Frankenstein: Deconstructing the Modern Prometheus

"Can you contain your fire, Prometheus? Or are you going to burn your hands before delivering it?"

In this part three of my deep-dive into Guillermo Del Toro's "Frankenstein", I'd like to jump around to explore some of the fascinating details used to tell his version of Mary Shelley's story. 

In the opening scene, we meet the captain of a Danish ship currently stuck in the ice, insisting that when they manage to escape they will continue their mission northward despite the longing of the men to return home. The captain takes a breather in his cabin and we see him rubbing blackened toes in front of a fire. This shot holds more meaning than I first realized. There's the nod to dead or dying flesh, but deeper perhaps is the symbolism of pursuing an imagined achievement no matter the cost. 

When Victor follows what he later defines as "madness" (madness here being continuing to pursue an idea in spite of all moral or ethical repercussions) we see him begin to evolve - or devolve - into the monster himself. Poetically, after losing his leg in an explosion he creates, he reassembles himself with a prosthetic. The captain's frostbitten toes, to me, represent the possibility of his corruption if he insists on pursuing his own "madness". 

And just to nod to an Easter egg here, upon the third viewing I noted that the first body part Victor carves out to assemble his creation is a leg. 

Now to the symbolism of mirrors. This movie unapologetically holds a mirror to humanity. It also doesn't shy away from questioning "is the true monster the man in the mirror?" Mirrors could also represent multiple sides of a person, or perhaps the version of themselves they portray to others.

In a bathroom, Victor checks himself in a three-paned mirror. He is closing in on his greatest achievement, he is wearing expensive clothing at Harlander's expense, and he is lusting after Elizabeth. 

While caring for the newborn Creature, we see Victor having difficulty shaving the Creature's head because he turns it to look at his reflection for the first time. 

When Victor visits Elizabeth before her wedding, much to her disgust, we see him only as a reflection in the mirror beside her.

I think each moment could hold multiple interpretations, depending on the viewer.

A little detail I noticed was how in Victor's childhood memories, his mother uses his name lovingly, calling him to her. His father uses it coldly, with hatred (or perceived so by Victor). This later repeats in how the Creature uses Victor's name and only Victor's name as a newborn, because that word means everything to him. He uses the name lovingly or to verbalize a need. After suffering abuse at his maker's hands, he uses the name with hatred instead. 

Another hidden gem is Victor's surgeon father explaining that "there is no spiritual content in tissue, and no emotion in muscle". We are then faced with questioning this medical opinion, because how does a reanimated man made up of dead organs feel love, fear, rage? How is he more than a traditional zombie? 

And now, on to Prometheus. 

The subtitle of Mary Shelley's book is "the Modern Prometheus". In case you aren't familiar with the Greek myth or need a refresher, here's a little summary. 

Prometheus is a Greek Titan credited with stealing fire from the gods on Mount Olympus, and gifting it to humanity in the form of knowledge, technology, and civilization. He is regarded as the father of human arts and sciences. In Western classical tradition, he's come to represent human striving for scientific knowledge and the risk of overreaching; a lone genius whose efforts to improve humanity may result in tragedy. 

In some versions of the myth, Prometheus is also responsible for creating humanity by crafting them from clay. 

Zeus punishes Prometheus for defying the gods and gifting fire to humanity. He was sentenced to eternal torment, by being chained to the side of a mountain and having his liver pecked out by an eagle every day. His liver would grow back only to be eaten again the next day in a never-ending cycle. In ancient Greece, the liver was thought to be the seat of emotions. 

What is tragic about "Frankenstein" is while Victor would technically be Prometheus, the Creature is the one punished by being unable to die regardless of how much he suffers. 

Elizabeth eludes to this unfairness in speaking about war. The men who start the wars and pursue their "ideas" are the ones who stay comfortably at home, while the consequences of their actions are felt by the soldiers falling on the battlefield. 

I took note in my third viewing of how often fire is used to incorporate the symbolism of Prometheus in the background. I noticed that in most of Victor's scenes as a child, he is sitting or standing or kneeling in front of a lit fireplace. 

Explaining how the Frankenstein family lost their fortune, Victor recounts that "two revolts and a fire" on his mother's plantation ruined their prospects. 

Adult Victor is framed near fireplaces too, but more actively we see him holding a lit candelabra. Quite literally carrying fire around. In fact right after a successful reanimation, Victor leads his creation into the bowels of the tower, holding the candelabra to light their way. The Creature reaches for the flames, intrigued by the light, but Victor keeps it out of reach and tells him to be careful, the fire is hot. 

After chaining the creature there and leaving him, we see Victor overwhelmed with the weight of what he's accomplished. He sits on the steps and slowly blows out his candles. We hear his narration, "Having reached the edge of the earth, there was no horizon left. The achievement felt unnatural." 

Upon deciding that his creation is a mistake (yet not as an ethical one, but as a personal disappointment who doesn't meet his standards) and a threat to his safety, and a threat to his desire for Elizabeth, Victor decides to burn the Creature alive and destroy the entire lab with him. In a twist of irony, the explosion caused by the fire destroys Victor's leg. 

Of course the Creature survives, and later recalls early memories of fire and water when trying to recall where he comes from. 

During their last altercation, Victor lights a stick of dynamite and the creature holds it to his chest until it explodes, praying that it will end him. He survives again, and when we see him attacking the sailors he is shrouded in sparks and smoke. 

Finally, the reconciliation between father and son on Victor's deathbed is lit by the fireplace. 

There are still more components and details I could expound upon, and I'm sure when I inevitably watch it again I will notice new ones. But I've had my fun exploring the film with my words, and here seems like a satisfying place to end it. 

"If death is not to be, then consider this, my son. While you are alive, what recourse do you have but to live?” 

    - Victor Frankenstein