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What Frankenstein can teach us about human nature
What Frankenstein can teach us about human nature
What Frankenstein can teach us about human nature
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Journey Entry #1 Frankenstein
Victor Frankenstein is forced by society to live a life of suffering. From an early age, Frankenstein grew up in one of the most distinguished families in the republic, meaning he had to partake in society and suffer from it’s influences unwillingly. He describes his father as being an honorable, and respectable syndic, which set high standards for Frankenstein. At university, Frankenstein is ridiculed for his belief in the alchemists, furthering Frankenstein’s ambition to prove the professors wrong. The actual “fate” Frankenstein describes is the influence of society which is constantly influencing him, whether it be through his professors or his parents, to be as ambitious as he is. The only way to have stopped
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society’s influence, is to live a life of simplicity as Henry David Thoreau would suggest, but Frankenstein chooses not to as he believes fate to be the cause of his misery, making him responsible for his own misery Constantly throughout the story, Frankenstein believes that his misery is a result of his fate, when it is his ambition to learn.
While describing his birth, Frankenstein states “their child, the innocent and helpless creature … whose future lot it was in their hands to direct to happiness or misery” (27). The words “innocent”, and “creature” implies a state without any human influence allowing his parents to influence Frankenstein however they wanted to as he was “helpless”. By choosing these words, Frankenstein emphasizes the responsibility of his parents in directing his life into misery as if his parents had dictated his fate. He especially blames his father for have not “taken the pains to explain to that the principles of Agrippa had been entirely exploded” (34). By using the word “pains”, and “exploded”, Frankenstein emphasizes the unreasonable extent that he wishes his father would have taken to explain to him why these ideas were wrong, demonstrating that his curiosity would have never been satisfied enough to stop learning. By blaming his father for his inability to change his subject matter of Natural philosophy, “the genius that has regulated [his] fate” (34), Frankenstein ignores the possibility of changing his ambition to learn as he believes it to be innate, and that fate deciding his subject matter has led to his
misery. Contrary to Frankenstein’s opinion, Thoreau states that, “[o]ur life is frittered away be detail” (“Where I Lived, and What I Lived For”, 2), displaying that Frankenstein’s ambition to learn has led to his misery as he is too focused on learning whereas if Frankenstein had lived a life of simplicity, he would have avoided his misery. The contrast created by the description of Frankenstein’s childhood at the start of the novel as being that “no human being could have passed a happier childhood than myself (Frankenstein, 32) to the misery he is in, demonstrates that a life as simple as a child brings happiness, whereas a life of incessant learning leads to misery. In addition, in response to criticisms of the alchemists by his professors, Frankenstein deemed their teachings “a palpable enemy” (46) and that “more, far more, will I achieve; treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation” (46). Frankenstein’s desire to prove others wrong and his stubbornness to do so is emphasized by his inspirational tone as he makes it sound as if his scientific discovery will change humanity forever. Thoreau criticizes such an idea that scientific discoveries such as that of the railroad were built upon the misery of the Irishman (“Where I Lived, and What I Lived For”, 3), therefore scientific discoveries don’t always benefit humanity, and that the effort to do so is fruitless, only causing misery to the scientist who doesn’t live a life of simplicity
Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature highlights Frankenstein as the work of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, published in 1818, and it brought into the Western world one of its best known monsters. Elements of gothic romance and science fiction help in telling the story of young Swiss scientist Victor Frankenstein, as he creates a horrible monster by putting together limbs and veins, leading to destruction and his later regret. The creature is left alone in the world, even by his own creator, for his hideous appearance, and through watching humans he learns their ways of living. Haunting Victor due to his loneliness, he forcefully makes Victor agree to make him a female companion, but Victor’s regret and misery enables him to tear up his
Critic Northrop Frye says, “Tragic heroes tower as the highest points in their human landscape that they seem the inevitable conductors of the power about them, the great trees more likely to be struck by lightning than a clump of grass. Conductors may of course be instruments as well as victims of the divine lightning”. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein greatly exhibits the theme of the consequence of knowledge and irresponsibility among others through its tragic hero, Victor Frankenstein. Northrop Frye’s quote is certainly true when looking at Frankenstein’s situation. Victor is a victim of his divine lightning, and ultimately causes much trouble for himself; however, Victor also serves as the tragic hero in the lives of the monster, his family, and his friends.
Isolation is one of the major motifs that resonates throughout Frankenstein. Tying into the romantic style of the novel, Shelley uses this element all the way through the work to show a repetition of isolation, an aspect that is present in almost every character in the novel and expressed primarily in Victor and the monster. But even some other minor characters such as Justine, Caroline, and Walton deal with isolation in one way or another.
All the events and misfortunes encountered in Frankenstein have been linked to one another as a chain of actions and reactions. Of course, the first action and link in the chain is started by Victor Frankenstein. Victor’s life starts with great potential. He comes from a decently wealthy family whose lack of love towards each other never existed. He is given everything he needs for a great future, and his academics seem to be convalescing.
Before his depression began, Frankenstein wanted to expand his knowledge about science and natural philosophy during the prime of his life. By doing so, Frankenstein’s father, Alphonse, wanted him to dedicate his time at the University of Ingolstadt. While at the University, Frankenstein began to pursue
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a nineteenth century literary work that delves into the world of science and the plausible outcomes of morally insensitive technological research. Although the novel brings to the forefront several issues about knowledge and sublime nature, the novel mostly explores the psychological and physical journey of two complex characters. While each character exhibits several interesting traits that range from passive and contemplative to rash and impulsive, their most attractive quality is their monstrosity. Their monstrosities, however, differ in the way each of the character’s act and respond to their environment. Throughout Frankenstein, one assumes that Frankenstein’s creation is the true monster. While the creation’s actions are indeed monstrous, one must also realize that his creator, Victor Frankenstein is also a villain. His inconsiderate and selfish acts as well as his passion for science result in the death of his friend and family members and ultimately in his own demise.
Frankenstein describes the commencement of his life as a blissful time with his family. During his childhood, Frankenstein was ardent about learning, but his emotional link with Elizabeth kept him from consummately engrossing himself in his studies. When Frankenstein left home to study at the University of Ingolstadt, he became fixated on his quest to denude the mystery of life. He tells of working in the laboratory until sunrise and being nonchalant to the comeliness of the world around him. These vicissitudes in Frankenstein's way of life represent Shelley's notion that one's passions must be contro...
Victor Frankenstein finds himself exploring the world of science against his fathers wishes but he has an impulse to go forward in his education through university. During this time any form of science was little in knowledge especially the chemistry which was Victors area if study. Victor pursues to go farther than the normal human limits of society. “Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow” (Chapter 4). He soon finds the answer he was looking for, the answer of life. He becomes obsessed with creating a human being. With his knowledge he believes it should be a perfe...
Victor Frankenstein serves as an instrument of suffering of others and contributes to the tragic vision as a whole in this novel. He hurts those surrounding him by his selfish character and his own creation plots against his master due to the lack of happiness and love. The audience should learn from Frankenstein’s tragic life and character to always remain humble. We should never try to take superiority that is not granted to us because like victor we shall suffer and perish. He had the opportunity to make a difference in his life and take responsibility as a creator but his selfishness caused him to die alone just like what he had feared.
In Frankenstein, Shelley creates two very complex characters. They embody the moral dilemmas that arise from the corruption and disturbance of the natural order of the world. When Victor Frankenstein is attending school, he becomes infatuated with creating a living being and starts stealing body parts from morgues around the university. After many months of hard work, he finishes one stormy night bringing his creation to life. However, “now that [Victor] had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled [his] heart” (Chambers). Right after Victor realizes what he has done, he falls into deep depression and must be nursed back to health by his friend. Victor spends the rest of the story facing consequences and moral problems from creating unnatural life. When he realizes that the ‘monster’ has killed his brother, even though no one believes him, he feels responsible for his brother’s murder because he was responsible for the existence of the ‘monster’. Also feeling responsible, Victor...
Victor Frankenstein is originally a happy character that loves to learn and read a large variety of books. He was a fiery individual who sought to understand all knowledge; regardless of how practical the information was. Evidence of this is when his father tells him not to worry about fictional writers like Cornelius Agrippa. Yet, Frankenstein states, “But here were books, and here were men who had penetrated deeper and knew more. I took their word for all that they averred, and I became their disciple” (21). Frankenstein embodies the movement in science to understand everything, and that is not necessarily a good thing (Storment 2). Frankenstein only understands that this train of thought is bad when he reaches the pinnacle of knowledge and produces the creature. The fruits of Frankenstein’s labor end up costing him the lives of his friends and family, as well as his own sanity. The feeling of guilt thrives in Frankenstein because he knows his work was the direct cause of the chaos in his life. In Frankenstein’s case, his goal of total enlightenment led to his pitiful demise. Frankenstein’s creature was not originally a monster. He is born with good intentions and is a gentle- although atrocious looking- being until he learns of the sins of the human race. The ultimate factor in the creature’s progression from harmless to
As a response to the Enlightenment movement in 18th century Europe, Romanticism gradually began to undermine the way people thought about human consciousness and nature itself. Appreciation of the natural beauty of the world and pure, human emotion bloomed in Europe as Romanticism’s influence grew ("Topic Page: Romanticism”). Romantics valued Individualism and thought that being close to nature would make them closer to God (Morner and Rausch). People also searched for solace in nature to overcome the adversities and cynicisms that followed the French Revolution ("French Revolution."). Romanticism and Romantic ideals influenced Mary Shelley, and that influence can be seen throughout her novel Frankenstein. The two main characters, Victor Frankenstein
Many people know that Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, was part of a family of famed Romantic era writers. Her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, was one of the first leaders of the feminist movement, her father, William Godwin, was a famous social philosopher, and her husband, Percy Shelley, was one of the leading Romantic poets of the time ("Frankenstein: Mary Shelley Biography."). What most people do not know, however, is that Mary Shelley dealt with issues of abandonment her whole life and fear of giving birth (Duncan, Greg. "Frankenstein: The Historical Context."). When she wrote Frankenstein, she revealed her hidden fears and desires through the story of Victor Frankenstein’s creation, putting him symbolically in her place (Murfin, Ross. "Psychoanalytic Criticism and Frankenstein.”). Her purpose, though possibly unconsciously, in writing the novel was to resolve both her feelings of abandonment by her parents, and fears of her own childbirth.
The first major event that happens that helps develop the book of Frankenstein, is that our main character Victor Frankenstein is found by Captain Robert Walton in the arctic sea. Victor is frozen and on the verge of death when Walton finds him and takes him upon his ship to nurture him. It is there where our story begins. Victor begins to tell his life story and the how he ended up where he is now.The second major event that happens in Frankenstein is that Victor starts to describe his early life. Victor was a child that interested in the big picture questions, such as life and death. He also tells of his fascination with “Galvanism” and “Alchemy”. However, this fascination of Victor’s soon becomes an obsession and he engulfes himself in his
Mary Shelley in her book Frankenstein addresses numerous themes relevant to the current trends in society during that period. However, the novel has received criticism from numerous authors. This paper discusses Walter Scott’s critical analysis of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in his Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine Review of Frankenstein (1818).