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Frankenstein - Short Essays

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Frankenstein

Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay To mould me Man, did I solicit thee From darkness to promote me? - Paradise Lost

1. In Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein, the subtitle "The Modern Prometheus" is attached to the name of the novel. Indeed, there exists a correlation between the mythological titan who is punished for stealing the dangerous knowledge of fire for humanity and Victor Frankenstein, a man whose ruthless quest for forbidden knowledge of life drives him to utter destruction. Like Prometheus, Frankenstein is a rebel against divine authority and pushes the …show more content…

Victor 's pursuit of scientific knowledge reveals a great deal about his perceptions of science in general. He views science as the truly unrestricted subject: "In other studies you go as far as others have gone before you, and there is nothing more to know; but in scientific pursuit there is continual food for discovery and wonder."
5. In chapter ten, Victor Frankenstein retreats to the summit of Montanvert in hopes of reviving his spirits thought the brilliance of nature. Instead, Victor meets his former creation that he has not seen in years. Unlike last time, Victor is not afraid. He is instead filled with a murderous rage and becomes bent on revenge. He shouts unabashedly, "Abhorred monster! Fiend that thou art! The tortures of hell are too mild a vengeance for thy crimes. Wretched devil… come on then, that I may extinguish the spark which I so negligently bestowed." His reaction is justified in light of the deaths of William Frankenstein and Justine Moritz, as well as the pain inflicted on his family. Psychologically, years of stress, fear, and despair has been welling up inside of Victor to this eventual boiling point. Surprisingly, the creature that has been the source of such misery acts more human than his creator. Not only can the creature speak, but he can also express himself articulately as well. It remains calm, even as Victor throws himself at the creature in a fit of rage. The "monster" contests that Victor shares responsibility

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