ALLUSIONS IN
FRANKENSTEIN
Group 11:
Kie Fujii
Monica Frick
Julianne Scheidler
Letters I-IV and Volume I
Allusions
Letter II
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (1798)
Samuel Taylor Coleridge

"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.""
Redemption follows sin

In the Poem:
Because the Mariner
Shoots the albatross,
everything starts to go
wrong for him and his
crew. He sinned and
redemption came after
that.

In the Novel:
Walton compares his situation
to that of the Mariner because
he knows there are
consequences and he
promises Margaret that he will
not do something to put others
in danger.
Isolation

In the Poem:
Because of the Mariner’s
wrongdoing, his consequence
is being isolated and thrown
off course.

In the Novel:
Walton hints at this idea of
isolation already when he
complains to Margaret of not
having a companion on his
journey.
Chapter 5- The Rime of the
Ancient Marnier

"Like one who, on a lonely road,
Doth walk in fear and dread,
And, having once turned round, walks on,
And turns no more his head;
Because he knows a frightful fiend
Doth close behind him tread."
Guilt

In the Poem:
The Mariner has the
guilt of killing the
albatross and then
leading his ship to
danger.

In the Novel:
Frankenstein has the
guilt of creating the
frightening creature.
Chapter 7-The Rime of the
Ancient Mariner

"I could not be mistaken. A flash of
lightning illuminated the object and
discovered its shape plainly to me; its
gigantic stature, and the deformity of its
aspect, more hideous than belongs to
humanity, instantly armed me that it was
the wretch, the filthy demon to whom I
had given life."
Gothic Romanticism

In the Poem:
There is a lot of
realistic and
mysterious imagery
of the Mariner’s
experience at sea.

In the Novel:
The imagery of both
the realistic and
abnormal features of
the creature leads to
the type of genre this
novel can be
categorized in.
Chapter 4-Prometheus

“After days and nights of
incredible labor and
fatigue, I succeeded in
discovering the cause of
generation and life; nay,
more, I became myself
capable of bestowing
animation upon lifeless
matter."

This quote reflects the
idea that Prometheus
was a piece of “lifeless
matter” after his liver was
eaten at. Once
Frankenstein sees the
creature he created, he
is not sure how it turned
out to be something of
what he thought was
“lifeless matter.”
Chapter 2-Paracelsus and
Albertus Magnus

“When I returned
home my first care
was to procure the
whole works of this
author, and
afterwards of
Paracelsus and
Albertus Magnus. I
read and studied the
wild fancies of these
writers with delight;
they appeared to me
treasures known to
few besides myself.”

Victor reads from works
of both Paracelsus and
Albertus Magnus,
authors known for
studying natural
sciences, and him
reading these works
leads to him being
interested in learning
about natural sciences
which leads to the
creation of the creature.
Chapter 5-The Vicar of
Wakefield
‘…I believe I left him incredulous to the last, for his
constant answer to my unwearied entreaties was the
same as that of the Dutch schoolmaster in The Vicar
of Wakefield: `I have ten thousand florins a year without
Greek, I eat heartily without Greek.' But his affection for
me at length overcame his dislike of learning, and he
has permitted me to undertake a voyage of
discovery to the land of knowledge.’
Chapter 5 (continued)

In The Vicar of Wakefield, the
main character carries on a
happy life until something
happens when someone
betrays another,which
foreshadows/relates to the
actions in Frankenstein with
the creature, Victor, and some
of the other characters.
Letter I- Homer and
Shakespeare

“I imagined that I also
might obtain a niche
in the temple where
the names of Homer
and Shakespeare are
consecrated. You are
well acquainted with
my failure and how
heavily I bore the
disappointment.”

Homer and
Shakespeare are
known for being
authors of works of
tragedies which
foreshadows the grief
that Victor will later
go through.
Chapter 5-Dante

“I had gazed on him
while unfinished; he
was ugly then, but
when those muscles
and joints were
rendered capable of
motion, if became a
thing such as even
Dante could not have
conceived.”

Dante had a lot of
thoughts on the
afterlife and they
were not particularly
always pleasant. The
looks of the creature
were not what he was
expecting and were
not always accepted.
Volume II
Allusions
Paradise Lost


“Remember, that I am
thy creature: I ought to
be thy Adam; but I am
rather the fallen
angel.” (Chapter 10)
Creature had hoped to
be like Adam, God’s
perfect creation.
Instead, he was seen
as the archangel,
Michael.
Cont. Paradise Lost


“But ‘Paradise Lost’ excited different and far deeper
emotions. I read it, as I had read the other volumes
which had fallen into my hands, as a true history… Like
Adam, I was apparently united by no link to any other
being in existence… He had come forth from the hands
of God a perfect creature… Many times I considered
Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition…” (Chapter
15)
It is ironic that the creature finds “Paradise Lost,” when
he was comparing himself to Adam four chapters prior.
This book seems to point to a creation coming from a
dark source such as Satan.
Cont. Paradise Lost


"I will revenge my injuries; if I cannot inspire love, I will
cause fear, and chiefly towards you my arch-enemy,
because my creator, do I swear inextinguishable hatred.
Have a care; I will work at your destruction, nor finish
until I desolate your heart, so that you shall curse the
hour of your birth.” (Chapter 17)
From the tone of this quote the creature became more
like Satan in how he envies the good and the love that
others enjoy. The creature threatens as Satan does to
destroy what he cannot have.
William Wordsworth
“My spirits were elevated by the
enchanting appearance of nature; the
past was blotted from my memory, the
present was tranquil, and the future gilded
by bright rays of hope, and anticipations
of joy.” (chapter 12)
 The creature is hoping to forget his painful
memories and relive his innocent
childhood to feel needed and loved.

Essay Concerning Human
Understanding- John Locke
“Of what a strange nature is knowledge!
It clings to the mind, when it has once
seized on it, like a lichen on the rock.”
(Chapter 13)
 Ever since he was created, the creature
constantly had negative responses from
others, and this knowledge permanently
damaged how he perceived himself. He
could not remove the trauma of other’s
reactions from his brain.

Prometheus



"I had saved a human being from
destruction, and as a recompense I now
writhed under the miserable pain of a
wound which shattered the flesh and bone.”
(Chapter 16)
This quote relates to Prometheus in that
both tried to save a life, but then were
punished for their actions.
This relates to the phrase, “No good deed
goes unpunished.” The creature is only
trying to help someone, but because of his
appearance, his good actions end up
causing him pain.
The Rime Of The
Ancient Mariner


"Could I enter into a festival with
this deadly weight yet hanging
round my neck and bowing me to
the ground?” (Chapter 18)
Since the theme of “The Rime of the
Ancient Mariner” is sin,
Frankenstein feels guilty for
creating a monster that will harm his
loved ones.
Allusions cont.
Allusions in Volumes
3 and 4
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Chapter 17- Paradise Lost

"I will revenge my injuries; if I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear,
and chiefly towards you my arch-enemy, because my creator, do I
swear inextinguishable hatred. Have a care; I will work at your
destruction, nor finish until I desolate your heart, so that you shall
curse the hour of your birth.”

What Shelley is alluding to here is Paradise Lost by John
Milton. She first alludes to this in the beginning of the play to
foreshadow that it is something that the new creature is
going to come across. Se alludes to it here to really push the
there across of, that it is not only about the making of a
monster.
Chapter 18- The Rime of the
Ancient Mariner
 “Could I enter into a festival with this deadly weight yet
hanging round my neck and bowing me to the ground.”

Shelley is alluding to The Rime of the Ancient
Mariner again I feel like to push the theme that
she created for the story. I also think that the
way Walton describes his desire to travel and
explore the world. He is talking in terms of
physical travel and the mental exploration of
intellectual discovery.
Chapter 22-Adam and Eve

"Sweet and beloved Elizabeth! I read and re-read her
letter, and some softened feelings stole into my heart
and dared to whisper paradisiacal dreams of love and
joy; but the apple was already eaten."

The roles are reversed. It is Dr. Frankenstein
who compares himself to Adam. The
monster's desire to make Victor as miserable
as he is approaching completion.