The subtitle of FRANKENSTEIN is Prometheus Unbound. If you remember the myth, Prometheus stole fire from the gods to give to humanity. As punishment for his hubris, the gods chained Prometheus to a cliff where every day a vulture (in some versions it's an eagle) devours his liver which grows back over night. Day after day the vulture - or eagle - returns to claw and tear at Prometheus' liver. But because of his daring to challenge the gods' claim on fire, we humans have benefitted from the fire's light, its warmth and its protection. Of course, the fire symbolizes knowledge and intelligence. Why do you think Mary Shelley gave her book this subtitle?
There are also similarities to the story of Frankenstein and to the story of creation in Genesis. According to the Old Testament, Man lived in ignorance until he challenged God's preeminence to knowledge when he ate of the tree of knowledge. When his eyes were opened he was banned from the Garden of Eden and was forced to wander - in a sense he was abandoned by his creator. In the "natural order of things" only God can create life but that preeminence was usurped by Frankenstein when he created the monster. In the Bible, God looked upon his creation of Adam and "saw that it was good"; however, when Frankenstein looked upon his creation, he was horrified by it and ran from it - in a sense, abandoning his creation, the monster. The monster, abandoned by his creator, roamed the countryside looking for his "god", his father. Anguished and in deep loneliness he sought out his creator and demanded that Frankenstein make him a mate - much like Adam demanded of God.
This stunning act of creation, this challenge to God's preeminence as the father and creator of all things, unleashes catastrophic events that threaten to destroy Frankenstein, the creator.
What point do you think Mary Shelley is making about the unbridled effect of technology? What do you think her attitude might be towards some of our technological breakthroughs? Towards stem cell research? Towards scientifically engineered foods? Do you necessarily agree or disagree with what you perceive to be her probable attitude? (You know, you don't have to agree. It's perfectly fine to think technology is a great thing - how else would you be able to read this while downloading "Green Day" from Itunes?)
There are also similarities to the story of Frankenstein and to the story of creation in Genesis. According to the Old Testament, Man lived in ignorance until he challenged God's preeminence to knowledge when he ate of the tree of knowledge. When his eyes were opened he was banned from the Garden of Eden and was forced to wander - in a sense he was abandoned by his creator. In the "natural order of things" only God can create life but that preeminence was usurped by Frankenstein when he created the monster. In the Bible, God looked upon his creation of Adam and "saw that it was good"; however, when Frankenstein looked upon his creation, he was horrified by it and ran from it - in a sense, abandoning his creation, the monster. The monster, abandoned by his creator, roamed the countryside looking for his "god", his father. Anguished and in deep loneliness he sought out his creator and demanded that Frankenstein make him a mate - much like Adam demanded of God.
This stunning act of creation, this challenge to God's preeminence as the father and creator of all things, unleashes catastrophic events that threaten to destroy Frankenstein, the creator.
What point do you think Mary Shelley is making about the unbridled effect of technology? What do you think her attitude might be towards some of our technological breakthroughs? Towards stem cell research? Towards scientifically engineered foods? Do you necessarily agree or disagree with what you perceive to be her probable attitude? (You know, you don't have to agree. It's perfectly fine to think technology is a great thing - how else would you be able to read this while downloading "Green Day" from Itunes?)
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