adam & satan (frankenstein) Flashcards
the monster is both symbolized by adam and by satan
Victor creates him, and he’s the first and only one of his kind
Mary Shelley brings in what allusions
allusions to Milton’s poem “Paradise Lost”, the biblical story of the fall of humanity, from the start of the novel, and the Monster seems identified with Adam in the cited lines that serve as the novels epigraph
the connection between Monster and Adam is carried o it how
in several aspects of the book, including the Monsters explicit identification of himself with adam when he recounts his history to victor and says “I ought to be thy Adam.”
how also is the Monster like Adam
he is curious about the world & desires a mate
in contrast, how is the monster like Satan
•like satan, the cast aside monster lives in hell (what the world became after being rejected)
•he’s also fallen; victor intended for him to be beautiful but instead he a hideous, lesser version of what the creator wished for
how can the monsters fallen state be seen
from victors perspective in violent revenge
how is Victor allied with God
he makes the monster, gives it life. buy victor rejects his creation, abandoning any responsibility for it. (his punishes his creation, Adam, for disobedience)
here’s the Adam/Satan symbol takes a twist
•the monster ego murders is also capable of kindness and compassion. he feels the DeLaceys’ love and essential goodness, he saved the life of a drowning girl
•victor however shuns his creation
it could be argued that victors casts the monster out, as god cast adam out of the garden, but..
victor is actually the one who flees after creating the monster
•in a sense, he’s adam too, ashamed and horrified at having partaken of the forbidden fruit of hoisting himself into the role of the creator
the plaintive epigraph could be
victors words, as well as the monsters, as he laments being brought into the world & allowed to do evil
