Religion and mythology

References to individuals from the Bible are to be found throughout Frankenstein:

• the story of Adam and Eve, Creation and the Fall clearly refers to Frankenstein's ambition as a scientist and his transgression against God as the supreme creator (for further information, see Big ideas: Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, ‘Second Adam'; Creation, creativity, image of God).
• there are also many references to Satan and his defiance of his Creator which are relevant to an understanding of the monster's behaviour (for further information, see Big ideas: Serpent, Devil, Satan, Beast).
• in both these cases, the references to the Bible stories are filtered through the monster's reading of Milton's Paradise Lost
• references to Prometheus, who in Greek and Roman mythology is named as the creator of humanity and who also defied the gods by teaching humans a number of important crafts, show that Mary Shelley is not presenting her story in exclusively Christian terms.

Further general discussion of these issues may be found in Religious/philosophical context: The Bible, the Creation, Adam and Eve and the Fall and Literary context: The Prometheus Myth. Discussion of specific references can be found at the appropriate points in the Frankenstein Synopses section.

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