Similarities Between Frankenstein And Prometheus

Myths are passed down from generation to generation, but are often changed or modernized in that usually explains a certain nature or social phenomenon, and typically involves supernatural beings or influences. In fact, many authors based their written works off a myth such as Mary Shelley. Mary Shelley had modernized the Greek myth of Prometheus into her own version so that it is relatable to the nineteenth century. She had called her novel Frankenstein which is also known as The Modern Prometheus. Frankenstein is about a young man named Victor Frankenstein who had sought to create a new superior species. Yet, instead of creating a beautiful living being as he imagined, he had created a monster. He abandoned his own creation, and as a result …show more content…
Also, the motif of fire is evident in both the Greek myth as well as the novel. As it is seen, Mary Shelly had titled Frankenstein also as The Modern Prometheus because the Greek myth of Prometheus greatly drives the plot of the novel. Victor Frankenstein and Prometheus are remarkable similar characters, but there is a distinct contrast between the two. Prometheus was a titan with a brother named Epimetheus. These two titans had created life on earth. Yet, Prometheus was the one who had created man out of clay. Epimetheus had nothing to give to man because he gave all the favorable abilities to the other animals. Prometheus was sympathetic towards the humans, so he gave them fire. In order do to so, he stole fire from the Greek gods by tricking Zeus, the king of the gods. As a consequence, Zeus punished both man and Prometheus. Zeus punished man by creating a mortal beauty named Pandora and gave her a jar that she was not permitted to open. Pandora, driven by curiosity, opened the jar, and released all the evils of the world as well as hope. On the other hand, Zeus had punished Prometheus by chaining Prometheus …show more content…
In both the myth and the novel, fire is shown as a duality between life and death. Prometheus had given fire to the humans, so that they would be able to survive the forces of nature. He gave it to them as a gift because he felt sympathy towards mankind. With the gift of fire, humans were able to prosper and create a society of their own just like the Greek gods had. In spite of this, fire was also the destruction and death of humanity. It led to the release of malicious forces into the world. Due to this, humans had to suffer in the corrupt world just because they were able to possess fire. As it is shown in Prometheus, fire can lead to the prosperity or to the downfall of humanity. Likewise, Frankenstein illustrated fire the same way as the myth of Prometheus had done. When the monster had discovered fire it had saved him from the cold. It had given him warmth and comfort when he was lonely. It was his light at the time of darkness. Although the discovery of fire had saved the monster, the monster realized that fire is destructive as well. For this reason, the monster had described, “One day, when I was oppressed by cold, I found a fire which had been left by some wandering beggars, and was overcome with delight at the warmth I experienced from it. In my joy I thrust my hand into the live embers, but quickly drew it out again with a cry of pain. How strange, I thought, that the same cause should