The story also has strong links with the history of the time. The French Revolution (1789-1799) had not long passed and Europe was in a state of upheaval. The French Revolution showed a challenge of power, as did the Prometheus story. It also shows a change of power from the God appointed King, to the people. In the same way Frankenstein takes the power of life from God, into his own hands. He also thought that his experiments would bring purity and hope to all humankind, as the French thought they would be able to do by rebelling. Many of the descriptions of the French revolution link into the story of Frankenstein. For instance, according to Edmund Burke, the French Revolution was ‘a political monster’ which was born only to devour its creator. This is very similar to Frankenstein with the monster being born, eventually to destroy its creator (Frankenstein).
As well as the French Revolution there was an upheaval in science at that time. Chemistry had been isolated from the other sciences in 1802 by Humphrey Davy in his ‘A Discourse, Introductory To A Course Of Lectures On Chemistry’, which also bears many links with Frankenstein, in which he states “Science has done much for man, but it is capable of doing still more”, an idea which is echoed in the book. Frankenstein is very interested in the potential of science and believes that he can take science where it hasn’t been before; he thinks he can stop death. Victor also knows the great things that science has already done and the things that were dreamed of by the ancient scientists. He wants to make some of these dreams realities.
Humphrey Davy also says, “Science has enabled man to be master”, a theme found in both Frankenstein and Prometheus. Frankenstein plays God when he becomes the creator of life, while Prometheus becomes the master when he steals the fire from the heavens, which was reserved only for the gods, and gives it to humans. In addition to this the “man is master” theme is echoed when the monster says “how do you sport thus with life” which gives the impression that the monster feels that man is beginning to play God too much and is even creating life just to play with it, and eventually kill it, in the same way that a cat plays with a mouse; the ‘play’ results in the death of the mouse.
There was also a national debate raging over the ‘life principle’; are we just a body or is there a soul. There was also a great interest in galvanism, the effect of electricity on muscles and nerves. This was because Lugi Galvani had made a dead frog move by touching it with an electrically charged scalpel. As well as this Giovanni Adini made the dead body of a criminal, Thomas Forster, walk around a room. This had led people to start asking question as to whether it might be possible to bring people back to life. From the way that Shelley writes it is obvious that she has knowledge of the science of the time. For instance, when she says, “spark” at the beginning of chapter 5 (4 in the 1818 version) it links to the basis of galvanism, the life-giving fire of the time; electricity. However the word “spark” also has many other connotations linking into Prometheus. For instance, “spark” has connotations of fire, the sacred rite reserved for the gods but stolen by Prometheus, which according to the mixed Greek and Roman myths provides life for humanity. In addition to this it brings the idea of conflict into the mind (sparking off a conflict). This again links back to Prometheus, who sparked off a conflict with the Greek/Roman gods. In addition to these the word spark also has the connotation of ideas a theme central to both Prometheus and Frankenstein: Prometheus had the idea about stealing fire and creating mankind while Frankenstein tested his ideas on reincarnation.
In addition to this the phrase “lifeless thing” links to the clay that Prometheus used to create humans, and the fact that the monster is referred to as a “thing” suggests even at this early stage that Frankenstein is creating something which isn’t human. This suggests that it is unmoral for him to be creating the monster. Also the word “lifeless” suggests that the monster, as it never gains a soul, is never truly alive. Likewise the word ‘animate’ links into this idea as ‘animate’ comes from the Latin word anima meaning soul. Animate also comes from the Latin verb animare, which means ‘to give life to’. Both of these roots link directly into Frankenstein.
Throughout Frankenstein Mary Shelley uses pathetic fallacy, but this done particularly well in chapter 5. For instance she uses the words “dismal” and “wet” to describe the morning after the animation of the monster. This reflects the way that Frankenstein is feeling; miserable, depressed, terrified and despondent. She also uses pathetic fallacy in volume 2 chapter 2 when she says ‘The rain poured down … thick mists’. This is a hint at what happens later in the chapter when Frankenstein meets the monster.
Shelley uses an important literary technique: the story-within-a-story-within-a-story (Chinese box structure/ cyclical structure/ framing narrative). Walton tells the whole story of Frankenstein and the monster as related to him by Frankenstein, with the addition of his own meeting with the monster after Frankenstein's death within the context of his Arctic exploration. Within Frankenstein's account is the monster's own tale of events after he fled from Frankenstein: how he watched the De Lacey’s and came to understand human speech, emotion, and history. Each of the stories presents comparisons and contrasts to the others. For example, Walton's exploration of the Arctic, like Frankenstein's creation of the monster, is a scientific endeavour. However, Walton's expedition fails when his men force him to turn back, whereas Frankenstein does at least succeed in creating the monster, although the results are questionable.
As well as setting the various stories in parallel, Shelley also links the character’s dilemmas, and feelings. Walton, for instance, is sympathetic towards Frankenstein but shares the same predicament as the monster. He, too, longs for companionship—he has “no friend… none to participate [in] my joy… to sustain me in dejection”. This links into The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge an important literary allusion within Frankenstein. The Ancient Mariner also shares Walton and the Monster’s dilemma. He too has no friends and is doomed to continue to tell his tale forever.
Walton is a foil to Frankenstein in many different ways. For instance he is an exceptionally ambitious pioneer, trying desperately to reach the North Pole and allowing nothing to get in the way of his dreams. However he, like Frankenstein, eventually fails in his ambitions. Also the way that Frankenstein relates his mistakes to Walton is analogous to the Christian confessional, where the sinner recounts their sins to a priest and receives forgiveness for them. It could also be seen as a moral warning to Walton, his sister (to whom the letters are addressed) and then ultimately to the reader. Frankenstein could also be an autobiography, with Mary Shelley being Frankenstein, as it bears many resemblances to her life. She like Frankenstein watched as many of her family and friends died around her including her children; 2 Clara’s and William, who coincidently has the same name as Frankenstein’s murdered younger brother.
As well as this many of the things that he says in his very first letter set the tone of what is to come. For instance within the first 30 words of the book evil is introduced “such evil forebodings”. This sets prepares the reader for what is to come, especially the use of the word “forebodings”; “a sign or warning that something bad is going to happen”. Additionally it makes the reader think that his “enterprise” might be unnatural or dangerous, building up a (false) sense of suspense. In addition to this the word “evil” also makes the reader think that the book may have religious messages, as evil is “connected with the Devil or other powerful destructive forces”2
Another important literary allusion in Frankenstein is to John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost. The book is introduced with three lines from Milton, and Paradise Lost is one of the three books that the monster reads and on which he founds his beliefs. He sees himself as both Adam and Satan—alone like Adam before Eve, “Like Adam, I was created apparently united by no link to any other being in existence”, yet bitter like Satan viewing the bliss of God, “Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition; for often, like him, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me”. God and Satan from Paradise Lost, Victor Frankenstein and Prometheus all link together, as shown by the diagram below.
Victor Frankenstein, Prometheus and God are all related to each other because they are all creators: the givers of life. Prometheus, Victor Frankenstein and Satan, are all linked because they all tried to play God. Prometheus and Satan are also linked because they both faced torture and punishment. They also both face rejection from ‘the heavens’ because they did what they believed in. Victor Frankenstein also has a link to Prometheus because he faced torture and punishment for his actions. For the same reason the Monster, Frankenstein and Prometheus are all linked. All of the links are also related to the balance of power and the relationship between creator and created and between master and slave. Satan is the ‘slave’ of God; God has more power than Satan. Frankenstein created the monster but shuns him.
Paradise Lost was also linked to the Prometheus storey, “More lovely, than Pandora, Whom the Gods; Endowed with all their gifts, and O! too like; In sad event, when to the unwiser son; Of Japhet brought by Hermes, she ensnared; Mankind with her fair looks, to be avenged; On him who had stole Jove's [Jupiter/Zeus] authentick fire.” This refers to the Roman version of the myth and compares Eve with both Pandora and Prometheus. The “unwiser son; of Japhet” is Epimetheus, Prometheus’ brother to whom Pandora was given.
Prometheus was a hero for the Romantics and because of this Frankenstein is almost certainly a criticism of the Romantics views. The Romantics were very idealistic in life and almost lived in their imagination. Shelley disagreed with the Romantic’s take on life and Frankenstein is based on her views. Many of the pictures created by Romantics of the time, such as Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix, show or have themes which link into Frankenstein. However they also show many of the Romantic ideals, which Shelley opposed.
Some of these themes are:
- Purity and Hope (shown by Liberty, the central figure)
- Power changing from God to Man (one of the central ideals of the French Revolution — Power going from the ‘God appointed King’ to the people)
Hope is one of the central themes in Frankenstein and this links back the story of Prometheus and Pandora. This picture doesn’t show the French Revolution accurately. Although the people were ‘triumphant’ they created the terror, one of the worst periods in Europe’s history. This is mirrored in Frankenstein: Frankenstein succeeds in creating a life form, but fails in his aspirations to create the perfect human. Mary Shelley shows the reality of what actually happens instead of the bright, optimistic stories created by the Romantics.
When Frankenstein meets the monster their roles become reversed, with Frankenstein saying things like “or rather stay, that I may trample you to dust!” while the monster says, “I expected this reception”. This makes Frankenstein appear like the uncivilised monster, while the monster is cool, calm and rational. This backs up Shelley’s criticism of the Romantics, as Frankenstein would be a Romantic hero because he embraces many of the Romantics ideals.
Frankenstein is still ‘modern’ for us today, centuries after it was written. For instance Frankenstein attempts to create the ‘perfect human’ who is superior to all others but fails, in the same way that Adolf Hitler tried to create the perfect human race (Aryans – blond hair with blue eyes) and also failed. There are still stories, poems and plays being written in the Prometheus archetype. These include Carl Georg’s ‘Prometheus und Epimetheus’, Robert Bridges ‘Prometheus, the Fire-Giver’ and Tom Paulin’s ‘Seize the Fire’, a modern day equivalent of Prometheus Bound.
Shelley giving Frankenstein the subtitle ‘The Modern Prometheus’ helps to elevate the story to a higher level. For instance it helps to create multiple meanings within the text and produce a more meaningful read. The subtitle also helps to increase the readers understanding of the text as they are able to relate what is happening to Prometheus. Frankenstein is still relevant today and there are many messages that we should take out of it.
, 2 Encarta® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
