Introduction
The texts Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Paradise Lost by John Milton offer contrasting messages to the reader about humanity and its place in the universe. Mary Shelley intended to demonstrate the terrible things humans can do to one another, and in her opinion, the monster represented humanity’s cruelty. Frankenstein depicts humans as both profoundly ambitious and tragically imperfect. They are driven by fame aspirations and fail to contemplate the ramifications of their actions; one brilliant example is Victor, who makes himself a creator by bringing his creature to existence. As a result, the terrifying look of the monster instills panic and hostility in individuals, which is shown as fundamentally unfair.
Paradise Lost is a retelling of the biblical account of Adam and Eve from Genesis, which narrates the formation of Heaven and Earth and Adam and Eve. While Paradise Lost provides a more traditional and religious interpretation of human beings as a divinely ordained species, Shelley’s Frankenstein re-imagines the human condition as one of fallibility and vulnerability. We can discern Shelley and Milton’s views on humankind and their message to readers by examining each text’s characters, themes, and language.
Humankind in Frankenstein by Shelley and Paradise Lost by Milton
In Paradise Lost, Milton presents a traditional Christian interpretation of humanity’s role in the universe, in which humankind is a divinely ordained species with a specific purpose and destiny. God made Adam and Eve the first human beings, and they were given the Garden of Eden to live in perfect harmony with nature. He created Adam in his image: “in the image of God” (Milton 213).
Adam is offered Paradise “to till and keep,” but he is forbidden from eating from the Tree of Knowledge (Milton 232). This promise is Adam’s commitment to faith and obedience, while the Tree of Knowledge allows Adam and Eve to comply with or disobey God’s guidelines. From the beginning, the weltering of the fallen angels upon the enormous burning lake of Hell to the dramatic expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise, the poem is envisioned in grandeur and scale. Despite their disobedience and eventual expulsion, the author portrays Adam and Eve as having a special place in God’s creation and a destiny to fulfill. Humans are presented as having a unique relationship with God and a special place in the universe.
By contrast, Shelley builds the most eccentric character possible from humans by creating an artificial life form. Victor Frankenstein’s monster is the ideal outsider: he lives alone, without a home or a name, and must establish his existence from scratch. Frankenstein’s creation has no name, which is the first time Shelley dehumanizes him, yet the creature has good attributes that equal or exceed those of his creator. As the creature matures, he becomes the most articulate and engaging character.
Frankenstein illustrates the frightening reality of prejudging someone. The monster’s first-person narrative displays his humanity and his desire to be accepted by people despite his differences. The reader learns that this creature is more human than the people around him. For instance, Frankenstein considers his connection to nature a human characteristic, describing his wish to dwell in South America as “peaceful and human” (Shelley 292). Suppose the creature’s violent impulses and unattractive looks are ignored. In that case, he has the complete gamut of human emotions, great intelligence, and incredible physical fortitude—he is fundamentally a superior version of man.
Nonetheless, Frankenstein demonstrates a much more pessimistic view of humanity’s place in the world, in which humans are susceptible to their fallibility and vulnerability. Victor is presented as a flawed individual with a lack of moral judgment and an inability to accept responsibility for his actions.From the creature’s perspective, the novel paints a picture of a world hostile to different people and a society that fails to see beyond its prejudices. For instance, Frankenstein said: “Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change” (Shelley 378).
Victor’s creation is constantly seen as a monster by society, both mentally and physically. Although the creature possesses the physical qualities of a monster, he only develops the monster’s mindset and conduct after being continuously rejected by humankind. Frankenstein also emphasized that the various accidents of life are not as changeable as human nature’s sentiments (Shelley 144). Through the characters of Victor and the creature, Shelley suggests that humankind is ultimately powerless and vulnerable in the face of nature and its creations.
There are parallels, and both stories reflect human limits to remind society that individuals have to stay in admiration of nature and the marvel of their own lives.God created two humans in Paradise Lost, whereas in Shelly’s novel, Victor Frankenstein creates the monster. The monster’s main complaint is that he is alone and requests that Victor create him a partner (Shelley 156). In the same way, Adam requests that God create Eve: “No pleasure, though in pleasure, solitary” (Milton 234). These issues reflect the view of humans as essentially social.
Additionally, Victor’s portrayal of himself as a father resembles Milton’s depiction of God. Even the monster attributes his existence to Adam, saying, “Like Adam, I was created apparently,” connected by no relation to any other person (Shelley 265).Eventually, the monster is interested in Milton’s Satan instead of Adam sinceParadise Lost is one of the three volumes the monster reads (Shelley 21).In the role of the creator, Victor Frankenstein recalls Satan from Milton’s Paradise Lost, in which Satan is an angel condemned for his selfishness, pride, and hunger for prohibited knowledge.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the differing messages in Shelley’s and Milton’s works caution readers about the risks of unrestrained ambition and the vulnerability of human life. The biblical story of the Fall of Humanity is told in Paradise Lost, which depicts the time when Adam and Eve were tempted to taste the prohibited fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, and God expelled them from the Garden of Eden forever. While Paradise Lost presents humans as having a special place in the universe and a destiny to fulfill, despite disobedience, Shelley’s Frankenstein warns of the dangers of unchecked ambition and the fragility of human mortality.
Frankenstein’s distortions helped to portray humanity destructively, exposing people to their true colors. Not everything is as it looks, and the monster is a genuinely kind and clever creature who becomes enraged and vengeful after being spurned by his creator. Victor had become so absorbed in his life’s work that he had lost any feeling except for this one goal. Both works offer a cautionary story to the reader, and each serves as a reminder of humankind’s place in the universe and its ultimate vulnerability.
Works Cited
Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Oxford University Press, 2005.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Broadview Press, 2012.