How is the Prometheus myth used throughout Frankenstein?

In crafting the creature and giving it life, Victor Frankenstein takes on the role of God, assuming a power
that is divine, and, not to be trifled with by men. Victor, in his desire to expand his creative knowledge,
his drive, his ambition to know the origin of life, puts him in conflict with the Provence of God. He
ventures into the realm of God, committing a grave sin, the creation of the monster, and then,
subsequently is punished.

Similarly, Prometheus, on instructions from Zeus, creates a race of men from clay and water. However,
the race of beings are not as obedient and do not adore the god as he pleases, so Zeus denies the being
the use of fire. Promethus, on the side of the human beings, brings fire to man behind Zeus's back and is
then punished by the god for his disobedience.

What Victor Frankenstein and Prometheus share are a creative spirit, responsible for crafting beings, as
well as a destiny of eternal suffering for going beyond the limits. Victor creates life, crossing into a
realm exclusive to God, the creator, Prometheus, disobeys Zeus and gives humans fire.

It can be argued that Prometheus was more loyal to his creatures that Victor Frankenstein, who
abandoned his monster because he was repulsed by his hideous appearance. At least Prometheus
fought for his creation against the power of Zeus.

However, the greatest similarity between the two lies in their suffering for the unforgivable
transgressions committed against the gods, or God in Victor's case. They both suffer isolation and
rejection, Prometheus chained to a rock having his liver eaten nightly, Victor becomes obsessed with the
creature which isolates him and infuses his life with innumerable suffering, until he dies in his quest for
the monster.

"Victor verges on inhuman he doesnt seem to have normal emotional reactions to any of the events
in his life. He cuts himself off from the world, eventually devoting the remainder of his life to one
obsession: Destroying the monster he created."

Comparing the use of fire between the two stories, fire contains the essence of life, as in a spark which
ignites life in Victor's creature. For Promethus, fire, in the hands of man, his beings, allows this race of
men to advance and grow into a society of people. The discovery of fire by man marks a leap in his
development as a thinking creature capable of not only surviving, but advancing.

There are always going to be different readings of mythology, so some level of discrepancy will have to
be part of the equation. However, in terms of the Prometheus myth and its connection to Shelley's
work, we can make some claims that are relatively valid. The first is that Prometheus can be seen as the
creator of man. He was given this as a reward for his assistance to Zeus when he overthrew the other
Titans. He also bestowed fire to mankind. He did this to show his devotion to mankind, his creation, and
to allow humans to be "closer" to possessing the capacity of the gods. The dependence argument is a
new twist for me, but I think it makes sense because any creator that cares for their created seeks to
give it independence of thought and action. This is logical to me. Indeed, Zeus was angry when he was
tricked by being given rotten meat as a sacrifice, and Prometheus did give advice to mankind as to how
to trick Zeus. Finally, both Prometheus and Mankind are punished.

The first point to be made here is that the work is entitled, "Modern Prometheus." This indicates that
Mary Shelley did see Victor as a modern version of Prometheus. However, she does create the
character of Victor and his relationship to the monster as different than the relationship that
Prometheus had to mankind. The first is that Prometheus made mankind in an almost "loving image" of
his own sense of self. This is in stark contrast to Victor, who creates the monster as larger than life and
almost beast like. (Note Shelley's use of the term "hideous progeny.) By itself, this indicates a
difference between the Promethian creator and the Victor creator. Additionally, Prometheus remains
true and loyal to his creation. He guides mankind, empowers them with fire, a symbol of light and truth
and wisdom, and does not abandon them, even at great cost to himself ("Liver/ chain/ cliff/ eagles"
thing). Victor does not have the same level of connection to his creation. Upon seeing the creature,
Victor abandons it and runs away, terrified at what he is created. He leaves the creature- a being that
did not ask to be brought into the world. This modern creation myth, "Modern Prometheus," depicts
abandonment as part of the myth, that in a way the modern setting creates abandonment as part of our
identity. Victor abandons the creation and really does not accept his responsibility for taking care and
guiding it. Note again, Prometheus seeks to guide mankind and enable it to be independent. There is
little evidence of this emotional connection between Victor and the monster, and the former has to
assume a great deal of that blame. It is true that Victor does accept the responsibility for killing the
monster and hunting it down, but that is not of the same caliber of emotional bond between creator
and creation. This re-conceptualization might be why the modern version of Prometheus is different
that the traditional one.