3.1.3

The Bible

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The Bible

This religious text is relevant to Frankenstein on a number of levels.

Adam

Adam

  • It could be argued that the Monster mirrors Adam, in that he is a new creation, the first of his kind, who at first views the world with the same kind of innocence.
  • When Victor rejects the Monster, he feels that he has been deprived of paternal love and therefore exiled from a potentially paradisal life, just as Adam suffers from The Fall of Mankind.
Lapsarianism

Lapsarianism

  • Following on from the idea of The Fall of Mankind, Shelley appears to subvert the concept of Lapsarianism (the belief that man has fallen from a better state) within the novel.
  • Instead of a woman being to blame for ‘eating the apple’, with Victor, "the apple was already eaten, and the angel’s arm bared to drive me from all hope."
Male temptation

Male temptation

  • Instead of women being the ones to give in to temptation from the tree of knowledge (as decreed in the Bible), Shelley promotes the idea that it is men who are too tempted by knowledge that is beyond their capabilities, and the resulting consequences means that women are the ones to suffer (Elizabeth and Justine).
Doppelgangers

Doppelgangers

  • Both the Monster and Victor liken themselves to the figure of Adam, strengthening the idea of them being doppelgangers.

The Bible

Both the Monster and Victor liken themselves to the figure of Adam, strengthening the idea of them being doppelgangers. Both can also be compared to Satan.

The Monster as Satan

The Monster as Satan

  • The Monster can also be identified with Satan in that he eventually turns against his creator and wages war on him and on all mankind.
  • This then posits Victor in the position of God, the Almighty creator, although it is clear that Shelley is more comfortable using the figure of Prometheus to parallel to Victor, rather than God.
Victor as Satan

Victor as Satan

  • Victor may too be compared to Satan in that he defies God and commits a profound blasphemy by attempting to usurp God's power as the creator of life.
Romantics

Romantics

  • Lucifer was seen by Romantics, like Percy Shelley, as less of a villain and more of a Romantic rebel who posed as an anti-authoritarian figure.
_Paradise Lost_

Paradise Lost

  • It is not, however, mentioned that the Monster ever reads the Bible, but learns instead of God, Satan, good and evil from the epic poem Paradise Lost by Milton.
Jump to other topics
1

Narrative Structure

1.1

Narrative Structure

1.1.1Narrative Structure1.1.2Narrative Distancing1.1.3End of Topic Test - Narrative Structure
2

Character Summaries

2.1

Walton & Frankenstein

2.1.1Walton2.1.2Victor Frankenstein2.1.3End of Topic Test - Walton & Frankenstein
2.2

The Monster

2.2.1The Monster2.2.2The Monster 22.2.3End of Topic Test - The Monster
2.3

Elizabeth, Justine & Henry

2.3.1Elizabeth Lavenza2.3.2Justine Moritz2.3.3Henry Clerval2.3.4End of Topic Test - Elizabeth, Justine & Henry
2.4

Families & Other Characters

2.4.1The Frankenstein Family2.4.2The De Lacey Family2.4.3Other Characters2.4.4End of Topic Test - Families & Other Characters
3

Intertextuality & Allusions

3.1

Intertextual References

3.1.1The Modern Prometheus3.1.2The Rime of the Ancient Mariner3.1.3The Bible3.1.4Mutability & Tintern Abbey3.1.5End of Topic Test - Intertextual References
3.2

Philosophical & Scientific Theories

3.2.1Edmund Burke3.2.2Thomas Paine3.2.3John Locke3.2.4Jean-Jacques Rousseau3.2.5Historical Figures3.2.6End of Topic Test - Philosophy & Science Theories
4

Biographic Context

4.1

Biographic Context

4.1.1Shelley's Parents4.1.2Loss & Maternal Anxiety4.1.3Literary Legend4.1.4End of Topic Test - Biographical Context
5

Chapter Summaries

5.1

Letters

5.1.1Letters 1 & 25.1.2Letters 3 & 45.1.3End of Topic Test - Letters
5.2

Chapters

5.2.1Chapters 1-25.2.2Chapters 3-45.2.3Chapters 5-65.2.4Chapters 7-95.2.5Chapters 10-115.2.6Chapters 12-155.2.7Chapters 16-195.2.8Chapters 20-235.2.9Chapter 24 & Walton’s Last Letters5.2.10End of Topic Test - Chapters 1-65.2.11End of Topic Test - Chapters 7-155.2.12End of Topic Test - Chapters 16-235.2.13End of Topic Test - Chapter 24 & Walton's Letters
6

Key Themes

6.1

Key Themes

6.1.1Curiosity & Knowledge6.1.2Science & Society6.1.3Loss & Companionship6.1.4Connection to Nature6.1.5Injustice
6.2

Key Locations

6.2.1Extreme Landscapes6.2.2Industrialised University Cities6.2.3End of Topic Test - Key Themes & Locations
7

Recap: Main Quotes

7.1

Characters Quotes

7.1.1Walton - Quotations7.1.2Victor Frankenstein - Quotations7.1.3The Monster - Quotations7.1.4The Educational Texts - Quotations7.1.5Elizabeth Lavenza - Quotations7.1.6Justine Moritz - Quotations7.1.7Henry Clerval - Quotations7.1.8Alphonse Frankenstein - Quotations7.1.9The De Lacey Family - Quotations
7.2

Quotes by Chapters

7.2.1Letters 1 & 2 - Quotations7.2.2Letters 3 & 4 - Quotations7.2.3Chapters 1-6 - Quotations7.2.4Chapters 7-13 - Quotations7.2.5Chapters 14-20 - Quotations7.2.6Chapters 21-24 & Waton's Last Letters - Quotations

Practice questions on The Bible

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  1. 1
    In what way is the Monster like Adam?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    What did Romantics like Percy Shelley think of Lucifer?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    How is Victor comparable to Satan?Multiple choice
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The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Mutability & Tintern Abbey