Gracie Hart Macapagal
Milewski
AP English Literature and Composition
15 September 2023
The Creator’s Responsibility to his Creation
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a great example of a modern Prometheus mythology
and the creation of beings by God, with a focus on sustaining guidance and the need for
assistance from its creator. These two appear to be completely opposites;, however there are
some similarities. In the excerpt about Prometheus from mythology, the abandonment of the
mortals by Zeus, due to upsetting actions of tricking him into accepting scraps of sacrificial
ox and mortals obtaining the best cuts—forgetting his role as a provider to these beings,
Prometheus took this job “for caring so much for men.” (Edith Hamilton’s Mythology 72) led
to Prometheus to serve as the mortals’ provider. Unlike in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein,
“Victor Frankenstein..struggles with the ethical consequences of an ‘unwanted pregnancy’ of
sorts” (Hustis 846) abandoning his creation not understanding anything about the world
around him and allowing him live wretched, despised by society, or not even providing him
everything he needed. On the other hand, many religions believe that God created heaven and
earth, all living things, human beings; however, Victor stole the ability to create life, creating
a new species out of a dead body, becoming a creator of a new species but failed to fulfill his
tasks as a creator.
Victor’s creation, in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, connects with the story of God and
Adam. Though there are some factors that differ between the two stories. In Mary Shelley’s
Frankenstein, the creature is brought to life with no knowledge about the world around him,
Adam might as well. But one thing for certain, is that when Adam was brought to life, God
provided everything he needed including food, a place to relax, and Eve to accompany
Milewski
AP English Literature and Composition
15 September 2023
The Creator’s Responsibility to his Creation
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a great example of a modern Prometheus mythology
and the creation of beings by God, with a focus on sustaining guidance and the need for
assistance from its creator. These two appear to be completely opposites;, however there are
some similarities. In the excerpt about Prometheus from mythology, the abandonment of the
mortals by Zeus, due to upsetting actions of tricking him into accepting scraps of sacrificial
ox and mortals obtaining the best cuts—forgetting his role as a provider to these beings,
Prometheus took this job “for caring so much for men.” (Edith Hamilton’s Mythology 72) led
to Prometheus to serve as the mortals’ provider. Unlike in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein,
“Victor Frankenstein..struggles with the ethical consequences of an ‘unwanted pregnancy’ of
sorts” (Hustis 846) abandoning his creation not understanding anything about the world
around him and allowing him live wretched, despised by society, or not even providing him
everything he needed. On the other hand, many religions believe that God created heaven and
earth, all living things, human beings; however, Victor stole the ability to create life, creating
a new species out of a dead body, becoming a creator of a new species but failed to fulfill his
tasks as a creator.
Victor’s creation, in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, connects with the story of God and
Adam. Though there are some factors that differ between the two stories. In Mary Shelley’s
Frankenstein, the creature is brought to life with no knowledge about the world around him,
Adam might as well. But one thing for certain, is that when Adam was brought to life, God
provided everything he needed including food, a place to relax, and Eve to accompany
