meets the blind man. The blind man treats it well because he cannot see its physical aspect. On the other hand, Victor does not stop to contemplate the human part of his creation.

Victor was imprudent when he transgressed the nature and created a Supreme Being with capacities surpassing the human ones. Therefore, when the creature is rejected by the human beings, it finds out that the answer is to attack the one who gave it life.

On the contrary, Prometheus was proud of his creation and preferred to help it instead of honouring the gods, something that brings him negative consequences –Zeus’ punishment-. The punishment of Prometheus was to be bound to a rock in the Caucasus, where each day an eagle was sent to feed on his liver forever. Victor did not think of the consequences of going against nature; his ambition for both, the knowledge and the mystery of death, sentenced him to disgrace and unhappiness. Therefore, Prometheus was sentenced by the gods, but Victor Frankenstein sentenced himself.

Gothic Aspects

Gothic novel is a subgenre of Romantic Literature that joins aspects of both, horror and romance. It is originated between the late 18th and early 19th century and it is developed as a reaction to the Enlightenment, which is the rejection against the overvaluation of reason. “The castle of Otranto” is regarded as the first gothic novel written in 1764 and its author was Horace Walpole.

In England in 1818, Mary Shelly wrote Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus, which was very successful. It soon expanded to other places of the world, particularly the United States, where it influenced the writing of novelists such as Edgar Allan Poe. In Gothic novels we can distinguish certain characteristics. According to Robert Harris some of the most representative Gothic aspects of these sorts of novels are: spaces where there are old castles and great mansions; an ambiance of mystery and foreboding is surrounding this type of work; almost always there is a tragedy, a prophecy or a curse; and it emphasizes the physical and emotional aspects of the characters finishing on illness that cause the death of some people. The protagonists are contradictory and very intelligent, that is, solitaries, introverts, depressives, unsociable, and simultaneously passionate, histrionic, effusive and unpredictable. They fight for their obsessions tenaciously and enthusiastically. Then we can see in the following paragraphs the conclusions reached after analysing some of the Gothic elements of Mary Shelly’s work and comparing these ones with Frankenstein’s movie directed by Kevin Connor:

Gloomy and dark atmosphere:

“I quitted my seat, and walked on, although the darkness and storm increased every minute, and the thunder burst with a terrific crash over my head. It was echoed from Salêve, the Juras, and the Alps of Savoy; vivid flashes of lightning dazzled my eyes, illuminating the lake, making it appear like a vast sheet of fire; then for an instant everything seemed of a pitchy darkness, until the eye recovered itself from the preceding flash” (M. Shelley, 1931: 7).

The perception we can get from reading this text is the following: the protagonist describes the landscape of the mountains where he was born. He narrates the dark and gloomy atmosphere. It talks about a storm and deafening thunder. It represents the force of nature. Seeing the images of the film there is a feeling of terror, strong emotions. The director of the film intended to impress the viewer with a lightning storm and a ray that destroys a tree. Both in the text and in the film we find the idea of the power of nature.

A prophecy or a curse:

"It is well. I go; but remember, I shall be with you on your wedding-night." (M. Shelley, 1931:

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