The greatest modern stories often hail from ancient myths, and Mary Shelley's novel,
Frankenstein, proves no exception to this claim. Replete with references to John Milton's
Paradise Lost and the ancient Greek myth of Prometheus, the story of Frankenstein seems, in
many ways, very much like the Creature himself—which is to say, cobbled together from various
scraps of previously existing parts. Terry W. Thompson, however, argues convincingly that
scholars continue to ignore one of Frankenstein's most influential literary antecedents: the Greek
hero known as Hercules (Thompson 36). In his article, "'A Majestic Figure of August Dignity':
Herculean Echoes in Frankenstein," Thompson even goes so far as to list, point-for-point, the
story and character points that align the Creature with the Greek hero. All in all, Thompson
makes a compelling argument demonstrating the interconnectivity of literature. After offering a
brief summary of Thompson's article, I will next analyze the merits and flaws of his arguments
before finally demonstrating how his article serves as a useful template for examining the
influence of older art works on more modern art works.
Thompson begins his article by listing literary works mentioned by Mary Shelley in her
journals from 1815 and 1816 (36). Thompson seizes upon the story of Hercules as contained in
Ovid's The Metamorphoses—which Shelley, in her journals, claims to have read—as being one
among many interpretations of this myth that may have served as part of Shelley's inspiration for
the tale of Frankenstein (36). For the bulk of the article, then, Thompson builds on this initial
comparison, noting, for example, that just as Zeus marks the birth of Hercules with a m...
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Creature parallel one another, Thompson convinces the reader that Shelley may indeed have
drawn on such myths while writing Frankenstein. Although Thompson fails to discuss the
differences between Hercules and the Creature—not to mention the overall significance of his
argument—his article nevertheless proves a useful tool for considering the ways in which
different works of art influence one another. The article helps us see how all art is connected,
and this understanding of influences empowers us to understand culture more fully.
Works Cited
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Penguin Books, 2003.
Thompson, Terry W. "'A Majestic Figure of August Dignity': Herculean Echoes in
Frankenstein." ANQ: A Quarterly Journal of Short Articles, Notes, and Reviews 17.3
(2004): 36-41. MLA International Bibliography. Web. 12 October 2010.
Frankenstein is the story of an eccentric scientist whose masterful creation, a monster composed of sown together appendages of dead bodies, escapes and is now loose in the country. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelly’s diction enhances fear-provoking imagery in order to induce apprehension and suspense on the reader. Throughout this horrifying account, the reader is almost ‘told’ how to feel – generally a feeling of uneasiness or fright. The author’s diction makes the images throughout the story more vivid and dramatic, so dramatic that it can almost make you shudder.
William Shakespeare, one of the greatest writers of all time, uses Hercules as a persona of excellence throughout his play, "Much Ado About Nothing". Hercules, in Greek mythology, is a hero known for his strength, courage and legendary adventures. This gives the impression that Shakespeare liked the tales of Hercules.
Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, Walter James Miller, and Harold Bloom. Frankenstein, Or, The Modern Prometheus. New York: New American Library, 2000. Print.
...ilton's "Paradise Lost" to her advantage in this book. Drawing on Christian beliefs and a societal reverence for the epic gives "Frankenstein" a comparison that draws out moral limitations in our humanity. Although many moral limitations can be detected from each of the characters, the limitations I focused on were, in my belief, the most specific to Shelley's overall romantic and gothic state of reasoning. In this era, and even today, the thought of human limitation gives people a better understanding of our place in the world. The individual ego creates a dangerous place for many of us, a place Shelley describes through Victor Frankenstein's creation. Above all, I think Shelley's story relates human limitations and public progression to remind society that we have an obligation to remain in admiration of our creator, nature, and the miracle of our own existence.
Rouse, W. H. (1957). The Heroes: Heraclês. Gods, heroes and men of ancient Greece. New York: New American Library. (Original work published)
The legend of Hercules has been told and retold thousands of times; it is by far one of the best known Greek myths of all time. In fact, it was so well known that Disney made it into a movie. Like any story that’s adapted into a movie there are some differences and similarities between the myth and the movie. This paper will go over the main differences and similarities between the two versions of the same myth.
Ingri and Edgar Parin D’alaure’s. Book of Greek Myths. New York: Bantam Dowbleday Dell Publishing Group, 1962.
Shelley’s allusions display the creatures anguish of being alone in the world and how it causes him to feel: “ Like Adam, I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence… I was wretched, helpless, and alone.” (93-94), this allusion is crucial because it shows the reader just how awful the influences of solitude are on the creature and how his circumstances have caused him to become grieved and destitute. Another illusion similar to before take place when the monster compares himself to Satan: “Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition; for often, like him, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me.” (94), the monster now resents the people of the cottage because they are able to converse and associate with others while the creature is forced to stay secluded from all contact. Allusions such as these enforce Shelley 's purpose of depicting the calamitous effects of solitude on the mind. By now the reader should understand that men need to be around others like themselves because all creatures desire to have a group into which they
Frankenstein is among one of the most iconic novels written during the early 19th Century. This novel was written by a distinguished Mary Shelley and first published in the year 1818. Shelley’s story is considered to written before its time as it challenged many themes and ideas of humanism, natural science, ambition, abortion, etc. The novel itself sparked many controversies and debates as numerous different topics are challenged and discussed throughout the novel. Shelley flawlessly executes the story as she writes in a dramatic gothic drama tone and allows the reader to step into different views of the story by changing perspectives.
devotion show that Frankenstein is not as good of a scientist as he thinks himself
Duncan, Greg. "Frankenstein: The Historical Context." WSU.edu. Washington State University. Web. 07 Mar. 2011. .
Suffice it to say that Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a contemporary masterpiece of a series and is more than worth its salt in the context of classic, factual Greek mythological references. Therefore, one can examine the series through the scope of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey and explore the heroic parallels between Percy Jackson and the great Greek heroes Perseus, Theseus, and Hercules through a timeless lens. No paragraph provided.
Walter Scott’s critique in the 1818, Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine Review of Frankenstein, is that Frankenstein is a novel of romantic fiction depicting a peculiar nature that narrates the real laws of nature and family values. This review explains that Mary Shelley manages the style of composition, and gives her characters an indirect importance to the reader as the laws of nature takes course in the novel. In addition, Walter Scott appreciates the numerous theme...
Hercules led anything but a normal life. From the moment he was born, he was special, not only to Zeus,