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Allusions in Frankenstein
Throughout our discussions of Frankenstein, we noted the many allusions to famous
pieces of literature and stories. Listed below are the stories Shelley referenced, background
information on each, and the page numbers on which you can find the allusions. Discuss how
each allusion connects with the novel in at least 4 to 6 sentences on a separate sheet of paper.
1. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Coleridge
The poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, chronicles the story of a mariner who has
returned from a long sea voyage. During his voyage, the mariner shot and killed an albatross
(large seabird) that was glorified by the ship’s crew; they thought the albatross brought them good
luck. After the mariner kills the albatross, the ship sails into uncharted waters. The crew forces
the mariner to wear the albatross around his neck to “bear the burden” for killing the bird. The
crew then encounters a ghostly ship where “Death” and “Life-in-death” are playing dice for the
men’s lives. Death wins the crewmembers’ lives, while Life-in-death wins the mariner’s life. The
mariner is forced to witness his crew members die one by one. He is also cursed to roam the Earth
and tell his story as compensation for killing the albatross; he must teach a lesson to those he
meets.
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Page 7: “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.’”
Page 50: “Like one who, on a lonely road…Doth close behind him tread.”
2. Divine Comedy (Inferno) by Dante Alighieri
Dante’s Inferno relates the story of Dante’s journey through the nine circles of Hell.
Throughout his journey, he is guided by the Roman poet, Virgil. They encounter sinners suffering
terrible punishments and “reaping what they sow.” For instance, those who participated in wars
and bloodshed are doomed to spend eternity drowning in a boiling hot river of blood.
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Page 50: “…it became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived.”
3. Prometheus (Greek mythology)
Prometheus was a Titan who created men from clay. He also stole fire from the sun to
give to man. His actions angered Zeus, the king of the gods, who in turn condemned Prometheus
for his actions. He was bound to a rock for eternity while an eagle constantly pecked at his liver.
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Page 45: “Who shall conceive the horrors of my secret toil as I dabbed among the
unhallowed damps of the grave or tortured the living animal to animate the lifeless clay?”
Consider that the subtitle of the book is “The Modern Prometheus.”
4. One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights) a collection of folk tales
During the fourth voyage of Sinbad the Sailor, he becomes shipwrecked on an unknown
land. While he resides there, he befriends the king, and the king gives him a beautiful wife.
However, Sinbad is unaware of the customs of the new land he now inhabits: if one’s spouse dies,
their partner must be entombed alive with their deceased spouse. Sinbad’s wife becomes sick and
dies; therefore, he is buried alive with her. Luckily, Sinbad is able to escape from the tomb.
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Page 43: “I was like the Arabian who had been buried with the dead and found a passage
to life, aided only by one glimmering and seemingly ineffectual light.”
5. Paradise Lost by John Milton
Paradise Lost is an epic poem that relates the story of the fall of man; it is based heavily
on the book of Genesis from the Bible. In the poem, God creates the Earth, along with Adam, the
first man. Adam longs for a companion, so God creates Eve. Adam and Eve reside in paradise,
a.k.a. the Garden of Eden, where they may eat of any plant in the garden, except the Tree of
Knowledge. Satan, a fallen angel and the king of hell, learns of the new race of man and becomes
jealous; he could have loved this new race, but instead, he is condemned to forever be the
“embodiment of hell.” Thus, he takes revenge on the new race by causing their fall. Satan tempts
Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, and Adam eats from the tree shortly after. Adam and Eve
have now gained knowledge of the evils of the world and have also caused the fall of man. They
are then forced to leave the garden forever.
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Page 96: “Remember that I am thy creature; I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the
fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed.”
Page 130: “But Paradise Lost excited different and far deeper emotions. Like Adam, I
was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence; but his state was far
different from mine in every other respect. Many times I considered Satan as the fitter
emblem of my condition….”
Page 132: “But it was all a dream; no Eve soothed my sorrows nor shared my thoughts; I
was alone.”
Consider the fact that both Walton and Victor pursue knowledge.