Introduction
Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” and John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” scrutinize man’s relationship with divinity but tackle the subject matter from divergent angles. While Shelley highlights the hazards of human beings attempting to play God by exemplifying the character of Victor Frankenstein, Milton argues that humanity’s defiance towards divinity is the reason for its destruction. Both works present the Fall of Man as the principal theme, but their messages concerning human nature and the outcomes of challenging divine supremacy differ.
Discussion
Human Defiance of Divinity and the Quest for Knowledge
Shelley’s message in “Frankenstein” warns against the perils of egotism and unbridled aspiration and their adverse effects on human nature. Victor Frankenstein’s quest for knowledge and his yearning to create life end in disastrous consequences. He admits, “Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow” (Shelley 52). Shelley suggests that human beings who attempt to be God are bound to fail, and the ramifications of their actions are often disastrous.
Likewise, Milton’s “Paradise Lost” also explores man’s defiance of divinity, but his message is dissimilar. Milton argues that human beings’ rebellion results from their free will, and this disobedience leads to their downfall. He portrays Adam and Eve as flawed yet innocent beings easily influenced by Satan’s temptations. In Book IV, Satan approaches Eve in the Garden of Eden and says, “Know then that after Lucifer from Heaven / So spake the Fiend, and with necessity, / The tyrant’s plea, excused his devilish deeds” (Milton IV.388-390).
This text implies that using persuasive language, Satan tempts Eve and draws her away from God’s will. As exemplified by their choice to eat from the forbidden tree, Milton demonstrates that Adam and Eve are free to decide on their own pathways. Adam says, “O Eve, in evil hour thou didst give ear / To that false worm, of whomsoever taught / To counterfeit man’s voice, true in our fall, / False in our promised rising,” in Book IX, after Eve has consumed the fruit. (Milton IX. 1041-1044). This text demonstrates that Adam places the burden of responsibility for their wrongdoing on Eve and himself, indicating that man is accountable for his deeds.
The Implications of Human Rebellion
In Paradise Lost, rebellion has dire repercussions because Adam and Eve suffer for their transgressions. They are compelled to live a life of hardship and suffering after being driven out of the Garden of Eden. Milton does, however, make a case for forgiveness as well. “Some I have chosen of peculiar grace / Elect above the rest; so is my will,” the archangel Michael informs Adam in Book XII. “The rest shall hear me call, and oft be warned / Of Their Sinful State, and to appease betimes / The incensed Deity, while offered grace / Invites.” (Milton XII. 82-87). This passage suggests that God is merciful and that there is still a chance for redemption, even after the Fall.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, on the other hand, presents a less optimistic perspective of humankind. While Frankenstein depicts the risks of playing God as indestructible, Paradise Lost implies that there is still hope for salvation. As a result of Victor’s attempt to create life, a monster is created, eventually destroying everything Victor values. The monster is depicted as an awful creature abandoned by society before becoming engulfed by his rage and despair. In the novel’s closing sections, Victor bemoans, “I, the miserable and the abandoned, am an abortion, to be spurned at, and kicked, and trampled on,” in the novel’s closing sections. (Shelley 223). According to this text, Victor believes that he and his creation are hopelessly flawed and that there is no chance for them to be reconciled.
According to Paradise Lost, Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s order, which resulted in the Fall of Man and the spread of sin. Similarly, Victor’s conceit and disregard for the natural order have catastrophic results in Frankenstein. Adam’s situation is compared to the monster’s in the following statement: “I was united by no connection to any other being in existence, but his state was far different from mine in every other respect. He had emerged from God’s hands as a flawless being, joyful and successful, protected by the careful attention of his Maker.” (Shelley 109). By drawing an analogy to Adam, it is suggested that the monster is also a victim of circumstance rather than innate evil.
The Conflict Between Humans and the Natural Order
The interaction between man and the environment is explored in both pieces. According to Paradise Lost, up until the Fall, Adam and Eve coexisted peacefully with nature as an expression of God’s will. Nature is portrayed in Frankenstein as a strong and reviving force that can bring harmony and peace. Henry Clerval, a friend of Victor’s, remarks on the healing power of nature, stating, “Maternal Nature forbade me weep any more as the very winds whispered in soothing accents.” (Shelley 72). This implies that nature can offer solace and healing even after a catastrophe.
The Prometheus Archetype and the Concept of Isolation
The Promethean hero archetype, which designates a person who challenges the gods or the natural order to accomplish greatness, can be seen as an example in both works. The character of Satan in Paradise Lost can be compared to Prometheus, who rebelled against God to achieve his ends. Victor in Frankenstein can be compared to a Promethean figure who wants to harness God’s power and make life. However, both characters pay a high price for their desire. Victor experiences the results of his actions and is ultimately annihilated by his creation, while Satan is expelled from Heaven and sentenced to an eternity of punishment.
The concepts of loneliness and seclusion are explored in both pieces. His rebellion separates Satan from God and his companion angels in Paradise Lost. The monster in Frankenstein is isolated from civilization and is despised by everyone he meets. When the monster thinks about how lonely he is, he says, “I am alone and miserable; man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me.” (Shelley 129). This suggests that loneliness can cause despair and a feeling of social alienation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while Frankenstein and Paradise Lost deal with similar themes and examine man’s relationship with God, they offer diverse perspectives and teachings. It is suggested in Shelley’s Frankenstein that man’s attempts to assume the role of God are doomed to failure and that unchecked ambition is dangerous. Milton’s Paradise Lost depicts man as accountable for his actions and implies that there is still hope for atonement. Both works provide distinctive insights into the intricate relationship between God and man by exploring these topics through various narratives.
Works Cited
Milton, John. “Paradise Lost, 1667.” Scolar Press, 1968.
Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. “Frankenstein.” Harvard University Press, 2019.