In the 21st Century, we can view Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein as a modern myth. The term œmodern myth however, when relating to the novel, can be interpreted in two different ways. The first way being how might Frankenstein be viewed as a myth in modern times (being 2008), and the other interpretation being How is Frankenstein viewed by people in the 21st Century, as a modern myth to people existing at the time of Mary Shelly. This essay will explore the first option after coming to the conclusion that the definition of a œmodern myth is an unsure legend that relates to recent times, Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein is a modern myth, as it explores various scientific developments, which in the 17th Century were thought of as ludicrous, but today, in the 21st Century, is more believable. The reality of Mary Shelly’s story is in-fact more realistic today, making it a myth in the sense of unsure if it could really happen.
Victor Frankenstein dream was to “explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation” (pg 47).
He wanted to create a being “of a gigantic stature… About eight feet in height, and proportionally large” (pg 52), a being that would be put together with collected body parts from the local graveyard. Frankenstein says, “That I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet.” (pg 56)The beauty of this dream however, vanished, and “Breathless horror and disgust filled his heart” (pg 56) when this being was actually came to life.
The Essay on Celebration to Individualism in Mary Shelly’s “Frankenstein”
What comes to mind when the idea of “Romantic Literature” enters your head? Immediate imageries consisting of two lovers, a rose, or even a starlit sky may come to mind. In Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, she disproved these imageries by creating her own scenario with grotesque images and lonely characters. Many have overlooked this novel as a romantic literature but it is actually ...
The creation of a monster like this back in the 17th century by such un-natural means would not have so much been a myth, but rather an entertaining, gothic, fictional, totally un-true, and impossible story. It would not have been classified as a myth back then, because a myth is defined as an unsure legend. And this story was not unsure in those times, it was just very un-realistic to even believe that it could actually happen, therefore making it sure that it could not happen. However, this story could in-fact be defined as a œmodern myth, which is an unsure legend that relates to the times of today. The reality is, that today, in the 21st century, the creation of a being by un-natural means is actually very close to happening. These days, we tend to think twice when hearing a story like Frankenstein, because we are unsure as to whether it could actually happen one day.
Victor Frankenstein, in this novel, is playing God with human life, it is as if he wants to become God, and he wants his creation to “bless him as a creator”. He believes he deserves complete gratitude from his child more than any other father deserves from their child. However the monster states, “you are my creator, but I am your master, obey! (pg 162).
In this novel, Mary Shelly successfully brings together two opposing mythologies that are unsure to us today, one being the Prometheus mythology, and the other being the Judea mythology, which is in-fact the Adam and Eve story.
In the novel, Victor Frankenstein tries to be the modern Prometheus. Prometheus, in ancient Greek mythology stole fire from the Gods to give to humankind, and later got punished by Zeus. Victor Frankenstein, on the other hand stole the secret to the creation of life from God, and used this secret to create life of his own, and consequently was punished by his creation.
The Judea myth however, is a story about God creating Adam, then because Adam was lonely, he constructed a female out of one of his ribs; this construction was in-fact a woman name Eve. Eve on the other hand, took the forbidden fruit, and developed sin over the universe. God then banished both of them from the Garden of Eden. This relates to Frankenstein in the way that the monster wanted Victor to create a partner for him so that he was not so lonely. Frankenstein agreed to make the second monster, but soon remembered the story of Adam and Eve, and remembered the fact that it was because of God’s second creation that sin was developed over the world. Frankenstein, comparing himself to God, did not want anything bad to happen out of his creation, and therefore decided to go back on his word, and not create the second monster. He stated, “Be gone! I do break my promise; never will I create another like yourself, equal in deformity and wickedness” (pg 162).
The Essay on Frankenstein as God
Some students and literary critics may argue that Victor does not “play God” in Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein. I disagree with this assumption. Mary Shelley makes us consider if something can be done does that mean that it should be done. Victor Frankenstein puts together human and animal pieces to make a single corpse. Although he does not specify how he then instills the corpse with life. ...
He feared that they may have children, and a race of devils would be propagated upon the earth, who might make the very existence of the species of man a condition precarious and full of terror. (pg 160) The fact that the book Frankenstein uses these myths to relate to, we create a more fairy-tale viewpoint about the book. We can see how the novel relates to these myths, and because we are uncertain if these myths are real. We are manipulated into believing that this novel portrays a more modern fairy-tale setting compared to the Prometheus, and Judea mythologies.
In today modern society, there have been many, enormous advancements in scientific technology. Today the creation of a being by un-natural means is fairly believable. Because there has been a lot of research in the area of genetic technology, stem cell research, and cloning. The tests of this research have been successfully created on animals; we have seen cloned sheep, and dogs, plus many more animals. The cloning process has yet to be perfected on a human embryo, but the awareness is there, people are now believing that the creation of something human by un-natural means is not as far-fetched as it was originally thought. In the technological age of today, it seems like anything can happen, this is why, when we read the novel Frankenstein, it is more of a modern myth, than an unrealistic story. It is a modern myth because in the time of today, we will question the possibility of such an event, rather than rule it out completely, because we are unsure whether it could actually happen or not.
The Essay on The Myth of Hades: Relevance Today
Today Greek mythology tells the story of a dark underworld called Hades, named after its formidable ruler, Hades, the god of death and the dead (Atsma, 2008). According to the surrounding mythology, souls entering Hades had to cross each of five subterranean rivers which flowed through the underworld before facing judgment and being sent to their final resting place. Although the myth of Hades is ...
However, in the time of Mary Shelly, back in the 17th Century, the possibility of a human being made in an un-natural way was completely unrealistic. The story was just there for entertainment. This novel would not have even been considered a myth due to the fact that it was so completely outrageous. This tale would have been considered; “utterly improbable” (pg 74) anything even like this story would have been considered as “the ravings of a madman” (pg 79).
This story is a myth in modern times, rather than a myth in the 17th century, due to the realism of it coming true. A myth can only really be deemed as a myth if people question whether it could really happen. Today, people question the thought of a person being created in this way, but in the 17th century, people would not have even thought of it coming true.
Victor begins collecting body parts from a local graveyard so that he can create his creature. This aspect of the novel can be thought of as a myth in today society, because it is not completely unrealistic for it to actually happen, we may know in the back of our minds, that this probably isn™t true, although, we don™t completely deny this happening. Because yes, there are many graveyards, and some sick-minded people may take a shovel down there one day and actually do it. It is something that we think could happen, if someone was serious in doing so. It is not something that is completely impossible, therefore making it a myth. If it were something that were impossible to do, then it would not be considered a myth, it would be considered more of a shocking story that would never actually happen. The fact that the concept of this novel could actually happen in the times of today, could make it a modern myth.
In Frankenstein, the monster is being created by dead human organs, and body parts. In the time of Mary Shelly this would have been thought of as crazy. The thought of dead human organs being transplanted onto another œthing and continuously working, would not be something people in the 17th Century would believe could actually happen. However in the modern 21st century, a transplant is a regular practice that allows humans a chance for a better life. One aspect of the modern transplant parallels well with Frankenstein.
The Essay on Past and Modern Time Heroes
The Minotaur was a fearful men-eating creature with a bulls head and a man’s body. To keep the Minotaur fed, Minos ordered the Athenians to send over 7 young men and 7 young women each year. Theseus though that it was unfair, so he took the place of one of the one young men to go confront the Minotaur and try to kill the beast. Theseus had the help of Aridne, one of the king’s daughters. He ...
In the modern world, when reading Frankenstein, we come to think that creating life in the way that Victor did could actually happen one day. Technology has already showed us that it is possible to transplant some organs to create a better life; it also makes us question how far technology can take us. That is another way the story of Frankenstein reveals aspects of the modern myth. It is another unsure aspect of the novel, which relates to recent times, but in the 17th Century it would have only been looked at as a scary part of the novel that is there for our reading pleasure.
The monster was rejected even at the time of its creation. His creator, “unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, rushed out of the room.” (pg 56) As the monsters mind developed, he was continually rejected by all humans, and he changed from being a compassionate character to a monster. This idea would be accepted by people in modern times, because modern psychology believes that children who are badly treated may develop into an adult with criminal intentions. Therefore, this part of the monsters development could be understood as a possibility in modern times.
In conclusion, Mary Shelly Frankenstein can be viewed, as a modern myth to people in the 21st century. It captures many elements of technology that we today are only just experiencing, and becoming familiar with. Many of the aspects of the novel are yet to actually happen, but with all the modern technology presented to us, we cannot completely rule out the possibility. For example, the creation of a being by un-natural means, or the concept of a human transplant. These viewpoints make this novel an unsure legend that relates to the times of today. Unsure referring to more to the fact that we question whether or not it could actually happen. This novel was very ahead of it time when it was written in the 17th century. And back then would not have been seen as a myth, but rather an entertaining novel that had no realism. This technological aspect, along with the relation it has to other mythical stories including Prometheus, and the Judea myth, shows a very entertaining novel that we could today refer to as a modern myth.
The Essay on Medea By Euripides Women Time Myths
MEDEA Euripides was intrigued by the old Greek myths that surrounded him. Some writers 1 feel that he represented a critical, sceptical mind at work on these myths, being more interested in individual psychology and removed from the ritual origins of drama. Considered to be third in time of the three great tragic poets of Greek theatre, his reputation grew even after his death in 406 B. C. His ...