't meant to have. This act of giving the monster "forbidden" knowledge was not to help the monster survive; it was more so that Frankenstein could revel in his God-like role. Shelley deemed, in her introduction to the novel, that "Frightful must it be, for supremely frightful would be the effect of any human endeavor to mock the stupendous mechanism of the Creator of the World" (Shelley, p. XI). Shelley obviously intended to show that Frankenstein was indeed usurping divine power, but not for the same reasons as Prometheus had for stealing fire from Zeus. Frankenstein's modern values caused him to want his creation to be extraordinary, and he would stop at nothing to have his monster be just that. Prometheus, on the other hand, had noble intentions in mind when he gave man fire; he wanted to help man.Shelley's emphasis of the difference in values from the mythical Greek times and that of the modern age is not only visible in the creation of man, but also in the reaction and punishment that followed. When Frankenstein first laid his eyes on the newly animated monster, "disgust filled [his] heart" (Shelley, p. 56) and he ran, hoping never to see the monster in his sights again. His horror and dismay at what he had created overcame his responsibility to this live, and essentially, child-like being. His cowardliness is contrasted by how Prometheus dealt with his situation. After Zeus stole the fire that Prometheus had given to his creation, Prometheus stole it right back; knowing that mankind needed it to survive (Norton, p. 313). When Frankenstein ran away from the monster, the monster quickly became angered at the fact that he was alone, having been abandoned by the one who created him. When he finally meets up with Frankenstein, he explains how he feels about the way "you, my creator, abhor me" (Shelley, p. 96), yet does not conjure up any sympathy from Frankenstein. As a punishment, the monster has devoted his life to making...
