_Frankenstein_ and _Paradise Lost

Parallels between Frankenstein and Paradise Lost

God

Satan

Adam

Eve/Sin

Milton

Mary Shelley

Creator/Author

creator of monsters/ rebel against patriarchy?

?

a female other/ a motherless orphan (Introduction)

creator of an innovative epic tale?

Walton

author/ desire to be a poet (8)

a rebel against authority/ satanically ambitious?

?

chooses personal glory over the safety of others; desire for knowledge (about the North)

author of an innovative epic tale?

Victor

Creator of a race of beings (32); also, author (he edits Walton's text, p. 146)

tormented over-reacher/ carries a hell within himself (57, 141)

innocent child until eats of the tree (see p. 131); knowledge brings sorrow

gives birth, usurps the role of women

justifies the ways of Victor to man (example: 132-33)

Monster

Victor's master (116)

spurned by creator (66, 87-88, 154-55, etc.); chooses evil (153-54); bears a hell within (92). In this case, the creation does manage to defeat his God (Victor), a sort of wish-fulfillment, given the Romantic re-reading of Paradise Lost.

primordial innocent (88); Victor's Adam (66, 88); from knowledge comes grief (81, 88)

breeds death; he is a marginalized "other"; is compared to Eve (76); woman is a monster according to the Prometheus myth; the monster resembles Sin (both beautiful and ugly, a result of Victor's pride).

justifies the ways of the monster to Walton (154-55).

BACK TO COURSE SYLLABUS

	God	Satan	Adam	Eve/Sin	Milton
Mary Shelley	Creator/Author	creator of monsters/ rebel against patriarchy?	?	a female other/ a motherless orphan (Introduction)	creator of an innovative epic tale?
Walton	author/ desire to be a poet (8)	a rebel against authority/ satanically ambitious?	?	chooses personal glory over the safety of others; desire for knowledge (about the North)	author of an innovative epic tale?
Victor	Creator of a race of beings (32); also, author (he edits Walton's text, p. 146)	tormented over-reacher/ carries a hell within himself (57, 141)	innocent child until eats of the tree (see p. 131); knowledge brings sorrow	gives birth, usurps the role of women	justifies the ways of Victor to man (example: 132-33)
Monster	Victor's master (116)	spurned by creator (66, 87-88, 154-55, etc.); chooses evil (153-54); bears a hell within (92). In this case, the creation does manage to defeat his God (Victor), a sort of wish-fulfillment, given the Romantic re-reading of Paradise Lost.	primordial innocent (88); Victor's Adam (66, 88); from knowledge comes grief (81, 88)	breeds death; he is a marginalized "other"; is compared to Eve (76); woman is a monster according to the Prometheus myth; the monster resembles Sin (both beautiful and ugly, a result of Victor's pride).	justifies the ways of the monster to Walton (154-55).