1. Alison Aitken, Tara Anglican School for Girls, 2013
Promethean Myth
Alison Aitken, Tara Anglican School for Girls, 2013

2. Frankenstein is known as “Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus”
It can be argued that both texts explore ideas which relate back to this Greek myth.
Why is it relevant?

3. Prometheus Who? Prometheus was a titan
Known for his intelligence, wit and trickiness.
He was known for thinking about the future
Useful story time version:
Prometheus Who?

4. King of the Gods and man
Father figure
He oversaw the universe
Zeus

5. Zeus forbid the use of fire

6. But, Prometheus stole it back
Prometheus stole fire back for humanity
Prometheus defied Zeus!
But, Prometheus stole it back

7. The fire = human progress
The fire Prometheus stole enabled the progress of civilisation
(Think where humans would be without fire!!)
The fire = human progress

8. Punishment Zeus punished Prometheus for his defiance of Zeus with…
Eternal torment…
Punishment

9. Eagle would eat his liver each day
Bound to a rock
Eagle would eat his liver each day
Prometheus’ liver would regenerate every night
The eagle would return, daily

10. Prometheus has come to represent…
human striving
progress of civilisation
quest for scientific knowledge
the risk of overreaching
unintended consequences
the lone genius whose efforts to improve human existence could also result in tragedy (particularly in the Romantic era)
Champion of humanity
Prometheus has come to represent…

11. Time to think: How might the Promethean myth relate to Frankenstein?
How might it relate to Blade Runner?
Complete Page 6 in your booklets, now!
Time to think: