This document provides an introduction to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and discusses its connections to ancient myths. It begins with biographical details about Mary Shelley and an overview of how she came to write Frankenstein. It then discusses the myths of Prometheus and Narcissus from Greek mythology and how they relate symbolically to themes in Frankenstein. Specifically, it notes how Victor Frankenstein takes on aspects of the rebellious Prometheus figure who is punished for his overreaching pursuit of knowledge. It also suggests Victor exhibits narcissistic traits similar to the mythological figure of Narcissus. The document aims to analyze Frankenstein through a mythological lens.

1. DepartmentofEnglish,
M.K.BhavnagarUniversity
Name:- MansiUpadhyay
RollNo:- 18
EmailId:- mansiupadhyay06@gmail.com
Department:-M.A.Englishdepartment
Submittedto:- Dr. Prof.Dilip Barad
(Headof EnglishDept. M.K.BhavanagarUniversity)
Semester:- 2
PaperNo:- 5 (The RomanticLiterature)

2. AssignmentTopic :- FrankensteinWith Mythological
Approach.
Introduction of Author Mary Shelley’s
Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein: or, The Modern
Prometheus (1818), was the daughter of the radical philosopher
William Godwin, who described her as ‘singularly bold, somewhat
imperious, and active of mind’. Her mother, who died days after her
birth, was the famous defender of women’s rights, Mary
Wollstonecraft. Mary grew up with five semi-related siblings in
Godwin’s unconventional but intellectually electric household.
At the age of 16, Mary eloped to Italy with the
poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, who praised ‘the irresistible wildness &

3. sublimity of her feelings’. Each encouraged the other’s writing, and
they married in 1816 after the suicide of Shelley’s wife. They had
several children, of whom only one survived.
A ghost-writing contest on a stormy June night in
1816 inspired Frankenstein, often called the first true work of
science-fiction. Superficially a Gothic novel, and influenced by the
experiments of Luigi Galvani, it was concerned with the destructive
nature of power when allied to wealth. It was an instant wonder,
and spawned a mythology all its own that endures to this day.
After Percy Shelley’s death in 1822, she returned to
London and pursued a very successful writing career as a novelist,
biographer and travel writer. She also edited and promoted her
husband’s poems and other writings.
Mary Shelley's most famous novel, Frankenstein: or the
Modern Prometheus, was released anonymously when she was only
21 years old. Only from its second edition, five years later, was her
name to appear as the author. It was initially thought that the author
was her husband Percy, as the book was dedicated to William
Godwin, his political hero. The work came out of a competition
proposed by Lord Byron in the summer of 1816 so as who could
write the best horror story. The central idea came to Shelly in a
dream where she saw a student putting together parts of a man's
body and working through a big engine to animate it. She first wrote
a short story but Percy encouraged her to expand it into a novel. The
novel had at the center of its plot a failed attempt at artificial life, by
the scientist Frankenstein, which produced a monster. The work is
considered to be a mixture of science fiction, gothic novel, and
having elements from the Romantic Movement.
Let’s clear the definition of myth and mythology before
elaborating the mythological approach in Frankenstein in detail.

4. Myth is the word, which came to existence in the mid
19th century. Because earlier it was known as Mythos. It is a Greek
word. Myth means story or word.
Myth critics concerned to find out those mysterious
elements that inform certain literary works and that elicit, with
almost uncanny force, dramatic & universal human reactions. Study
of myth reveals about the mind and character of people. Myths are
symbolic projections of people’s hopes, values, fears and aspirations.
There are many misconceptions about myth in reality myth reflects
more profound reality.
Traditional story of ostensibly historical events that
serves to unfold part of the worldview of a people or explain a
practice, belief, or natural phenomenon. Myths relate the events,
conditions, and deeds of gods or superhuman beings that are
outside ordinary human life and yet basic to it. These events are set
in a time altogether different from historical time, often at the
beginning of creation or at an early stage of prehistory. A culture's
myths are usually closely related to its religious beliefs and rituals.
The modern study of myth arose with early 19th-century.
Mythological approach:

5. Myth critic concerned to seek out those mysterious
elements that inform certain literary works and that elicit, with
almost uncanny force, dramatic and universal human reactions.
Archetypal patterns and the tensed structural wires
of the masterpiece and that vibrate in such a way that a sympathetic
resonance is set off deep within the reader.
Study of myths reveals about the mind and character
of people. myths are symbolic projections of people’s hopes, values,
fears, and aspirations. misconceptions about myths. In reality myths
reflect more profound reality.
William Blake: the politics of vision: “myth is
fundamental, the dramatic representation of our deepest instinctual
life, or primary awareness of man in the universe, capable of many
configuration, upon which all particular opinions and attitudes
depend”.
Alan w. watts, “myth is to be defined as a complex of
stories-some no doubt fact, and some fantasy- which, for various
reasons, human being regards as demonstrations of the inner
meaning of the universe and of human life”. Theory of shadow,
anima and persona social mark of a god-fearing, prayerful, self-

6. righteous spiritual immaturity clash between ego and the external
world anima(if it can be considered as inner world) fails. Anima is
usually projected on mother. Victor’s anima is presented through
Elizabeth. Separation, loss of harmony and no peace of mind. Faith-
unfaithful faith and unholy quest. Instead of admitting to his error
and working maturely for a reconciliation victor continues with
mistakes. Failure of personality integration or of individuation
unable to confront his own psyche or assimilate his own
consciousness. The world becomes a shadow or a gloom. Selfish and
immature ego and the monster is the result of this devilish mind.
Myth of Prometheus
In Ancient Greek mythology, Prometheus was said to
be the wisest of all the Titans. In the form of fire Prometheus is
credited with bringing mankind knowledge and enlightenment. He
stole fire from the Gods of Mount Olympus. For acting against the
decree of the Gods, who wanted to keep the power of fire to
themselves, Prometheus was harshly punished. He was chained to a
rock to have his liver eaten out every day by an eagle. Every night
his liver would grow back. This was to be his punishment for all of
eternity.
The full title of Mary Shelley's novel is Frankenstein; or
the Modern Prometheus. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that Mary
Shelley was influenced by this tale. Her husband Percy Shelley even
began composing his own tale of Prometheus in the form of a poem
entitled, Prometheus Unbound. He began composing this work right
around the same time that Mary was publishing Frankenstein.

7. Aside from the title, Shelley borrows from the tale of
Prometheus a sense of consequence resulting from seeking
enlightenment and power. Victor is her modern incarnation of
Prometheus. He as Prometheus was, is fascinated by the power of
electricity (lightning). We can recall from the narrative the moment
when he becomes captivated by its fantastical power.
It is from this power, that he has equipped himself
with, that the inner torture he will suffer from the use of it stems.
Immediately following the creation if the creature, Victor is ill with
disgust for what he has done. His torture mirrors that of
Prometheus'; undying and eternal. From the beginning of the novel,
when Victor warns Walton of the consequences of his quest, to the
conclusion when Victor again reiterates the misfortunes he has
suffered as a result of his curiosity, Mary Shelley mimics the
Prometheus tale. Perhaps, this is why she saw it as a fitting subtitle.
Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein as a modern day
version of the legend of Prometheus. Prometheus created men out of
clay and taught them the "arts of civilisation" (Webster's World
Encyclopedia CD-ROM 1999). Zeus, the chief god of the Titans,

8. wanted to destroy Prometheus' creation but Prometheus stole fire
from heaven to help mankind. Zeus punished Prometheus by
chaining him to a rock where an eagle would feed on his liver during
the day and each night the liver would grow back. Prometheus was
able to bargain for his release because he knew a secret which
concerned Zeus' future. Heracles shot the eagle and so Prometheus
gained release. Victor Frankenstein is Shelley's modern Prometheus
in that he, too, created man. The themes that relate to the myth of
Prometheus in the novel are Frankenstein's torment, the monster's
education, and the absolute determination of the individual spirit
and how this determination can rival that of God. Shelley uses these
themes to show that the human spirit is capable of many things - of
noble pursuits that rival God himself, but also of the darkest of
actions that draw comparisons with the acts of Satan.
Victor Frankenstein is in the first part of the book
described as a very noble person, with human curiosities while not
common to most people are nevertheless normal. Our sympathy is
entirely with him. His desire for knowledge and his eagerness to
achieve high goals and to bring the human race further in its effort
to erase the pains and sufferings of mortality only make him seem
more admirable. He seems to devote his whole life to the benefit of
humanity.
Prometheus was also a myth told in Latin but was a
very different story. In this version Prometheus makes man from
clay and water, again a very relevant theme to Frankenstein, as
Victor rebels against the laws of nature (how life is naturally made)
and as a result is punished by his creation. Prometheus, a Greek
Titan who sculpted man from clay and then stole the light of fire
from the gods to give to man, these acts can be attributed to the
enabling of civilization and the gift of knowledge man acquired from
him. Zeus punished Prometheus; bound to stone while an eagle each
day would eat away Prometheus's liver. Suffering this agonizing

9. torment Prometheus would face his punishment for eternity.
“Prometheus became a figure who represented human striving,
particularly the quest for scientific knowledge, and the risk of
overreaching or unintended consequences. In particular, he was
regarded in the Romantic era as embodying the lone genius whose
efforts to improve human existence could also result in tragedy.
Myth of Narcissus
The myth of Narcissus in which the legend is
there. A tale told by Roman poet Ovid.Eacho, a young girl who
falls in love with Narcissus. In Greek mythology, the myth of
Narcissus can be noticed. It tells that Narcissus was a hunter
from the territory of Thespiae in Boeotia who was renowned
for his beauty. He was the son of a river god
named Cephisus and a nymph named Lyriope. He was
exceptionally proud of what he did to those who loved
him. Nemesis noticed and attracted Narcissus to a pool,
wherein he saw his reflection and fell in love with it, not
realizing it was merely an image. Unable to leave the beauty of
his reflection, Narcissus died. Narcissus is the origin of the
term narcissism, after this story this term came into existence.
The myth of Narcissus is one of the most
known Greek Myths, due to its uniqueness and moral tale;
Narcissus, was the son of River God Cephisus and nymph
Lyriope. He was known for his beauty and he was loved by God
Apollo due to his extraordinary physique. The myth of
Narcissus comes in two different versions, the Greek and the
Greco-Roman version, as both Conon the Greek and Ovid, the
Roman poet, wrote the story of Narcissus, enhancing it with
different elements.

10. According to Conon, Aminias, a young man fell in
love with Narcissus, who had already spurned his male suitors.
Aminias was also spurned by Narcissus who gave the unfortunate
young man a sword. Aminias killed himself at Narcissus’ doorstep
praying to the Gods to give Narcissus a lesson for all the pain he had
provoked. Narcissus was once walking by a lake or river and
decided to drink some water; he saw his reflection in the water and
was surprised by the beauty he saw; he became entranced by the
reflection of himself. He could not obtain the object of his desire
though, and he died at the banks of the river or lake from his sorrow.
According to the myth Narcissus is still admiring himself in the
Underworld, looking at the waters of the Styx.
The myth presented by Ovid the poet is slightly
altered. According to this myth, Narcissus’ parents were worried
because of the extraordinary beauty of the child and asked prophet
Teiresias what to do, regarding their son’s future.Teiresias tell them
that the boy would grow old only if “he didn’t get to know himself”.
When Narcissus was sixteen he was walking in the woods and
Nymph Echo saw him and felt madly in love with him. She started

11. following him and Narcissus asked “who’s there”, feeling someone
after him. Echo responded “who’s there” and that went on for some
time until Echo decided to show herself. She tried to embrace the
boy who stepped away from Echo, telling her to leave him alone.
Echo was left heartbroken and spent the rest of her life in glens;
until nothing but an echo sound remained of her. Nemesis, though,
the Goddess of Revenge, heard the story and decided to punish
Narcissus. From this point the stories are similar; Narcissus sees
himself in the pond and he is amazed by the beauty of the reflection.
Once he figured out that his love could not be addressed, he killed
himself.
Mary Shelley has given another title to this novel is
"Modern Prometheus", but she could also have referred to it as the
Modern Narcissus. Victor presents, in fact, all the important
characteristics of the narcissistic personality disorder as defined in
the myth of Narcissus. Who has having sense of self-importance,
preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success; exhibitionism;
cool indifference or feelings, and interpersonal disturbances,
including exploitativeness, alternation between over idealization
and devaluation, and lack of empathy. Moreover, Victor
demonstrates the paradoxical nature of narcissism, where self-love
exists with self-hate, and fragile self-esteem results in a sense of
entitlement, the expectation of receiving special favors from others
without assuming reciprocal responsibilities. In addition to, we may
say that Victor pursues fantasies of unlimited power and glory with
monomaniacal intensity. He experiences the profound depression
often accompanying a narcissistic disorder, dejection, loss of
interest in the external world, inability to love, and a lowering self-
esteem, culminating in an expectation of punishment. It is as if he
has internalized a poisonous object, the Creature, who is now
consuming his heart.

12. Thank you