At the beginning of life, humans are exposed to the outside world with an open and blank mind. A newborn has no knowledge, no concerns or worries and it only seeks to fulfill its main necessities. Surrounded by the outside world one lives through many experiences where knowledge is accepted. Encountering other human beings reflects upon one's perception and brings about ones self decisions. Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, written in 1816, demonstrates through characters that an obsessive desire for more knowledge may ruin ones life.
The desire of extensive knowledge is first seen through Victor Frankenstein. At the beginning of the novel, a young boy named Victor grows up in Geneva “deeply smitten with the thirst for knowledge” (20). The way Victor sees it, the world is a secret which he yearns to discover. His fascination in the secrets of the world drive him to study natural philosophy and chemistry at the University of Ingolstadt. Victor begins to further study discoveries of ancient scientists and is not satisfied with their knowledge. He says, “..I at once gave up my former occupations, set down natural history and all its progeny as a deformed and abortive creation, and entertained the greatest disdain for a would-be science which could never even step within the threshold of real knowledge” (24). Victor seeks to build upon previous discoveries and form new ones that go beyond the perimeter of mankind. Shelley shows how Victor’s obsession with knowledge of the unknown takes over his life and does not let anything or anyone stop him. Victor’s quest to overlook the natural limits of human knowledge brings about the creation of a monster that destroys his life and kills him. The monster he constructs does not reflect his o...
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...sion with trying to discover the impossible ruined his life and does not want to experience the troubles Victor had.
Mary Shelley brings about both the positive and negative aspects of knowledge through her characters in Frankenstein. The use of knowledge usually has many benefits, but here Shelley illustrates how seeking knowledge beyond its limits takes away from the natural pleasures of known knowledge. She suggests that knowledge without mortality and uncontrolled passions will lead to destruction. Victor and his monster experience this destruction following their desires and losing self control. Walton, on the other hand, becomes of aware of the consequences and is able to turn back before it’s too late. Shelley also suggests that without enjoying the natural pleasures of life, pursuing knowledge is limited, but how can knowledge be limited if it is infinite?
In the world today there is a drive to evolve and improve life through science and its findings. When looking at the good of a society, the people have to decide when the line between right and wrong is drawn. In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, she proves that the possession of knowledge can lead to destructive forces through Victor Frankenstein’s monster’s journey. The events that lead to Victor’s monster’s destructive path is when he comes into contact with the cottagers, he murders Victor’s brother, and runs away after destroying Victor’s life.
In "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley, Victor Frankenstein creates a monster that brings chaos and deaths to Victor Frankenstein's family and friends for revenge. This is one example of how too much knowledge can be dangerous. In addition to Frankenstein, the classical novel, "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Hyde." exemplifies why too much knowledge can cause chaos. In the novel, Dr. Jekyll creates salt in his laboratory that changes his physical appearance. Thus makes an alter ego named Hyde who murders citizens of England for pleasure. This changes Dr. Jekyll since he keeps switching appearances until one day, he changes to Hyde permanently. These examples show that the misuse of knowledge is dangerous. From bringing misery to Frankenstein to changing into a murderous alter ego, humans cannot handle too much
Knowledge comes from experience. Since birth, Mary Shelley’s Monster from her acclaimed epistolary novel, Frankenstein, has been assaulted by all of the difficulties of life, yet he has faced them completely alone. The Tabula Rasa concept is completely applicable to him. The Monster begins as a child, learning from mimicking and watching others. He then educates himself by reading a few books which help shape his personality and give him an identity. Following Maslow’s hierarchy of needs the Monster searches for and accomplishes the basic human necessities but feels alone, and needs human interaction and companionship. “My heart was fashioned to be susceptible of love and sympathy, and when wrenched by misery to vice and hatred, it did not endure the violence of the change without torture such as you cannot even imagine,” (Shelley 115). As the book progresses, the Monster ceases to be a one-dimensional and flat watcher of humanity. Through his numerous experiences and education, the monster instead morphs into a participator of humanity with the ability to achieve goals, broaden his personality and create himself an identity.
In Shelly’s ‘Frankenstein’, the theme of Knowledge is cultivated for multiple purposes. These include the effects of scientific advances, the de-mystification of nature, nature’s revenge and social relations in the romantic era. By examining knowledge in relation to the characters of Victor, Walton and the Creature it can be seen that the theme of knowledge is used a warning against the Enlightenment and a personification of the social injustices of the time.
Gómez, Claudia Rozas. "Strangers And Orphans: Knowledge And Mutuality In Mary Shelley’S Frankenstein." Educational Philosophy & Theory 45.4 (2013): 360-370. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Oct. 2013.
Victor was reared in a household where he had the proper environment to learn many things. His father was well-educated and encouraged Victor to further his knowledge. There was, however, one subject that he did not encourage Victor on; it was natural philosophy. Victor’s father told him not to waste his time on such trash. This remark fueled Victor’s curiosity and he studied further into it. At the age of 13, Victor “entered with the greatest diligence into the search of the philosopher’s stone and the elixir of life; but the latter soon obtained [his] undivided attention”. This foreshadowed Victor’s biggest mistake of his life that was to happen later in his life. When he entered the university, Victor started his studies in great detail and intensity. His greatest ambition was this: he wanted to recreate life out of something which life had already parted. He “described [himself] as always having been imbued with a fervent longing to penetrate the secrets of nature”.
Knowledge accompanied by wisdom, is a blessing. Knowledge helped scientists. make the most destructive weapon known to mankind, a nuclear bomb. It was lack of wisdom that caused United States of America to use it as a means of mass destruction, as illustrated in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Knowledge not accompanied by wisdom, is a curse. Victor Frankenstein, protagonist in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, is awed by the science of chemistry and natural philosophy. His desire to gain knowledge leads him to research the secret of life, and after years of research, Victor is convinced he has discovered the meaning of life. With knowledge as his most powerful weapon, Victor embarks on a journey to create something extraordinary out of old body parts. One desperate night, Victor brings his creation to life. However, one glance at the creature was enough to make him realize that he had not created something beautiful, he created a monster. Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein demonstrates how knowledge can be dangerous by the damage caused by both the monster and Victor.
In the gothic novel Frankenstein, humans have a bottomless, motivating, but often dangerous thirst for knowledge. This idea was clearly illustrated throughout the novel by Mary Shelley. The three main characters in the novel shared the thirst for knowledge that later lead to their downfall. In the novel knowledge is a huge theme that led to atrocious life to anyone that tried to gain it. Knowledge is hazardous; therefore, I support Dr. Frankenstein’s warning about knowledge being dangerous and that knowledge shouldn’t be gained.
Most affiliate knowledge with freedom and empowerment, the more knowledge you have the more empowered you are. However, according to Mary Shelly, knowledge does not empower one but enslaves them. Some might then go on to inquire how one, if they become enslaved by knowledge can one escape its rule. The answer to this question according to Mary Shelley is death. Death is where knowledge is no longer present. When one inquires about knowledge it usually revolves around the world in which they live or those that inhabit the world in which they live. When questions are asked about the world in which they do not live, the after life, there are no answers to be found or proofs to be shown, nor will there ever be since knowledge does not extend past the world in which we live. In Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, Mary makes the point that knowledge enslaves others and the only way one can escape knowledge is through death. Mary not only uses her two main characters, Victor Frankenstein and the monster, as representations in order to support this claim but, she also uses herself to support it. Mary has embodied herself in her characters and has also underlying reflected her own life through her book, thus allowing her to support this claim through her own personal life.
Education is a tool to advance an individual and a society; however, education can become a means to gain power when knowledge is used to exercise control over another. In Frankenstein, knowledge becomes the downfall of both Victor Frankenstein and the Monster. The novel explores the consequent power struggle between Victor Frankenstein and his creation, the dichotomy of good and evil, and the contrast between intellectual and physical power. Finding themselves in mirroring journeys, Victor Frankenstein and the Monster are locked in a struggle for dominance. Through these two characters, Mary Shelley explores the consequences of an egotistical mindset and of using knowledge to exercise power over others.
By definition, knowledge is the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association (Merriam-Webster.com). In the novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley considers knowledge as a “dangerous” factor. The danger of it is proved throughout the actions of the characters Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein, and the creature. The characters all embody the theme of knowledge in different ways. Shelley supports her opinion about knowledge by using references from the Bible and Paradise Lost. She uses these references to show the relationship between God’s Adam and Frankenstein’s creature, and how nothing turns out as great as God’s creation. Mary Shelley’s goal is to teach a lesson on how destructive the desire for knowledge really is.
Mary Shelley’s novel arises several questions relevant to the present day. A question that arises from the novel is whether man is born evil or made evil from his life experiences. The debate on whether how far man should pursue knowledge exists today as well as other questions challenged in the novel therefore “Frankenstein” is a popular novel at present as much as it was in the past.
Victor Frankenstein’s scientific endeavor, Robert Walton’s search for the North Pole, and the creature’s kind heart but scary features creates this whole theme of dangerous knowledge. The search for knowledge is encouraged and at times pushed by others. In Frankenstein is shows quest can lead to too much knowledge and drive him or her to his fate.
Frankenstein has a desire to discover the mysteries of life and the world. This desire for knowledge links him to the Biblical character, Adam; in fact, Frankenstein is more like Adam than his creature is. Ever since Victor Frankenstein was a child, he viewed the world as a “secret” (Shelley 923). He began to read books by Cornelius Agrippa, Paraclesus, and Albertus Magnus, authors of magic and the occult sciences; these books were not “rational” like the “theory of chemistry” (Shelley 924). Rather, they contained a false science. Nonetheless, Frankenstein enthusiastically read these books. He possesses a curiosity and desire to delve into the mysteries of life. However, Frankenstein later admits that these studies were “unlawful”; they were not “befitting to the human mind” (Shelley 934). This knowledge is forbidden knowledge to mankind. Adam, likewise, was tempted with the prospect of forbidden knowledge. God planted the “tree of knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9). However, He...
In my opinion, Victor should note also that knowledge itself does not hurt, however the application of the knowledge is where it will hurt, when someone will act and use the knowledge in some way, such as in the example of nuclear energy. Used beneficially, it provides great benefits, such as in power generation. But the bad side, nuclear weapons, is one example of a "Frankenstein monster" unleashed upon the world due to man's uncontrolled passions. So Shelley's message to the reader is that knowledge without morality will lead to suffering. Sadly, man has not yet learned this and it will take much time for this message of Frankenstein to settle in.