Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus

901 Words2 Pages

“In the beginning GOD created the Heavens and the Earth”; thus, their power is limitless even in scenery. Mary Shelley’s 1816 gothic science fiction novel, Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus, introduces us to a young intellectually inquisitive man, Victor Frankenstein, who walks a thin line between scientific exploration and blasphemous conduct while attempting to bring glory to his name by creating a new species as if it were human. The setting in this novel highlights much significance: the unnatural occurrences of man have caused them to seek refuge in nature’s pure beauty implying the restorative powers of nature in the face of unnatural events. The naturalistic setting serves a multi-functional purpose in this novel. Primarily, it mirrors the simplistic workings, yet the astonishing stature of the Creature and contrasts his undeniable ignorance that first accompanies him. Since he is assembled from old body parts and strange chemicals, the Creature is similar to nature because he too is divinely constructed and with so much detail “when [he] look[s] around [he] s[ees] and hear[s] none like him”; furthermore, not even his creator can gracefully bestow him. Moreover, the eight foot tall, enormously strong being with yellow skin and straight black lips is unfathomable as the serene images of nature are in Shelley’s novel. The setting also magnifies the vast world that the Creature has been thrown into without any regard, for his mind was originally that of a newborn. The setting is symbolic of knowledge and experience; however, the Creature lacks in all aspects. Victor, his creator, priding himself in schooling, education and exploration still fails to provide his “offspring” with such valuable traits. Nature brings him to lif... ... middle of paper ... ...elf upon the creature. Self-inflicted agony and stress causes Victor to refresh his mind and soul as he seeks solitude in the mountains of Switzerland, down the Rhine River in Germany, and on tour in England. The nature of the setting was the only remedy for his internal torment, at least momentarily. While immersed in its beauty, Victor and his creation escaped worldly problems and entered a supernatural bliss. In short, Shelley presents nature as very powerful. It has the power to put the humanity back into man when the unnatural world has stripped him of his moral fiber. In comparison to the pure beauty of nature, the unnatural acts of man are far more emphasized; therefore, the reader is clearly aware of man’s faults and their repercussions. Unfortunately, not even the power of nature could balance the work of man: “the cup of life was poisoned forever.”

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