Prometheus (un)Bound: everything in its right place

The (abridged) Myth of Prometheus

Prometheus, in Greek myth, is credited with the creation of mankind (his brother with the creation of animals). Modeled in the likeness of the gods, and brought to life by Athena, man worshiped Prometheus.
This angered Zeus, who in turn forbade Prometheus to teach man the ways of civilization. Crossing Zeus, Prometheus not only taught man about civilization, but also committed the ultimate sin in stealing fire from Mount Olympus to give to his creations. For this, Zeus punished him severely: Prometheus was chained to a rock, and an eagle (Ethon) was sent to peck out his liver each day.

Man From Clay: "My form is a filthy type of yours."

The creation of man and some stories of the creation of automata are strikingly similar:

• In Greek myth, Prometheus creates man in the shape/image of the gods, from clay.
  
• In Biblical myth, God creates man in the shape/image of himself, from clay. The story of Adam and Eve is referenced in the beginning of Shelley's novel,
  

Regardless of any influence that existing myth may have had on the writing of Genesis in the old testament, the similarities are striking. In both the Old Testament and Greek mythology, humans are brought into the world, and in both texts there is talk of an afterlife; a place where one's soul resides (namely Heaven/Hell, or the Underworld ruled by the god Hades).
Now, when juxtaposed with stories of the creation of automata:

• Jewish folklore describes the story of "Golem" - the automaton created by Rabbi Leow. The story has similarities of Shelley's Frankenstein monster, especially when examining the representations of the being in pop culture (which are different than the being portrayed in the novel.) While the Golem is responsible for destruction, he differs in that he was created as a means of protection of the Jewish community in Prague. Again, the Golem is created from clay.
• Frankenstein's monster is the only being of all the aforementioned 'creation' stories that is not made of clay. He is, however, made of decaying human parts - and as organic elements decompose, they are reduced to dust.

Does the composition of , or does the "soul" depend on a divine creator?

"Frankenstein is the picture of a finite and flawed god at war with, and eventually overcome by, his creation." -Joyce Carol Oates

The Frankenstein monster is tragically similar to Adam and to Prometheus's man: in all stories, the creations express emotion, feeling, and desire companionship. And, as a higher power breathes life into their "man," so do Dr. Frankenstein and Rabbi Leow. Differences between the Golem and Shelley's Monster lie in the aid of the devine - God helps Leow to create the Golem, while Dr. Frankenstein relies primarily on scientific means. Shelley's commentary on the pursuit of (divine) knowledge as a dangerous one comes full circle.

"Frankenstein breaks through the barrier that separates man from God and gives apparent life, but in doing so gives only death-in-life...Frankenstein's desperate creature attains the state of pure spirit through his extraordinary situation and is racked by a consciousness in which every thought is a fresh disease" -Harold Bloom

Frankenstein to Prometheus, Prometheus to Hephaestus

Dr. Frankenstein as the modern Prometheus is overcome by his creature, but suffers for his creations in the same way as his Greek counterpart. The creation of woman, in Prometheus's case, differs in that the female form was crafted by another - Hephaestus. (Strangely, the woman - Pandora - was sent to unleash the horrors of the world upon mankind...a story that may be likened to the story of Eve, the apple, and the sub-sequential expulsion from Eden.)
Frankenstein's fear to create a female companion for his monster must stem from his unwillingness to create a pair capable of reproduction - the beginning of a new race. While the notion of a self-propagating race of monsters (or even automata) is terrifying, it is not unlike the stories surrounding the creation of man. Furthermore, the monster experiences many of the same emotions and feelings as mankind...
So where does the soul of an automaton reside, if not alongside ours?

Readings:

Bloom, Harold, edt. Frakenstein: Modern Critical Interpretations New York: Chelsea House Publishers. 1987.

Oates, Joyce Carol. "Frankenstein's Fallen Angel" Frakenstein: Modern Critical Interpretations. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers. 1987. 67-80 numbers.

Images:
"Prometheus," by Gustave Moreau

posted by chelsea @ 12:52 PM