Prometheus, a Greek God who is known to be the fire-stealer and life-giver, also tried to play god by creating man and giving them fire against Zeus’s commands. Victor Frankenstein and Prometheus both stole to create their own being or race to worship them and were justly punished in the end for those endeavors at playing God and thievery. According to James Rieger and Harold Bloom, the crime of the “modern Prometheus” is partly the conventional overreacher’s wish to “explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation.” In the story Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein creates a creature to worship him as stated in the text, “A new species would bless me as its creator and source” (Shelley 32) and that he can control. Victor is trying to be a god which is why he is trying to create this new race. He states in the text, “I became myself capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter” (Shelley 30).
Hrothgar, decides to build a type of sanctuary for his warriors that he names "Heorot". This is in the first main passage of the story of Beowulf and this is the first place we find the theme of internal versus external evil. The passage implies that internal evil will ultimately destroy the hall, rather than being attacked by monsters: "Not reckless of promise, the rings he dealt, treasure at banquet: there towered the hall, high, gabled wide, the hot surge waiting of furious flame. "(28) This foreshadows the internal evil that will destroy the Danes. Another theme in this story is the theme of men versus monsters.
Both Shelley’s and Scott’s texts highlight the moral and ethical issues regarding the pursuit of knowledge, the evolutionary relationship between man and technology and the concerns surrounding man attempting to play god. Our ideals and morals that differ in texts through context, scrupulously shape our image of humanity. MAN PLAYING GOD Frankenstein is a hybrid blend of gothic horror and science fiction, in comparison Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner is a dystopian gothic film noir. Despite contextual differences, the texts target the hunger of man trying to play god. Each text highlights humanity’s flaws, such as ego, ambition, obsession with power and greed.
1. Describe Prometheus’ role in humanity’s primal history according to Hesiod. Prometheus was a son of titans and surpassed all in scheming and trickery and had several roles in humanity’s primal history. According to Hesiod, the actions of Prometheus explained the existence for ritualistic sacrifices. This is seen at Mecone where Prometheus’ trick brought wrath at him and humans.
Christian sees a kind, sincere, and an exceptionally gorgeous Roxane and immediately falls in love with her at first sight. Though Christian’s love for Roxane may not be very deep or complex like Cyrano’s, it is still genuine love unlike De Guiche’s “love” for Roxane. I perceive Christian as being a sincere and thoughtful man that has no wit or eloquence when it comes to confessing his love for Roxane; so much so he requires the help of Cyrano to speak for him, literally. The scenes that Christian and Roxane share are comedic and at the same time very tragic. It is very unfortunate because Christian is so sincere for his love of Roxane, but he is also so
Elements that are transcendent of time include science and technology, Christianity, monstrosity vs. humanity and creation and creators. Upon close analysis of both differing texts, Shelley and Scott ultimately express a warning of the dire consequences of humanity’s desire for power, control and unrestrained scientific progress. Shelley develops the concept of Man usurping God’s role as creator through her characterisation of Victor. The heavenly imagery “It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn” characterises Victor as disrespectful of God’s Laws, his arrogant ambition a symbol of the irreverent scientists of the Enlightenment. Creation once was something biblically pure and reserved for God but Victor ignores this and his work becomes a mockery of purity “I kept my workshop of filthy creation,” the oxymoron undermining the implied sanctity expressing the depravity of Victor’s ambition.
Through this, Mary Shelley illustrates different forms of power as an unchecked capability of society, and expresses their dangers to humanity. In understanding her context, we see Shelley’s intention to compose a didactic message regarding the limitless ability of nature and man, and the threats it poses to humanity. Blade Runner, created almost two centuries later, was composed under vastly different circumstances, yet still voices the same concerns. Through its discussion, we see how Ridley Scott evolves from Shelley’s ideas to present a speculative, dystopian film where humanity has failed to adhere to Shelley’s message, and warns of the consequences when the power she describes is not used responsibly. One of the most dominant concerns shared between Frankenstein and Blade Runner is humanity’s defiance and disrespect to nature and the environment.
Cosmic Creation Myths across Cultures Out of nothing comes creation earth and man. These two myths are similar because each has characteristics of gods, heavenly worlds and levels leading to dark underworlds. Creators are female, male, and creatures; celestial bodies of female beginnings turning into male dominated societies. Gods slay giant creatures and use their blood and carcass makes a new worlds. Clashed together epic battles between good and evil are fought to rule kingdoms.
Its vivid portrayal of the other as a violent and dangerous enemy constitutes a violent and dangerous act. Furthermore, Indiana Jones deals with many post-colonial themes. The major theme that post-colonialism brings up is the idea of a foreign or unknown culture. This theme is uncontrolled throughout the movie. For example, while the men who help the Nazis discover the temple that houses the Holy Grail.
Sometimes they are fabulous beauties and other times they are horrible demons. According to Arthur Cotterell’s Classical Mythology, “monsters symbolize the dark and unresolved forces in life and human nature” (56). The monsters in the Odyssey serve as warnings and lessons that haunt people. Homer uses the one-eyed Cyclopes to symbolize the narrow mindedness of people who view the world through a single lens. In her book, Mythology, Edith Hamilton describes monsters as living beings unlike anything else known to man.