A connection between Frankenstein and Dorian Gray

[Susu J]

I am currently reading 'Frankenstein' by Shelley and have already noticed that there are some strong connections to 'the Picture of Dorian Gray' by Wilde. Both authors stress on the point that what the artist wishes to create can become dangerous and quite fatal. Both authors succeed in implying that our creations are never what we imagined them to be, instead they lead us to our eventual downfall.

[Lacra]

Yes, Susu, you are right. I never found this analogy between them before. Is a good point to start even a Master disertation thesis. There are many differences as well, but work on the common point you have found. Congrats for the idea.

[Susu J]

Thanks Lacra!

[Lumiere]

Oh, cool! Never realized that before. Thanks for pointing it out! :nod:

[jadrianne]

in both novels there is a major theme : What happens when a human creature tries to become God ( in the case of Frankenstein when the human dares to createanother human being ) or the Devil ( like in the case of Dorian Gray when the human creature dares to do a lot of evil things knowing that their traces won't render him hideous ).

[Susu J]

I believe you are quite right, jadrianne

However, I also think that with ‘Dorian Gray’ when Basil paints the portrait, he puts his life and soul into that painting. The painting becomes his greatest achievement and as a result he becomes infatuated with Dorian Gray. Basil has a beautiful image of Dorian Gray in his mind and that image is eternal in the portrait but when Dorian Gray becomes negatively influenced by Lord Henry (who I believe to be the Devil himself), Basil cannot believe that the image of a pure and innocent boy is stained, hence his creation of what he hoped to be an eternal Adonis is destroyed. As with Frankenstein, Frankenstein dreams of creating a new species but when he realises that his creation is not what he imagined it to be (just like Basil); he is left feeling confused and lost.

Hence we should learn that although our creations may give us some short-term satisfaction, if we do not think about them thoroughly and the consequences that they may bring, then our creation itself may bring to us much unexpected harm.

Susu.