Download Allusion in Frankenstein

Allusion in Frankenstein
Allusion in literature is a reference to another story, myth or event.
By using allusion, an author can give meaning and depth to a story.
Allusion can also be used to foreshadow future events in a story.
In the novel Frankenstein, the opening letters allude to three specific
references:
1.
Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus
the title of the novel alludes to the character Prometheus
in Greek mythology.
2.
“Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay To mould me man, Did I
solicit From darkness to promote me?
the opening of the novel begins with a reference to the
poem Paradise Lost, by John Milton.
3.
“I am going to unexplored regions, to ‘the land of mist and
snow’; but I shall kill no albatross, therefore do not be
alarmed for my safety, or if I should come back to you as
worn and woeful as the ‘Ancient Mariner’”?
Letter II (pg.7) makes alludes to the poem “The Rime of
the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
Assignment:
Pick one allusion reference above, and write a 2 page minimum
fictional biography that is consistent with the allusion. Your story
must begin with one of the sentences below, and must remain
consistent with the myth, story, or poem alluded to. You may work
in small groups.
1.
Prometheus: In Greek mythology, Prometheus stole the
secret of fire from the gods. This secret was something that
humans were not supposed to know. The gods for his
misdeed then punished Prometheus. One moral of this
myth is that there may be some secrets that humans should
not know, unless, of course, they choose to be punished by
the gods….
Opening sentence: “I too, like Prometheus, stole from the
gods, and I too, will be punished for eternity….
2.
Paradise Lost: This poem draws from the Bible, it describes
the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden,
and also the fall of Satan, an Archangel who challenged the
authority of God, and was cast down from Heaven to suffer
eternally for his sin.
Opening sentence: “I too, challenged the authority of God,
and I too, was cast down from Heaven…”
3.
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner: This poem tells the tale of
a sailor who, while sailing in uncharted regions, shot an
albatross, an omen of good luck. Immediately afterward, ill
fortune and terrible occurrences befell the sailor and his
ship. The Mariner was doomed to retell his tale to others, so
that they should not repeat his sin.
Opening sentence: “I too, killed something good & pure, and bad
fortune befell me. Take heed of my story, so that you too do not
suffer as I …”