Throughout the course of Mary Shelley's life the subject of Greek Mythology seems to have been energetically intertwined. From The Modern Prometheus to Proserpine and Midas, Mary Shelley seems to have incorporated her passion for ancient religion into her work. Here is the story behind one of her most profound works, Frankenstein-The Modern Prometheus.
There is no force which can compel me to speech.
So let Zeus hurl his blazing bolts,
And with the white wings of the snow,
With thunder and with earthquake,
Confound the world.
None of all this will bend my will. -Prometheus
www.geocities.com/Athens/Column/1122/prometheus.htm
From darkness to promote me?
-- John Milton, Paradise Lost
Prometheus was the creator of man in Greek Mythology. He was given this task to save himself from being imprisoned in Tartarus during the war of the Olympians. He shaped men from mud and loved them very much and depended on his brother Epimetheus to give them good qualities; however, these qualities had already been given to the animals so Prometheus decided to give them fire which he stole from Zeus. When Zeus discovered this he was extremely angry and demanded Prometheus to tell him how to reverse the knowledge of the mortals. When Prometheus denied Zeus' demands he was hung in chains from a mountain where a vulture would eternally pluck out his organs during the day, and then during the night they would very painfully grow back. Prometheus' determination never shattered and he was eventually saved by Zeus' son Hercules.
www.prometheus--GreekMythology.htm
www.geocities.com/Athens/Column/1122/prometheus.htm
Aside from Mary Shelley's fascination some of her closest friends and family
also seemed intrigued with the story of Prometheus; Percy Shelley was the
author of Prometheus Unbound and Lord Byron wrote a lyrical ode to
Prometheus. It is apparent that ever since the original creator of the
hero, which was Aeschylus in his work Prometheus Bound, man has been
fascinated with the idea that God, or higher beings, do not determine the
creation of life. Men do.
To learn more about the life of Mary Shelley and her other works relating to Greek Mythology go to: