"Modern Prometheus," commonly know as "Frankenstein," is the complete title to Mary Shelley's novel, in reference to the Greek myth involving Prometheus, a deity. The novel, the title being quite fitting, uses major themes involved with the Prometheus mythology for and against the moral she created. Themes such as isolation and loneliness were used as well as elements of fate and father-son relationships.

In "Prometheus Bound" and "Frankenstein," the protagonists are very alike in many ways. They created life, stole and got punished for what they did. Prometheus was a clever deity and a master craftsman who had the gift of prophecy. He created man from the spark of heaven for the purpose of creating a noble being, nobility that many Gods abused. He taught man the many crafts that were necessary for man's survival. He enlightened man so that they would not have to do their own work. Prometheus taught man astronomy, to know seasons and animal domestication. He gave them language. He instructed his creation on how to build carriages and ships. He also gave them powers of medicine, soothsaying and extracting metals from the earth. He teache

Both characters in the stories produced life out of non-living elements. Prometheus created man using the sparks of heaven whereas Frankenstein produced his monster from bodies of dead beings. Their creations both esteemed their creators. Man was grateful for all the gifts Prometheus granted them. One mortal, Hercules, released man's creator from the torture he was enduring. Frankenstein's monster called Frankenstein a "generous...being." He considered Frankenstein "the select specimen of all that is worthy of love and admiration among men."

Elements of fate were also similar in both tales. Prometheus is blessed with the gift of foresight where he can see into the future. Though he knew his future, he continued the path which he thought to be right. Prometheus was literally chained by his fate. Frankenstein declares, "Destiny was too potent, and her immutable laws had decreed my utter and terrible destruction" (Shelly 23). He was locked into a fate that he could not alter. He lacked foreknowledge which Prometheus possessed. At no point does Frankenstein consider abandoning his experiment. The idea of failure did not even cross his mind. He is blind to the consequences of his actions and suffers for his hubris.

Unlike Prometheus, who cared for his creation enough to defy Zeus, Frankenstein formulated life, earning him the fatherly role for his creation, and then abdicates those patriarchal responsibilities. He detested his creation with a passion. He called his monster a "catastrophe." Frankenstein stated that "breathless horror and disgusts filled (his) heart" (Shelly 35) after looking at the creature. Besides the aborted attempt to create a m

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