God and Victor Frankenstein
It just so happened that today I got bored while thinking about education, globalisation and reform. So I looked at things I have always been slightly more interested in, and I came across the essay I quote in full at the bottom of this post. Essentially, the essay says that Dr Victor Frankenstein and his monster in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein resemble two other characters from another famous novel. So I had a closer look.
It turned out that this other famous novel was a certain 'Lost Paradise' (sic) by John Milton, and Dr Frankenstein and his monster are supposed to resemble God and Satan. It is an interesting hypothesis. You should read right on to the bottom to see how the anonymous author ('bigshaggy') proves his point.
I disagree with bigshaggy's point somewhat. It is clear that God and Dr Frankenstein are both creators in their respective tales, the epic poem of mankind's fall and the epic novel of inhuman horror and pity. However, the resemblance ends there, for it is quite clear that Frankenstein is a cautionary tale warning of the consequences that might ensue should man attempt to emulate God.
Frankenstein's monster, like Lucifer, has no hope of redemption. That perdition, as developed in their respective mythic contexts, has more to do with Lucifer's pride and the monster's subhuman status than to any other resemblance (spiritual or metaphysical) between them. Lucifer is a monster because of his pride; the monster is a monster because he isn't human. Lucifer has rejected God; the monster was rejected by his maker.
In Lucifer's revolt against heaven, he suborns a third of the Host to his purposes, turning them away from the face of God. The monster's revolt against Dr Frankenstein has nothing to do with politics or a difference of opinions – it has instead everything to do with the animus of the monster.
The author of this piece says it is quite remarkable that the characters in these two texts should resemble each other (although in the first line he seems to think it is common in any two novels). Actually, in this particular comparison, it is not remarkable at all. Shelley's Frankenstein is subtitled 'The New Prometheus'; it is a response to her husband's epic poem Prometheus Unbound, in itself a response to the traditional Christian story of the revolt in heaven. If you like, Frankenstein is a response to a response to a retelling of the Fall of Mankind.
(It is also quite unremarkable that bigshaggy thinks the characters are similar because he picked two texts with what he thought were very similar characters in them. It is remarkable because they are actually very unalike. And so it goes.)
If anything here has any degree of truth about it, it probably comes from the fact that Dr Frankenstein is likened to Prometheus, and Prometheus has a lot of similarities (and at least one major difference) to Satan. I've compared Prometheus and Satan before; there is indeed some meat there. Maybe the problem is that Shelley's novel has got both a Prometheus-type and a Satan-type running around, but the former is a failed Prometheus and the latter is more like Caliban than Lucifer.
Bigshaggy says in his last line, "...if you look deep enough, you can see similarities between many things you wouldn’t expect." Well, in this case, if you look superficially enough, you will see a resemblance. On closer examination, the resemblance is not really there at all.
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Before you read what follows, I must caution that this post is taken verbatim from an essay farm – that is, a place where they produce essays for students to (ahem) learn from other students who may have written papers on similar (or identical) subjects. I have preserved the exact text for your pleasure. I reproduce it as a service to students of literature who should be learning what NOT to write. Enjoy.
Frankenstein vs. Paradise Lost - How characters are similar
Written by: bigshaggy
Striking similarities between a duo of novels are not unusual. The novel Frankenstein, by Mary Shelly, deals with a scientist named Victor Frankenstein who embodies a creature, who eventually wreaks havoc on his life. The novel Lost Paradise, by John Milton, exposes the cruelty of Christianity or the Christian God within the characters God, Satan, Adam, and Eve. Victor Frankenstein and God have many similarities, as they are both creators of incarnations. Victor’s creature known as the monster shows striking similarities with Satan and Adam. Characters from different novels have similar personalities.
As creators of another creature, God and Victor Frankenstein are very similar, in that they both lose part of their “family,” and they let the war between them and their creations go on too long. Victor says, “ I collected bones from charnel houses; and disturbed, with profane fingers, the tremendous secrets of the human frame.” This shows that he creates the monster out of corpses, just as God creates Satan. Furthermore, Victor is disgusted with his own creation, “the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.” Victor rejects the monster, similar to God’s disgust with Satan’s pride. The monster wreaks havoc on the Victor’s life, “; I called myself the murderer of William, of Justine, and of Clerval,” leaving him with a burden of guilt, just as God loses his angels to Satan, Victor loses his family and friends to the monster. Victor at some point feels even more guilt because he didn’t destroy the monster earlier. If God could so easily order the fallen angels to be pushed out of Heaven, why did he let the war go on for three days? This truly is remarkable, two novels of different time periods, with characters of startling resemblance.
God and Frankenstein’s creations stunningly resemble each other. The monster relates to Satan, Adam, and Eve. Victor quotes, “You may render me the most miserable of men, but you shall never make me base in my own eyes,” this is when the monster asks for a companion, Victor refuses. The monster also shows that he will go to any extent to be happy and complete vengeance when he goes on a murder spree. Adam quotes “ for with thee/ Certain my resolution is to die; /How can I live without thee?” Resembling the monster, hence he wants a companion, Eve. Moreover, the monster is much more like Satan, then he is like Adam. The monster cites, “ I, too, can create desolation; my enemy is not invulnerable,” when he decides to rip Victor of his family and friends. Satan moreover does the alike, when he “takes” God’s angels. In addition, “Everywhere I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded,” the monster is rejected, as his second, excluded on account of his pride and envy of God. This shows that both commit improper acts caused by their own creators. Both, the monster and Satan are rejected by society because of looks and attitude.
Remarkably enough, two novels from way different time period are very much alike in personalities of characters. God and Frankenstein are very much alike by reason of both are creators of “unfit” beings. The monster and Satan similar on the account of both being rejected creations. This shows society that if you look deep enough, you can see similarities between many things you wouldn’t expect.
It turned out that this other famous novel was a certain 'Lost Paradise' (sic) by John Milton, and Dr Frankenstein and his monster are supposed to resemble God and Satan. It is an interesting hypothesis. You should read right on to the bottom to see how the anonymous author ('bigshaggy') proves his point.
I disagree with bigshaggy's point somewhat. It is clear that God and Dr Frankenstein are both creators in their respective tales, the epic poem of mankind's fall and the epic novel of inhuman horror and pity. However, the resemblance ends there, for it is quite clear that Frankenstein is a cautionary tale warning of the consequences that might ensue should man attempt to emulate God.
Frankenstein's monster, like Lucifer, has no hope of redemption. That perdition, as developed in their respective mythic contexts, has more to do with Lucifer's pride and the monster's subhuman status than to any other resemblance (spiritual or metaphysical) between them. Lucifer is a monster because of his pride; the monster is a monster because he isn't human. Lucifer has rejected God; the monster was rejected by his maker.
In Lucifer's revolt against heaven, he suborns a third of the Host to his purposes, turning them away from the face of God. The monster's revolt against Dr Frankenstein has nothing to do with politics or a difference of opinions – it has instead everything to do with the animus of the monster.
The author of this piece says it is quite remarkable that the characters in these two texts should resemble each other (although in the first line he seems to think it is common in any two novels). Actually, in this particular comparison, it is not remarkable at all. Shelley's Frankenstein is subtitled 'The New Prometheus'; it is a response to her husband's epic poem Prometheus Unbound, in itself a response to the traditional Christian story of the revolt in heaven. If you like, Frankenstein is a response to a response to a retelling of the Fall of Mankind.
(It is also quite unremarkable that bigshaggy thinks the characters are similar because he picked two texts with what he thought were very similar characters in them. It is remarkable because they are actually very unalike. And so it goes.)
If anything here has any degree of truth about it, it probably comes from the fact that Dr Frankenstein is likened to Prometheus, and Prometheus has a lot of similarities (and at least one major difference) to Satan. I've compared Prometheus and Satan before; there is indeed some meat there. Maybe the problem is that Shelley's novel has got both a Prometheus-type and a Satan-type running around, but the former is a failed Prometheus and the latter is more like Caliban than Lucifer.
Bigshaggy says in his last line, "...if you look deep enough, you can see similarities between many things you wouldn’t expect." Well, in this case, if you look superficially enough, you will see a resemblance. On closer examination, the resemblance is not really there at all.
=====
Before you read what follows, I must caution that this post is taken verbatim from an essay farm – that is, a place where they produce essays for students to (ahem) learn from other students who may have written papers on similar (or identical) subjects. I have preserved the exact text for your pleasure. I reproduce it as a service to students of literature who should be learning what NOT to write. Enjoy.
Frankenstein vs. Paradise Lost - How characters are similar
Written by: bigshaggy
Striking similarities between a duo of novels are not unusual. The novel Frankenstein, by Mary Shelly, deals with a scientist named Victor Frankenstein who embodies a creature, who eventually wreaks havoc on his life. The novel Lost Paradise, by John Milton, exposes the cruelty of Christianity or the Christian God within the characters God, Satan, Adam, and Eve. Victor Frankenstein and God have many similarities, as they are both creators of incarnations. Victor’s creature known as the monster shows striking similarities with Satan and Adam. Characters from different novels have similar personalities.
As creators of another creature, God and Victor Frankenstein are very similar, in that they both lose part of their “family,” and they let the war between them and their creations go on too long. Victor says, “ I collected bones from charnel houses; and disturbed, with profane fingers, the tremendous secrets of the human frame.” This shows that he creates the monster out of corpses, just as God creates Satan. Furthermore, Victor is disgusted with his own creation, “the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.” Victor rejects the monster, similar to God’s disgust with Satan’s pride. The monster wreaks havoc on the Victor’s life, “; I called myself the murderer of William, of Justine, and of Clerval,” leaving him with a burden of guilt, just as God loses his angels to Satan, Victor loses his family and friends to the monster. Victor at some point feels even more guilt because he didn’t destroy the monster earlier. If God could so easily order the fallen angels to be pushed out of Heaven, why did he let the war go on for three days? This truly is remarkable, two novels of different time periods, with characters of startling resemblance.
God and Frankenstein’s creations stunningly resemble each other. The monster relates to Satan, Adam, and Eve. Victor quotes, “You may render me the most miserable of men, but you shall never make me base in my own eyes,” this is when the monster asks for a companion, Victor refuses. The monster also shows that he will go to any extent to be happy and complete vengeance when he goes on a murder spree. Adam quotes “ for with thee/ Certain my resolution is to die; /How can I live without thee?” Resembling the monster, hence he wants a companion, Eve. Moreover, the monster is much more like Satan, then he is like Adam. The monster cites, “ I, too, can create desolation; my enemy is not invulnerable,” when he decides to rip Victor of his family and friends. Satan moreover does the alike, when he “takes” God’s angels. In addition, “Everywhere I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded,” the monster is rejected, as his second, excluded on account of his pride and envy of God. This shows that both commit improper acts caused by their own creators. Both, the monster and Satan are rejected by society because of looks and attitude.
Remarkably enough, two novels from way different time period are very much alike in personalities of characters. God and Frankenstein are very much alike by reason of both are creators of “unfit” beings. The monster and Satan similar on the account of both being rejected creations. This shows society that if you look deep enough, you can see similarities between many things you wouldn’t expect.
etched with acid at 3:44:00 pm
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