A Modern Prometheus In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, A Modern Prometheus teaches that like youth in modern society, the creature’s development was influenced by both internal and external factors. It was on a dreary night in november, when Frankenstein’s creation is brought to life. “It was already one in the morning ; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half extinguished light, i saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open, it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated it’s limbs.”(36) The creature was not accepted by Frankenstein, the creator and was left alone. Frankenstein, the creator looked at the creature as “a mummy again endued with animation could not be so hideous as that …show more content…
As he stayed, he studied the cottagers actions, and dared not too meet them. “ i longed to join them but i dared not, i would remain quietly in my hovel, watching, and endeavouring to discover the motives which influenced their actions.” (78)The creature stayed in the kennel and studied the family in the cottage. As the creature stayed there, he started to learn their language. “i found that these people possessed a method of communicating their experience and feelings to one another by articulate sounds” (79)“ i percieved that the words they spoke sometimes produced pleasure or pain, smiles or sadness, in the minds and countenances of the hearers.” (79)He looked at the language as a godlike science. Today, like modern society our language is not really easy to learn. You have to really practice and work towards learning this language. They say speaking the english language is more difficult than for example spanish or …show more content…
“Through this work i obtained a cursory knowledge of history, and a view of the several empires at present existing in the world; it gave me an insight into the manners, governments, and religions of the different nations of the earth” (85) This is like modern society, the research, through reading you learn about the history and the past of the world. You learn new things, that you didn’t know. For example like the creature he knew nothing, he was like a baby. He learned through reading. He was engaged to learn. The creature also learned about life, the anatomy.“I heard of the differences of sexes; and the birth and growth of children; how the father doated on the smiles of the infant, and the lively sallies of the older child; how all the life and cares of the mother were wrapped up in the precious charge; how the mind of youth expanded and gained knowledge; of brother,sister and all the various relationships which bind one human being to another in mutual bonds.”(86) The creature then compares that to his life. “No father had wretched my infant days, no mother had blessed me with smiles and caresses; or if they had, all my past life was now a blot, a blind vacancy in which i distinguished nothing.” (87) This is like modern society because many people brought in this world have a family, and are cared for. Though, there are some people out there who don’t care for their child and just