Between “Eternal Light” and “Darkness and Distance” as Main Symbols in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus
BETWEEN “ETERNAL LIGHT” AND “DARKNESS AND DISTANCE” AS MAIN SYMBOLS IN MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN, OR THE MODERN PROMETHEUS
by Nikolay Valeriev Nikolov
Captain Walton is sailing to the “region of beauty and delight,” which is how he imagines the North Pole. He endeavours to “those undiscovered solitudes” and exclaims: “What may not be expected in a country of eternal light?” He is trying something uncommon for ordinary people on the one hand, and something possible from logical point of view on the other. Another “wayfarer” is Victor Frankenstein, who is striving for “eternal light,” but in another aspect. He is the “Modern Prometheus,” longing to “pour a torrent of light into our dark world,” while creating a human being – a deed, which is intrinsic to God (26). His creation is the third participant in the “journey” to “eternal light.” He is unnamed, or more often called the creature, the monster, the wretch, or the one with “unearthly ugliness” (55). Victor’s creation also dreams for “eternal light” in the meaning of pure love or happiness, but he is compelled to follow the contrary direction – to “darkness and distance” (134). The three meet each other at the “land of mist and snow,” where their “journey” ends, where the border between possible and common lies, between dream and reality, between genius and mankind, between God and mankind, between “a country of eternal light” and “darkness and distance.” The character, accountable for the novel’s drama, is Victor Frankenstein, a student in humanities. “A possible interpretation of the name Victor derives from the poem Paradise Lost by John Milton, a great influence on Shelley (a quotation from Paradise Lost is on the opening page of Frankenstein and Shelley even allows the monster himself to read it). Milton frequently refers to God as ‘the Victor’ in Paradise Lost, and Shelley sees Victor as playing God by creating life” (Wikipedia). As a god Victor is determined to endow
by Nikolay Valeriev Nikolov
Captain Walton is sailing to the “region of beauty and delight,” which is how he imagines the North Pole. He endeavours to “those undiscovered solitudes” and exclaims: “What may not be expected in a country of eternal light?” He is trying something uncommon for ordinary people on the one hand, and something possible from logical point of view on the other. Another “wayfarer” is Victor Frankenstein, who is striving for “eternal light,” but in another aspect. He is the “Modern Prometheus,” longing to “pour a torrent of light into our dark world,” while creating a human being – a deed, which is intrinsic to God (26). His creation is the third participant in the “journey” to “eternal light.” He is unnamed, or more often called the creature, the monster, the wretch, or the one with “unearthly ugliness” (55). Victor’s creation also dreams for “eternal light” in the meaning of pure love or happiness, but he is compelled to follow the contrary direction – to “darkness and distance” (134). The three meet each other at the “land of mist and snow,” where their “journey” ends, where the border between possible and common lies, between dream and reality, between genius and mankind, between God and mankind, between “a country of eternal light” and “darkness and distance.” The character, accountable for the novel’s drama, is Victor Frankenstein, a student in humanities. “A possible interpretation of the name Victor derives from the poem Paradise Lost by John Milton, a great influence on Shelley (a quotation from Paradise Lost is on the opening page of Frankenstein and Shelley even allows the monster himself to read it). Milton frequently refers to God as ‘the Victor’ in Paradise Lost, and Shelley sees Victor as playing God by creating life” (Wikipedia). As a god Victor is determined to endow
Cited: Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Literature.org - The Online Literature. Last updated Monday, 23-May-2005 15:56:05 GMT. <http://www.literature.org/authors/shelley-mary/> Frankenstein - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. last modified, 20 July 2007. 11 August 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein> Николчина, Миглена. Митът за Прометей и поетиката на английския романтизъм. София СУ “Климент Охридски”, 1988. Белский, А. А. Английский роман 1800-1810-х годов. Перм, 1968. с. 303. Shaftsbury, A. Characteristics. 6th edn., 1937, V. I, p. 207.