Frankenstein The Modern Prometheus

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Frankenstein

‘The Modern Prometheus’

Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein also referred to as ‘The Modern Prometheus’ was written in the dark times of 1816. The novel indulges in the work of man playing God and the acts of galvanism; Victor Frankenstein dreams of one day being able to save the ones he loves from illness and maybe even death; but swiftly his dreams tarnish and soon turn to a horrific nightmare when his beloved monster turns on him. Mary Shelley gets her themes and ideas across in a variety of different ways throughout the novel, such as an in depth look towards the immortal soul and the duality of self but also subconsciously Mary spilt out her own feelings into her work adding minor themes into the novel of her life and parental neglect.

Even before she was born, Mary Shelley was destined to become one of the most prominent figures in English literature. Both her parents were revolutionaries and writers: Her father William Godwin was an English journalist and novelist and one of the major proponents of anarchist philosophy Mary's mother Mary Wollstonecraft on the other hand was renowned as being one of the earliest feminists. Shelley’s life and times effected how she illustrates the birth of Frankenstein’s monster in an immeasurable way. The environment and time Shelley grew up in really does have a huge impact on the novel due to the techniques she uses and in the way she uses her language. A vast amount of scientific breakthroughs were made at this time helping dub the early 1800’s as ‘The Age of Enlightenment’. Shelley arguably has many monumental events in her life, but in my opinion none bigger the visit to Lord Byron’s house which sparked her enthusiasm for this epic novel. She was originally given a task (along with a few other people) to individually come up with something more teeth chattering and nail biting than his poem. Shelley managed to come up with what we now know as chapter five of the novel or more commonly referred to as the birth of Frankenstein. The gothic text used in this novel is very relevant to Mary’s life at this early stage; she is right in the midst of a very dark time where unnatural practices are taking place.

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        As well as her life and times Shelley’s parental neglect also manages to tangle itself into this colossal web of a novel. As many people well know Shelley grew up in a much upheld household but suffered from relentless disregard. Although she was cast aside for many things, she was brought into all the family discussions which at this time where souly based around the graphic and gruesome public displays of galvanism. This clearly had a major impact of Mary’s novel as a whole “I might infuse a spark of being into this lifeless thing.” This directly links towards the ...

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