Frankenstein's Monster: The Influences That Shaped a Literary Icon

Prometheus

There’s a reason Mary Shelley subtitled her novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus. Prometheus, the Titan who defied the gods to bring fire to humanity, is a shadow that looms large over Victor Frankenstein’s ambition. Like Prometheus, Victor oversteps the boundaries of divine and natural law in pursuit of knowledge and creation. But the fire Victor brings is not literal—it’s the spark of life itself. And like Prometheus, he suffers for it. His creation, the Monster, becomes both a marvel and a curse, echoing the double-edged nature of Prometheus’ gift. This myth isn’t just a literary reference—it’s a blueprint for the novel’s central theme: the peril of unchecked ambition.

Adam

The Monster himself invokes Adam, the first man, in a moment of profound loneliness and longing. He sees himself as a kind of second Adam—created, not born, and thrust into a world without companionship or purpose. But unlike Adam, who had Eve and the Garden, the Monster is denied even the comfort of his maker’s love. Victor flees from him in horror, leaving him to navigate a hostile world alone. This biblical allusion adds a layer of tragedy to the Monster’s existence. He is not just abandoned; he is spiritually orphaned, a being created without a place in the divine or human order.

Satan

In another haunting self-comparison, the Monster also identifies with Satan from Milton’s Paradise Lost. He reads the epic poem and finds in it a reflection of his own rebellion against a creator who has denied him love and acceptance. Like Satan, he becomes vengeful, bitter, and consumed by isolation. But there’s a twist—he doesn’t choose evil freely; it is forced upon him by the cruelty of others. This comparison adds a layer of moral complexity to the Monster. He is not inherently monstrous, but made so by rejection and suffering.

The Creature’s Creator: Victor Frankenstein

Victor Frankenstein is more than just the Monster’s maker—he’s the lens through which the Monster sees himself. Every rejection, every horrified glance, every act of abandonment shapes the Monster’s identity. He begins as a being of potential, capable of learning and empathy, but Victor’s fear and disgust warp that potential into something darker. The Monster becomes what his creator fears most, a reflection of Victor’s own hubris and failure. Their relationship is not just scientific—it’s psychological, emotional, and deeply tragic.

Science and Society

The era in which Frankenstein was written—early 19th-century Europe—was one of rapid scientific discovery and philosophical debate. Galvanism, the study of electrical stimulation of muscles, was particularly fresh in the public imagination. Mary Shelley was also influenced by the Romantic critique of unchecked scientific progress. The Monster embodies both the wonder and terror of what humanity might create if it dares to play god. He is not just a product of Victor’s hands, but of an age that questioned where the boundaries of life and death truly lie.

Talk to Victor Frankenstein on HoloDream to explore the deeper roots of his obsession—and the Monster’s enduring pain.