Essay about Frankenstein Allusions - 1689 Words

In the gothic novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley weaves an intricate web of allusions through her characters’ expedient desires for knowledge. Both the actions of Frankenstein, as well as his monster allude to John Milton’s Paradise Lost. Book eight of Milton’s story relates the tale of Satan’s temptation and Eve’s fateful hunger for knowledge. The infamous Fall of Adam and Eve introduced the knowledge of good and evil into a previously pristine world. With one swift motion sin was birthed, and the perfection of the earth was swept away, leaving pain and malevolence in its wake. The troubles of Victor Frankenstein begin with his quest for knowledge, and end where all end: death. The characters in Frankenstein are a conglomeration of those†¦show more content†¦As he begins to understand his misplacement in the world he exclaims, â€Å"Was I, then, a monster, a blot upon the earth, from which all men fled and whom all men disowned? [†¦] I tried to dispel [these reflections], but sorrow only increased with knowledge† (123). Just as the attainment of knowledge led to a loss of innocence in Frankenstein, the monster’s naivety was lost as well. Both characters can be likened to Eve and â€Å"The Fall† which occurred as she ate the forbidden fruit. After the monster attains knowledge, he symbolizes the death of innocence with the murder of William, blameless himself. Immediately following the loss of innocence and the gain of knowledge in the soul of the monster, he becomes analogous to Satan, God’s enemy, in Paradise Lost. â€Å"I gazed upon my victim, and my heart swelled with exultation and hellish triumph† (144), he states as William lies dead at his feet. The monster even recognizes that he is like Satan. He says, â€Å"I ought to be they Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel [Satan], whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed† (103). Just as the monster parallels Frankenst ein in his quest for knowledge, he also does so in his being as Satan. He is the personification of the devil that is inside all in the form of sin. The monster and the devil share an experience in which it is obvious that one parallels the other. In igMalice, and with rapine sweet bereav’d His fierceness of the fierce intent it brought: That space theShow MoreRelatedFrankenstein: Allusions1112 Words   |  5 PagesDavid Pham Professor Robert Guffey English 100 13 November 2012 Frankenstein: Into the Depths of Allusions An allusion is a figure of speech that is a reference to a well-known person, place, event, or literary work. These allusions are typically used by an author who intends to make a powerful point without the need to explain it. Mary Shelley s Frankenstein provides many examples of allusion s. She connects the story of â€Å"Prometheus†, Coleridge s Rime of the Ancient Mariner, and Milton sRead MoreAllusions Of John Milton s Frankenstein 1847 Words   |  8 PagesBrandon McCormick Ms. Headley English 2013 8 December 2014 Allusions to Paradise Lost in Frankenstein In the nineteenth century gothic novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley uses numerous allusions within her novel that can easily be interpreted by the reader. These allusions make it easier for readers to understand the characters and compare their circumstances throughout the story. The most significant and most used was from John Milton’s epic Paradise Lost. It is known that, â€Å"†¦Paradise Lost stands aloneRead MoreAllusions Vs. Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 1520 Words   |  7 PagesAllusions to Paradise Lost in Frankenstein In the classic gothic novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley creates numerous allusions, or references to another work, to John Milton’s epic, Paradise Lost. 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TwoRead MoreThe Themes Of Allusions In Mary Shelleys Frankenstein1096 Words   |  5 Pagesconversation is chiefly remarkable for the summariness of its allusions and the rapidity of its transitions. Before one of them is half through a sentence the other knows his meaning and replies. ... His mental lungs breathe more deeply, in an atmosphere more broad and vast†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mary Shelley was a young and brilliant author and woman, who if allusionist was a career path, she’d be a trailblazer. Although she has an almost impeccable hand at allusions, why does she use them? Was it because of her youth in lifeRead MoreAnalysis Of And Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 1682 Words   |  7 Pageskey concepts present in the text by alluding to works of other famous authors, well known biblical passages, and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. 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In the firstRead MoreFrankenstein essay 2 672 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿ Frankensteins Monster and Miltons Satan An Essay on Paradise Lost and Frankenstein By Chris Davidson Almost all great works of literature contain allusions to other great works of literature that enhance the meaning of the work. Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein is an excellent example of a major literary work that contains a sustained allusion to another major work. Frankenstein contains many references to Milton’s Paradise Lost, and the two stories are parallel in many aspects. In Shelly’sRead MoreMary Shelley ´s Frankenstein; Or, the Modern Prometheus, an Analysis of the Subtitle1219 Words   |  5 Pages(Shelley 37). Ab initio Victor Frankenstein, the main protagonist, is being put on a level with Prometheus through the subtitle. An indication that Mary Shelley did indeed have the myth in mind as she wrote the novel, is not only her subtitle, but moreover the parallels between the Prometheus myth and Frankenstein, which are undeniable. The title itself gives a lot away of the story which follows. It links the modern world with the ancient Greek myth. Victor Frankenstein â€Å"steals† the secret of lifeRead MoreFrankenstein/ Blade Runner Essay989 Words   |  4 Pages‘Our interest in the parallels between ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘Blade Runner’ is further enhanced by the consideration of their marked differences in textual form.’ Evaluate this statement in light of your comparative study of ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘Blade Runner’ Textual form is an issue which divide many critiques and audiences. Some view texts as a form being superior and more expressive, whereas others may view film as to be losing its credibility of expression. Never the less it is adamant that through