Frankenstein: Analysis

“Frankenstein or The modern Prometheus” is a novel written by Mary Shelley, and it’s one of the most famous novels of the universal literature. It’s also considered as the first science-fiction novel.

“Frankenstein” “Frankenstein” was written under the influence of the traditional oral tales (with a terror theme), myths, and legends of the culture of that period. It is also known that the original idea of “Frankenstein” was though by Mary Shelley on a visit she made to Lord Byron when he was living in Switzerland. One night they were reading an anthology of German ghosts tales, and later Lord Byron challenges them to write a terror story based on dreams they had that night.

Condensing the stories of inmortal creatures, and the gothic novels that were very popular at the moment when "Frankenstein" was written, Mary Shelley gives special attention to the myth of Prometheus.

Prometheus was a greek Titan who gave the fire to the humankind, when Zeus hid it, while Victor Frankenstein, is a scientist who discovers how to give live to inert matter. But, they are some differences between both characters: Prometheus is punished by Zeus, and Frankenstein is punished by his own creation. Also the character of Prometheus is linked to another myth but this myth is Latin. Prometheus was known as a craftsman, and he made the man from clay and water, again a very relevant theme to Frankenstein as Victor rebels against the laws of nature (how life is naturally made) and creates artificial life.

The name of Frankenstein couls have been derivate of some sources. In German, it means "The stone of franks", and also is the name of a castle that Mary Shelley saw on the trip to go to Byron's home. Also it was the name of a region of Germany (in the actuality, is owned by Poland). But they are no strong evidences of this. The college of Ingolstadt is possibly chosen because it had a very good reputation on medicine, and it could be a good scenario for the experiments of Frankenstein.

Regarding to the creation the creature in the laboratory, it is one of the most important events in the novel. Victor is works so hard to create live, but just before giving the creature birth he doubts about it, because the creature is very ugly and looks terrible. Tht is why when the creature is alife, Victor scapes from it. The monster feels pity, he has been rejected by his creator, like when God expulsed Adam and Eve from the paradise. And because of that the creature becomes angry and evil, and starts to kill the beloved people of Frankenstein, to make him to feel as unhappy as the creature is. Because Frankenstein never gave it love.

So, the final theme is exposed. The fact of if technology and progress is good and inspiring or it should be controlled. In the novel, the consecuences of the creation of the monster are just presented as a total fail, because it was not well prepared. The creature was not taken care of. But looking a it as a mere experiment, it was really a success. Inret matter was given life. We also have to think that the period when "Frankenstein" was written, electricity was recently discovered, and it was a good gate to imagination, reseach and developent.