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In the 21 st Century, we can view Mary Shelly's Frankenstein as a modern myth. The term 'modern 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 2002) ', and the other interpretation being 'How is Frankenstein viewed by people in the 21 st 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 'modern myth' is 'An unsure legend that relates to recent times', Mary Shelly's Frankenstein IS a modern myth, as it explores various scientific developments, that in the 17 th Century were thought of as ludicrous, but today, in the 21 st 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's 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 states, "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 creation of a monster like this back in the 17 th century via 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 'modern myth', which is an unsure legend that relates to the times of today.
The reality is, that today, in the 21 st century, the creation of a being via 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 effectively brings together two contradicting 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 Mary Shelly's novel, Victor Frankenstein tries to be the modern Prometheus. Prometheus, in ancient Greek mythology stole fire from the Gods to give to humankind, and subsequently was punished by Zeus. Victor Frankenstein, on the other hand stole the secret to the creation of life from God, used this secret to create life of his own, and subsequently was punished by his creation. In Mary Shelly's novel, Victor Frankenstein tries to be the modern Prometheus. Prometheus, in ancient Greek mythology stole fire from the Gods to give to humankind, and subsequently 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 subsequently 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 however, 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 this development, and therefore decided to go back on his word, and not create the second being. He stated, "Be gone! I do break my promise; never will I create another like yourself, equal in deformity and wickedness" (pg 162). 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 novel Frankenstein uses these myths to relate to, we create a more mythological perspective around the book. We can see how the novel relates to these myths, and because we are unsure if these myths are real.
We are manipulated into believing that this novel portrays a more modern mythological setting compared to the Prometheus, and Judea mythologies. In todays modern society, there have been many, vast advancements in scientific technology. Today the creation of a being via 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, and we have seen cloned sheep, and dogs, plus many more animals. The cloning aspect has yet to be perfected on a human embryo, but the realization is there, people are now coming to believe that the creation of something human via un-natural means is not as far-fetched as it was originally thought.
In the technological age of today, it seems like anything can...
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Research essay sample on 21 St Century Victor Frankenstein
