Frankleistein

This term paper endeavors to enlighten the thematic similarity of the 17th century biblical epic Paradise Lost and “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley – the epoch of creation of a famous supernatural character.

Paradise Lost narrates the myth of fall of mankind and Satan and it highlights the different manner the fall had been dealt with. Satan, on being banished from paradise’s thresholds and deprived of its eternal beauties, burns in the fire of vengeance and resorts to evil means which further degrades him. On the contrary, Adam and Eve exhibit remorse for their disobedience and ultimately find a path of salvation.

This tale of life’s own birth, vengeance and remorse is further augmented and complicated in “Frankenstein”. This enhances its charm and repute as a literary work. Shelley paints both its protagonists with the shades of Adam, Satan and the God himself.

The grotesque 8-feet-tall stature of monster reminds of Satan’s gigantic “ponderous shields” and his spear larger than the “tall Pine trees on Norwegian Hills”. The so-referred monster is irrevocably astonished to read his torment into Adam’s and Satan’s plight. While attempting to self-educate, he wondered Satan to be “fitter emblem of his condition”. Atrocity of his creator in abandoning him, his own hideous form and the society that shunned him became the targets of malignity. He longed for female company. But Frankenstein’s denial to create an Eve as its ally in solace and desolation escalated his fury. In his overwhelming agony, he diabolically murders young William and newly-wed Elizabeth and Henry. His satanic deeds breeds disdain in the minds of reader, bringing alive the distrust it once held for Satan who through his evil tricks caused the fall of man. But this malignant devil could once be likened to Lucifer, the archangel as his “thoughts were once filled with sublime and transcendental visions of the beauty and the majesty of goodness”. Heart melts on seeing his remorse and innocent...