Allusions In Frankenstein

In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, the Creature makes an allusion to John Milton’s Paradise Lost while recalling his experiences in isolation for the last two years. The Creature claims he read the text “…as a true history,” of mankind and often related to several situations, stating “...their similarity struck [him as] his own.” He goes on to compare himself to the First Man, Adam, then later to Satan the fallen angel. This allusion to Paradise Lost works to further characterize the Monster, while also foreshadowing upcoming important events.

Though the Creature’s allusion to Satan raises a few questionable eyebrows, we know Satan saw himself as God’s equal if not his superior. The text from Paradise Lost: Book One demonstrates how it was Satan’s “…pride [that] had

Similarly, Satan vows war on God’s creations; “A generation whom his choice regard should favor equal to the Sons of Heaven. Thither, if but to pry, shall perhaps our first eruption…” (Line 654-656). The author may have incorporated this specific comparison to Satan in context with Paradise Lost to foreshadow future events and/or further characterize the Creature’s persona. If the Monster is Satan, then Victor’s project to create a second creature will fail and the Monster’s hatred toward mankind will never cease. However, if the Monster is Adam, he’ll be cast off and further labeled as an outcast—just as Adam was discarded from the Garden of Eden. The only difference between these two comparisons is one has a chance at redemption. God offers Adam and Eve an opportunity to join him in heaven. The Monster’s equivalent of redemption resides in his decision to retire “to the vast wilds of South America,” (125 Shelly). Only Victor can offer him that. In this allusion, Victor finally got his wish, but at a