Mary Shelly: The Use Of Science In Frankenstein By Mary Shelley

Frankenstein is a novel published in 1818, focusing on the humanity of mankind and pursuit of knowledge.The book came about by a woman named Mary Shelley, when she was influenced by a particular dream she had. In the dream a dead man is conjured to life, and the creator fearfully runs off. (Gonzalez) In the 1800s, there was much scientific experimentation going on, setting the tone for such novels as “Frankenstein”. Through the Luddite movement, galvanism, and poetry, Shelley brings Frankenstein to life.

Shelley was born on August 30, 1797 in London to philosopher William Godwin and Mary Wollestonecraft. Both parents were writers, but the mother died four weeks after the birth due to complications. Around 1816, Mary decided to marry

Two particular areas of science that are focused upon in this novel are the use of electricity and understanding the origins of life. Heavily influenced by the Industrial Revolution, Shelley examines the potential hazards of technology going too far. The novel accurately reflects the use of corpses for anatomical study, a practice that was used by medical students to understand the human body. Shelley allows Victor to take his experiments forward by using electricity, a new procedure of the decade, to bring the gruesome monster to life. Shelly wrote a weary tale for her time, knowing that doing too much experimentation with science would make men think of themselves as Gods, and delve into subjects that could cause more harm than

Galvani, a professor located in Italy, discovered galvanism in the late eighteenth century. It was on accident that he found out electricity has the property of propelling contractions in the muscles of animals. When galvanism is used medically, it should first be used very gently, and the effect should be gradually increased. If the animal part does not sense the effect, it should be scarified, or have the cuticle removed. This is sometimes the case with tumors, and sometimes paralysis. Shelley, aware of the effects of galvanism, chose to use the procedure as a means to wake the monster in “Frankenstein”. In the years leading up to Mary Shelley’s publication there was a public debate in the Royal College of Surgeons between John Abernethy and William Lawrence, on the nature of life itself. Both of the Shelleys’ had connections with the two doctors. Percy had read one of Abernethy’s books and quoted it in his own work and Lawrence had been the Shelleys’ doctor. In this debate, questions were asked about how to define life , and how living bodies were different to dead bodies. Abernethy argued that life did not depend upon the body’s structure, the way it was organised or arranged, but existed separately as a material substance. Lawrence, thought this a ridiculous idea and instead understood life as simply the working operation of all the body’s functions. Lawrence was forced to withdraw the