Similarities Between Frankenstein And Paradise Lost

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Nearly 150 years apart two great works of literature was created; Frankenstein by Mary W. Shelley and Paradise Lost by John Milton. Romantic writes tended to interpret John Milton’s version of Genesis as a celebration of Satan whom they thought as a rebellious hero defying the power of God. They believed that Satan was a victim of tyrannical power. The creature and Victor draw parallels between themselves and the characters from Paradise Lost such as Adam, God, and Satan. Paradise Lost sets the basis for humanity while Frankenstein pushes the limitations of science and humanity. Both pieces also center around the feeling of guilt. These points are brought up through allusion, symbolism, and the theme of loss and regret.
As the reader is first introduced to the monster we are immediately appalled at his monstrosity, but as the story dwells deeper we get to see the insight from the point of view of the monster. He finds a satchel containing books one in particular being John Milton's 17th century epic Paradise Lost. The monster believed the poem as factual history and
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Adam and Eve feel a guilt for disobeying God and dooming the human race. The guilt in Frankenstein is a bit more complex going through different characters; Victor feels guilt for creating the monster and as well as blaming himself for the deaths he indirectly caused, and the monster feels guilt in the end after Victor dies on Walton’s ship for killing all of those people and the damage he created. In both stories Adam ask “Did I request thee, maker, from my clay/ To mold me Man? Did I solicit thee/ From darkness to promote me?’ and the monster ask Victor “Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turn from me in disgust?” each attempting to push the guilt on their makers before they accept their own guilt upon their shoulders. Later on in each story after accepting this guilt they ask for forgiveness from their