“Frankenstein,” Mary Shelley’s famous novel, which she wrote when she was just eighteen years old, continues to captivate people all over the world. This narrative still speaks of the present world two centuries after Shelley’s “Frankenstein” first came to life, and its importance cannot be overstated. In Shelley’s work, scientific and technical advancements are not portrayed as wholly demonic. Rather, what is truly hideous is the heartlessness of a creator who cannot or does not wish to anticipate the hazards of his creation. Technological breakthroughs, particularly those connected to artificial intelligence, easily find analogies in the technical risk discovery poses to the natural order of things – “Learn from me, by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge (Shelley 38). When Shelley compares Frankenstein to “Modern Prometheus,” Shelley attempts to comment on the essence of human yearning for knowledge.
“The Modern Prometheus” subtitle serves as a multilayered comparison made by the author, touching upon several issues. This reference may be understood by looking into Prometheus’s history. Prometheus is attributed to being the creator of mankind in Greek mythology. He made the first humans out of earthen clay, which Athena breathed life into. Prometheus, as the father of mankind, looked after them and taught them the skills they needed to survive, such as cultivating and harvesting the land, hunting, and building dwellings (Gatens 744). The myth continues with Prometheus stealing fire and being punished by Zeus as a result. He stole fire to give it to humanity, allowing them to flourish, study, and discover new things.
Shelley links Frankenstein to the classical father of mankind in the subtitle, which complements the primary title. The most obvious parallel is that both entities create a live entity out of dead matter – “A new species [that] would bless me as its creator and source” (Shelley 80). Continuing the parallel, Frankenstein says that “countless pleasant and lovely natures would owe their existence to me” (Shelley 81); “No father could claim the appreciation of his kid to the extent that I do” (Shelley 82). In many respects, the concept of a “Modern Prometheus” is significant in the novel since Frankenstein took from God what humanity should not know and revitalized his notion using science and modern technology (Gatens 749). Frankenstein, like Prometheus, and humanity were also punished for their misdeeds. While Prometheus compelled Zeus to create Pandora, who saved mankind from all evil, calamity, and illness, Frankenstein would live with remorse and sorrow for creating and releasing this monster.
All of the narratives and characters in Frankenstein have one thing in common: transgression. This was a fundamental element in Greek tragedy that was stressed heavily throughout the Romantic period, aligning very well with the spirit of liberty of the time and the examination of the irrational universe (Gatens 741). In Mary Shelley’s work, the crime, like in Greek tragedy, is motivated by man’s hubris toward the gods. As a result, Shelley gives a romantic interpretation of Greek tragedy. This is evident in the plot structure, the tragic irony, and some narrative analogies (Fernández 306). Mary Shelley’s version of Aeschylus’ work includes all of these features.
Prometheus became a symbol of civilization and reason, as well as scientific knowledge, throughout the romantic era. During his early studies, Victor thought that “the world was a mystery to me that I wanted to know” (Shelley 66). His ambition to learn the world’s mysteries drove him to search beyond what was normal for a man. He aspired to learn more about science and to broaden the scope of human civilization. However, as Prometheus discovered, pushing beyond man’s inherent bounds has repercussions. Prometheus was punished for his excessive love for his creation by providing him with everything he required to progress (Gatens 746). On the other side, Frankenstein despises his job, and his job will eventually backfire on him. Prometheus and Victor Frankenstein are ideal romantic heroes as conflict characters, which explains their dual roles as hero and villain (Fernández 313). The romantic hero is frequently a romanticized yet awe-inspiring character with enormous passion, great talent, a lack of regard for rank and power, a shady history, hubris, and, eventually, a self-destructive approach (Fernández 314). The romantic hero, like a Prometheus, is an outsider who does not belong in the world to which he belongs. Finally, there is one thing that both Victor Frankenstein and Prometheus have in common as love heroes: they both suffer from loneliness.
Modern Prometheus was Shelley’s subtitle for the novel. The archetypal giant who stole fire from the gods and gave it to men was tortured indefinitely for his sins. In a parallel story, the incredible Victor Frankenstein breathes life into a creature he does not understand. His achievements are undeniably brilliant, but the untamed flames devour his loved ones, himself, and even his creation. Frankenstein, like Prometheus, takes a gift from the gods that he cannot possess and for which he is severely punished. In an era of powerful machine learning, Shelley’s reinvented Prometheus has never been more current than it is now.
Works Cited
Fernández, Ana González-Rivas. “Aeschylus and Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, by Mary Shelley.” Brill’s Companion to the Reception of Aeschylus 19.6 (2018): 292-322.
Gatens, Moira. “Frankenstein, Spinoza, and exemplarity.” Textual Practice 33.5 (2019): 739-752.
Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus. Everyman’s Library, 1992.