Mary Shelley, a known female author of the gothic horror novel Frankenstein, published in 1818, is argued to be the first science fiction novel to explore the relationship between humans and scientific knowledge. Frankenstein is established as science fiction as it includes fantastical elements but still adheres to a realistic set of rules within our world, specifically the impetuous goal of studying and applying scientific enlightenment. Shelley presents the ambitious works of a ‘mad scientist,’ Victor Frankenstein, who is overcome by curiosity in attempting to animate a creature through scientific pursuit. However, as he completes his work, his excitement dissipates into disgust and horror upon the monstrous appearance of the “demoniacal” …show more content…
He had been hunting down his creation from land, mountains, and caves without any end. At that moment Captain Walton and his men, who were on a dangerous expedition to the North Pole, were uncertain if they wanted to continue. In response, Frankenstein expressed his disappointment and disgust at their cowardly behavior in an enraged tone. The short speech selected is an outlook toward Victor’s ego to pressure not only the men on the vessel to continue their journey but also purposefully prove his personal ambition since the beginning of his tragedy. The argument Frankenstein gave to the men who rescued him, depicts the crazy ambition of wanting to be proved worthy and for these men to follow his rationale. Even on his deathbed, the mindset in which he was presented gave way to what Victor called his ‘duty.’ He had accidentally built a wretched creature thinking of only greater benefits for his credibility, blindsighted by the consequences that awaited. If Victor had not evaded from his actions, his family would be alive and his soul in peace with no hatred, loneliness, or …show more content…
This first interaction is what predestined the creature to be denied by society. Its differences in height, physical appearance, and lack of knowledge forced him to hide away and deal with human contact unjustly. Even Victor outcasts his creation and demonstrates narcissistic behavior to avoid him. The relationship between Victor and his creation was the downfall for both characters, majorly affecting how the creature was rejected by his creator and society because of his uncommon facial characteristics. To add to the idea of prejudice based on appearance, an analysis of a confrontational interaction between creator and creature, delves further into the disapproval of the nameless monster. A quote that portrays Victor contemplating this is, “I compassionated him, and sometimes felt the wish to console him; but when I looked upon him when I saw the filthy mass that moved and talked, my heart sickened, and my feelings were altered to those of horror and hatred” (Shelley 103). This selection exhibits the continual disapproval of Victor against his creation, deflecting his pity and sympathy toward
In Lisa Nocks article appropriately titled “Frankenstein, in a better light,” she takes us through a view of the characters in the eyes of the author Mary Shelly. The name Frankenstein conjures up feeling of monsters and horror however, the monster could be a metaphor for the time period of which the book was written according to Nocks. The article implies that the book was geared more towards science because scientific treatises were popular readings among the educated classes, of which Shelley was a member of. Shelley, whose father was wealthy and had an extensive library, was encouraged to self-educate, which gave her knowledge of contemporary science and philosophy, which also influenced Frankenstein as well as circumstances of her life.
In Volume 1 and 3 of Frankenstein, Victor’s reason for creating the “monster” changes drastically; however, ultimately leading to the same consequence of suffering and depression. Through this change in Victor, Shelley argues that all humans have an instinctive notation of right from wrong and learn from their mistakes. Victor left his friends and family to go to college; when there, he had no friends and social life. His top and only priority was his schoolwork; he read all he can about the sciences, especially chemistry and anatomy. When finished with his studies, Victor is ready to start his creation when he confirms his proceedings aloud, “Winter, spring, and summer, passed away during my labours; but I did not watch the blossom or the expanding leaves-sights which before always yielded me supreme delight, so deeply was I engrossed in my occupation. The leaves of that year had withered before my work drew near to a close; and now every day shewed me more plainly how well I had succeeded.
Butler, Marilyn. "Frankenstein and Radical Science." Reprinted in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Norton Critical Edition. 1993; New York: W. W. Norton, 1996. 302-313.
The book “Frankenstein” was written based on significant, historical events that changed the way people thought about the usage of science to end death and to help improve resurrection. Mary Shelley went against the norms of writing styles by writing about science and technology, and not about romantic themes and main ideas. The start of Science and technology topics was a new topic for the readers which they enjoyed and therefore, Frankenstein became the best selling book during the 19th century. The way Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, is that she used influential scientist and invention to create the idea of how the monster was made, and what inspired Victor Frankenstein
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.
Victor had created the creature with the vision from his dreams of a strong, tall perfect being with no flaws. His years of study with the unnatural and science had come to this final conclusion and masterful idea that he was determined to finish. To his surprise, he had created the opposite, “For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.” (Shelley 35) Victor is saddened by what he thinks of as a failure. He leaves his own apartment to go sleep in his court yard outside following his creation. He begins to isolate himself from the creature because of his fear of the creature’s outward appearance. He loses all hope for the creature without even learning anything about him. The fact that Shelley begins to refer to the being that Victor created as a “creature” shows Victor’s ignorance and lack of acceptance. It is Victor’s prejudice that blinds him of the creature’s true potential due to the unwanted preconception that follows the creature as he finds meaning in
When Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in 1816, it was the birth of a new genre – the creation of a being, sci-fi at its earliest.
Rather, it is others who alienate it because of its grotesque appearance. The monster is quite literally ‘born’ into perpetual isolation beginning with Victor’s abandonment of it. He denies it domestic safety when he flees to his bedchamber. Victor disregards the monster’s utterance of “inarticulate sounds while a grin wrinkled his cheeks,” then escapes its outstretched hand “seemingly to detain [him]” [Shelley 49]. Examining the monster’s body language as though an impressionable infant, its actions can be read as a child-like plea for its father though the absence of speech not yet learned. Instead, its unattractive appearance causes Victor to run, leaving the creature alone with no information about himself or his surroundings. Therefore, Victor’s abandonment is a crucial justification of the monster’s negative experiences with society and nature and actions in desiring community. The monster’s alienation from family is the missing first school of human nature, and the first lesson where he learns he does not belong. The creature leaves into the wilderness to learn about the world and himself on it own, only to understand his interactions are
This evolution of Victor’s attitude about the creation occurs during the time immediately following the creation. In these few hours, Victor’s imagination creates an increasingly grotesque image of the creation. This developed condemnation that Victor imposes upon the creation is similar to all of the creation’s other encounters with human beings. This repeated rejection causes the creation to realize that "All men hate the wretched; how then must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things" (Shelley 65). Eventually, therefore, the creation accepts its role as a monster based solely on the reactions it receives from other human beings.
Since its publication in 1818, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein has grown to become a name associated with horror and science fiction. To fully understand the importance and origin of this novel, we must look at both the tragedies of Mary Shelley's background and her own origins. Only then can we begin to examine what the icon "Frankenstein" has become in today's society.
Mary Shelley’s use of a frame story in her novel “Frankenstein” generates the problem of reliable narration as many narrations do. However unlike most novels, this story is told through three different narrations allowing much room for bias and a slight change in the tale. The title character, Victor Frankenstein, is not trust worthy due to his deep personal loathing for his monster or another narrator. This narrator cannot be taken as an accurate depiction due to its lack of empathetic behavior and constant vying for pity but also acts in a manner that is gruesome. The last narrator proves to be most reliable because he has the least amount to do with the actual story other than to pass along Victor’s story and to carry on what happens when one is tainted by science and the pursuit of too much knowledge.
With the advancement of technology and science, we are now able to genetically modify animals. Mary Shelley found a way to make science an epitome, and confirms what could happen if science is taken too far. In conclusion, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is considered to be a historical novel, based on scientific advancements. In this novel Shelley depicts her own definition of human nature, by showing the creature and the ways that humans react to him. The novel also showed the differences between morality and science.
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).
When Victor curses the monster as an evil spirit, the monster reacts to Victor's coarseness- “devil”, “do you dare approach me”, with astounding expressiveness and sensitivity- “I expected this reception. You my creator”, proving himself an educated, emotional, and stunning individual (Shelley 54). For a reader, whose involvement with the creature's grotesqueness is secondary, it is anything but difficult to recognize the human sensibility inside him and feel for his difficulty, particularly in light of Victor’s relentless contempt for him. The hole between the monster and Victor, and between the monster and individuals, all in all, is subsequently
The union of man and woman is universally and socially acknowledged by the institution of marriage. It is one of the oldest rituals to be practiced even today in every parts of the world. Marriage is an important part of the traditional African society and is one of the largely reflected issues in African literature. According to Lauretta Ngcobo, in her essay entitled “African Motherhood-Myth and Reality” which appeared in Criticism and Ideology: Second African Writers’ Conference, Stockholm 1986 edited by Kirsten H. Petersen, the concept of marriage in African context is similar with any other community: