Allusions Of John Milton s Frankenstein - 1847 Words

Brandon 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 alone in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries atop the literary hierarchy, and Milton’s epic is clearly rooted in the history of Puritanism and in the bourgeois ideal of the individual, the ‘concept of the person as a relatively autonomous self-contained and distinctive universe’† (Lamb 305). This book has numerous parallels that readers can easily interpret to Frankenstein. Victor Frankenstein and his monster can both be identified with several characters from Paradise Lost. Among these characters are Adam, Eve, Satan, and God. Paradise Lost is even mentioned in the novel, after the monster that Victor creates reads the epic as if it was a history book. The Creature states, â€Å"But Paradise Lost excited different and far deeper emotions. I read it, as I had read the other volumes which had fallen into my hands, as a true history. It moved every feeling of wonder and awe that the picture of an omnipotent God warring with his creatures was capable of exciting† (Shelley 124). He is ableShow MoreRelatedThe 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 imp eccable hand at allusions, why does she use them? Was it because of her youth in lifeRead MoreFrankenstein: Allusions1112 Words   |  5 PagesGuffey 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 s Paradise Lost to her own novel toRead 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. Allusions can be interpreted differently by each individual, and do not have absolute meanings. They are indirect, which means that the author does not specifically mention the book or epic that he or she is referencing to. Though in Frankenstein, Mary Shelley directly mentions Milton’s Paradise Lost atRead MoreBeating At The Heart Of Paradise Lost Lies A Common Theme1106 Words   |  5 PagesHis omniscient presence. Stemming from this capacity to create life with an overarching lens, He creates the most favorable outcome for his creations. Contrary to Milton’s God’s all-knowing perspective when creating Adam, in Frankenstein, Mary Shelley estranges Victor Frankenstein from his humanity during his creation of his monster. This validates that man should not play God because man does not have the vision to fully understand his own actions, leading to chaos and violence when he attempts toRead MoreGood Intentions And Mary Shelley s Frankenstein1834 Words   |  8 PagesIntentions and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Throughout history, there are many examples of noble intentions turning into horrendous actions, such as Cesare Borgia’s idea of unifying Italy turning into a man’s desperate grab for power. Probably the most influential time periods that stand as a shining example of noble intentions turning into horrible actions is the early 1800’s with the French revolution, radicalism in Europe, and the clash political beliefs. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein echoes with examplesRead MoreMetamorphoses Within Frankenstein14861 Words   |  60 PagesThe Critical Metamorphoses of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein You must excuse a trif ling d eviation, From Mrs. Shelley’s marvellous narration — from th e musical Frankenstein; or, The Vamp ire’s Victim (1849) Like Coleridge’ s Ancient Mariner , who erupts into Mary Sh elley’s text as o ccasionally and inev itably as th e Monster into Victor Frankenstein’s lif e, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometh eus passes, like night, from land to land and w ith stang ely ad aptable powers of speech