In Case You've Been Wondering About Chapter 14...

Well, I am almost finished. I've written my second draft and all I'm really strugling with is where to cut it off. I have two big, major, perception changing revelations in it, and I think I might want to cut it to one this chpater and save the other for later. We'll see.

Right now, even though I am so close to being done, I have to write a paper for mythology class. I figured I might as well post it so you can see what is keeping you from continuing the adventure with the amazing trio who are finally reunited.

The Prometheus Connection

"Prometheus, after forming men from water and earth, gave them fire."
-Pseudo-Apollodorus, 2nd Century A.D.

Marry Shelly gave her magnum opus, Frankenstein, a very curious subtitle, “A Modern Day Prometheus”. Living in a society well acquainted with mythology, Hesiod and Aeschylus specifically, Shelly knew that her readers would see the clear parallels that arise between Victor Frankenstein’s tale and that of Prometheus.

In the tales of Prometheus he is shown as either the creator or at least protector of humanity. He enables the humans to keep the meat of an offering while sacrificing the bones and fat to the gods, and later when Zeus’ retribution falls on humanity Prometheus sacrifices himself in order to bring fire to the humans. In all myths, this fire bringing also brings civilization and knowledge.

Fire is essentially what separates humans from animals. We are civilized because we cook our meat before eating it, and are not bound by darkness, but instead tame it with the light from a flame. Fire sustained our species from the severity of cold, and protected us from the haunt of wild beasts. Fire is what makes us human and as fire giver, Prometheus is seen as giving us humanity.

When Victor stumbles upon the “spark of life” he immediately sets out, without questioning his own ethics or actions, to create a living being. This may be called his drive to imitate his creator, whether Promethean or Christian, and yet it’s consequences are disastrous. Like Prometheus, he reaches beyond his station in life and so he falls, as Lucifer also fell.

Prometheus, in reaching beyond his natural position, is reprimanded and punished but he survives because he is immortal. Creation was not his crime but raising his creation from mere clay vessels to human beings who could be like the gods, and according to one prophecy, even overthrow the Olympians as they did the Titans, was his misdeed.

Victor’s Promethean transgression was that he, like some versions of Prometheus, created a living being, but then instead of also giving humanity to his creation, he shrank from his responsibility as Creator-Father, and abandoned his position. By abandoning his original station as simply a human and reaching for the god-like one, he fell even lower than his former human place. Victor fell so low, that even his own creation looked down upon him. He became the true monster.

Both tales seem to answer and illustrate a very deep question in the human consciousness, in regards to the progress of humanity. As a civilized society we have strived ever onward towards a utopian goal of perfection, a god-like state of abundance, health, prosperity, and peace. Yet as we move ever towards that goal, we must continually face the horror that we are also loosing part of our humanity in the sacrifices we make in order to achieve it. Sacrifices such as human lives in wars that are always suppose to be ‘the last war’, or such as destroying valuable natural resources to advance industry, or the sacrifice of our own freedom in order to secure our comfort.

Mary Shelly’s Modern Prometheus was written at a time when mankind had gone to great lengths to tame nature, to conquer the masters of humanity such as disease and poverty, and expose to light the secret mysteries that had once been the gods’ domain. This scientific age of enlightenment had caused a deep seated human emotion of uneasiness to rise within the thinkers and artist of that time, and would culminate in the grand schism between the Romantic Era and the Age of Reason that penetrated all levels of western society. Shelly’s work demonstrates that growing awareness of humanity’s frailty and lack of control. Her work also shows humanity’s inability to attain godhood, and the unforeseeable consequences that lay in pursuing it.

Today we also are faced with the same situation. Society is once again in a position where it has become aware of its own potential for self destruction and loss of humanity. The green/environmental movement can be seen as a modern day Romantic Era that is again coming against progress and defying it. As humans there seems to be a deep seated fear of actually attaining the goal we so strive for and so the ebb and flow continues as it has for thousands of years, and as it will continue for as long as the earth turns and we have our promethean fire to light our way, ignite our industry, and rekindle in our hearts the warning of Prometheus and his fall.



______________________________________________________________________

So yeah, as you can see, I am totally wasting my time when I could be writting my chapter, but oh well. I'll try to get teh chapter up later tonight/early early early tommorrow morning, or some time tomorrow night. Until then, adue.