The Modern Prometheus - Literature review Example

Sur The analysis of “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley M. Shelley in her “The Modern Prometheus” disputes the correctness of enlightenment theory about the omnipotence of the human mind, which investigates the laws of nature to become its ruler. She is not sure whether human mind is a mean of harmonious reorganization of the world and has the potential to penetrate the secrets of the universe as well as to explain everything from the rationalist position. Viktor Frankenstein is modern genius titanium, almost devoid of altruistic and philanthropic beginning. He was not a humanist, not a benefactor of mankind, not the sufferer, who sacrificed himself, but rather an ambitious creator, who sacrificed family and friends for the sake of the great scientific discovery. Shelleys main character is fully immersed in science to reach the knowledge. He was experimenting wildly and was eager to exploit not the benefit for mankind, but the world-wide success. After the theoretical and practical training in the natural sciences in the University of Ingolstadt, Frankenstein starts to practice scientific experiments. Frankenstein tries to determine the next goal - the creation of a primitive living being or sophisticated man. Finally, his plans are becoming more daring and ambitious - he tries to create a superman. He plans to create a new breed of people - happy and perfect creatures. Similarly to the mythological Prometheus Frankenstein seeks to accomplish the mission, intended only for God. Developing main Promethean theme of freedom and will, of creativity and heroism, of secret knowledge and creativity, of work and patience, M. Shelley represents the myth in a new way and uses semantic and structural features. It reinterprets the image of Prometheus in the context of the present and shows the personality of a bold and independent romantic genius, rebel with free creative spirit. The hero evolves from ambitious undereducated, but inquisitive young man to superman creator, enthusiastic scientist, who lifted science to a higher level. In the novel "Frankenstein" the irony of life makes the human mind to turn against itself. Frankenstein completes the task: like Prometheus, he created a new creature, and breathed into him the spark of life. But the triumph of the human mind is doubtful: the creature of the scientist could not find a place in human society and makes a number of crimes. The first victims of its devastating power became those who were especially close to Frankenstein: his brother, best friend, a young wife. So the myth of creation from the very beginning is linked with the motif of destruction. Thus Frankenstein turns to be guilty in own isolation from the human world. The tragedy lies in the mismatch of the infinite possibilities of human with the requirements and rules of the real world and society, which leads to loneliness and despair. Destructive is not the materialization of the scientists ideas, but the idea itself which had no moral principle as a basis. Frankenstein did not deny the role of the mind and was a thinker who, despite the catastrophe, believed in progress and the victory of humanity over the unknowable. After a long and difficult chain of deaths Frankenstein realizes that the duty of man is to feel the connection with the rest of humanity. Through heros reflections author condemns unbridled fanaticism, indomitable state of mind and soul, and emphasizes that this could lead to the inevitable tragic conflict between intellect and ethics of personality: "The perfect man must always remain spirit in calmness, without giving a possibility to fleeting passion or desire to disturb the peace." (Shelley). The fate of the monster created by Frankenstein embodies the whole injustice of the existing world order, which reverses good things into evil. Creation decides to make its creator feel the same what he was feeling - boundless loneliness and restlessness. Creator sees the death of loved ones, realizes that in all these troubles he can blame only himself and he cannot do anything about it. His pain increases with the knowledge that he knows how much he had lost. While that his Creation was not destined to experience all the good that had his creator. Frankensteins Monster from the very first minutes of its "appearance" is very similar to the child: it was sincere and unspoiled. He admires with nature and human, but suffers in his attempt to enter the society. Possibly the reason Victor fails with his creation is that he is not his mother and that he lacks some essential ability to nurture (Duyfhuizen, 483). Sure, he was very proud of his creature, thought he understood, how horrible his creature was. “No mortal could support the horror of that countenance. ... He was ugly then, but when those muscles and joints were rendered capable of motion, it became a thing such as even Dante couldnt have conceived" (Shelley). Firstly people looked at his appearance, and after they didnt care what was inside him. And its appearance hides the creature with vulnerable soul, who was eager to live, to love, to be someones sweet heart. Monster is not alien to compassion, he is ready to help in difficult times, however prefers to remain anonymous. The most difficult thing for the monster begins at the moment when he finds out that people will never accept it. Sure, it was with good soul, but it looked terrible, and according to human standards it was enough for contempt and disgust. But what to expect from the other, if even its Creator turned away from it? Actually, this was the starting point of murderous violence, awakened in the Frankensteins creature. Victor Frankenstein decided to create a human being, a kind of mythical Golem, which was devoid of soul and mind - because of personal vanity, to prove own abilities in science. But its creation had a spiritual world, which was not inferior to his own; it existed and developed independently of its creator. Being which Frankenstein created was committing to the good, but because of the human cruelty it became an instrument of evil. Frankenstein is a dream brought to life and turned to nightmare (Lesser, 18). Mary Shelley significantly changes the content of the medieval legend: monster thinks and feels, and it, unlike Frankenstein, endowed with a deep notion of responsibility - its misdeeds hurt it, perhaps stronger than the victim. Thus, this is the story not about the monster, but about the creature doomed to suffer by its creator. Being consciousness, this creature seeks to satisfy its social needs and the need for respect. But because of his being different, it is judged by its appearance. As a result, pure consciousness learns not only culture, language and social skills, but cruelty, without which human being are unthinkable. Though society makes us to be Homo sapiens, it dehumanizes us as well. It recalls us, that we are constantly making our own monsters (Lesser, 19). The main stylistic feature of this novel is its intertextuality. Quotations and allusions in it are multifunctional: they are used to create the characteristics of the characters, to support the authors ideas and for critics of cited thoughts, and to create a certain atmosphere. Obvious parallels with many real inventions and inventors have led to the fact that the scientific community considers that Victor Frankenstein had some real prototypes. First of all, attracts the attention the novels title - "Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus", which refers to ancient mythology, to which appealed the authors of all times. Both actions and reasoning of the heroes are subjected to a single goal: to show the failure of the person in the act of creation when it tries to become God. The name "The Last Man" contains a reference to the Bible and the Book of Revelation, and indicates that the attempt to become similar to God has failed. Frankenstein, indeed, is similar to the creator of mankind, with the only difference: he was being afraid of his creation and rejected it. In addition, Prometheus was the husband of Pandora, famous with opening a box with the misfortunes of mankind. Frankenstein also almost created a girlfriend to his monster. The author explains the reader that the act of creation (from the creation of works of art to the man) should be done with full responsibility. In other case you should destroy unfinished creature. In addition to ancient mythology, a Jewish legend of the Golem may be the source of the story "Frankenstein". It is about humanoid created out of clay with use of a magic act. According to the legend, the Golem could be killed by any Jew because it did not have a soul, was deprived of speech and sexual desire. M. Shelley did not set the task to create a detailed description of scientific hypotheses, but tried to show what formed the basis of the Frankensteins complex nature. It was a constant confrontation between the revolutionary, Promethean, altruistic beginning and exaggerated ambitions. Works Cited Shelley, Mary. "Frankenstein" Best Classic Books, 2008. http://www.google.com.ua/books?id=vYZ5BQAAQBAJ&lpg=PT14&ots=v-pjsl84xP&dq=Frankenstein%20Mary%20Shelley&lr&hl=uk&pg=PT14#v=onepage&q=Frankenstein%20Mary%20Shelley&f=false Lesser, Wendy. “A Fable for All Times: Mary Shelleys “Frankenstein.” The Threepenny Review No. 49, Spring, 1992: 17-19. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4384075. Duyfhuizen, Bernard. "Periphrastic Naming in Mary Shelleys "Frankenstein." Studies in the Novel Vol. 27, No. 4, winter 1995: 477-492. http://www.jstor.org/stable/29533087. Read More