Frankenstein, or the modern Prometheus is a novel written by the british author Mary Shelley, it count the story of Victor Frankenstein, an eccentric scientist who created a Monster.

The subtitle « the modern Prometheus » is really important, Mary Shelley specify with this subtitle that Frankenstein is a rewrite of the Prometheus myth that she known by reading Ovid. Some have claimed that for Mary Shelley, Prometheus was not a hero but rather something of a devil, he gave the fire to humans and the vice of eating meat, so hunting and killing.

The forbidden knowledge quest is an important theme in the romantic genre. We can notice that « Prometheus » means « foresight », it’s ironical because this is the quality that lack Victor, he create the monster unconsciously and his life became a disaster, he sees his family die.

But Prometheus and Victor want the desire of personal glory. Frankenstein borrows at the same time the greek myth of Prometheus, the thief of the fire, and the latin myth, the creator of a human. Prometheus and Victor are both punished for their actions, Prometheus is tied to a rock and a vulture devours his liver each days, it became an endless suffering, like Victor who lost the love of his life.

We can consider that Frankenstein is partly a gothic rewrite of the Legend Of Prometheus, they give the same morality that it can be dangerous and unfortunate to defy the ban.