"The Rebel God"
Something that I think we've failed to mention in discussing Frankenstein and its connections to other aspects of culture, is the alternate title that Shelley suggests for the novel. On the original page it can be seen that the title page says Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus. According to Greek mythology, Prometheus was the creator of mankind. He also stole fire from heaven and brought in to the men he created. As punishment, Zeus sentenced Prometheus to be tied to a boulder where each day an eagle would come eat his liver. Because of this, Prometheus is sometimes referred to as "The Rebel God."
This story's parallel to Frankenstein is quite clear. Frankenstein essentially created this monster, whom he gave life to by discovering this "spark of life" and infusing it into the being. As a result, Frankenstein is sentenced to a life of misery and ill-fate. According to the Latin version of the myth, Prometheus is said to have made men from clay and water; throughout the novel, Shelley often refers to the "man of clay" when mentioning the monster. Frankenstein is a "Rebel God" in that he defies God's laws by creating an unnatural being. The ties between Prometheus and Frankenstein are many, but what strikes me most is the word "modern."
Why "The MODERN Prometheus?" What makes this parallel story modern? With this question, we can begin to get at the social relevance of this piece of fiction. It's evident that Shelley was a religious woman, as their are various references to Biblical passages and stories. As this novel was written during the growth of Enlightenment science and the rise of industry, perhaps Shelley was comparing the monster (and Prometheus) to the development of science. The creation of life and Enlightenment science are great mysteries, that could potentially create numerous benefits for the world. However, with this great knowledge comes great responsibility and also puts the world at severe risk. Therefore, it seems like Shelley is arguing for a retreat to the spiritual world, away from this new science.
This story's parallel to Frankenstein is quite clear. Frankenstein essentially created this monster, whom he gave life to by discovering this "spark of life" and infusing it into the being. As a result, Frankenstein is sentenced to a life of misery and ill-fate. According to the Latin version of the myth, Prometheus is said to have made men from clay and water; throughout the novel, Shelley often refers to the "man of clay" when mentioning the monster. Frankenstein is a "Rebel God" in that he defies God's laws by creating an unnatural being. The ties between Prometheus and Frankenstein are many, but what strikes me most is the word "modern."
Why "The MODERN Prometheus?" What makes this parallel story modern? With this question, we can begin to get at the social relevance of this piece of fiction. It's evident that Shelley was a religious woman, as their are various references to Biblical passages and stories. As this novel was written during the growth of Enlightenment science and the rise of industry, perhaps Shelley was comparing the monster (and Prometheus) to the development of science. The creation of life and Enlightenment science are great mysteries, that could potentially create numerous benefits for the world. However, with this great knowledge comes great responsibility and also puts the world at severe risk. Therefore, it seems like Shelley is arguing for a retreat to the spiritual world, away from this new science.
posted by Anonymous at 1:04 PM
1 Comments:
thanks for turning our attention to that important subtitle: The *Modern* Prometheus.
I'm not sure though about your conclusion that Shelley must have been religious. Remember that fiction is not autobiography and while of course she uses particular viewpoints to construct her tale, we can't necessarily conflate what she wrote with what she believed. Maybe the religious rhetoric in the novel serves more complicated ends?
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