From Fiction to Reality: “Frankenstein” and Contemporary Bioethical Debates. Imagine a world where scientists can create life from scratch. Sounds like the plot of a science fiction novel. But this is not just fiction—it is a reality we are increasingly approaching today. The story of “Frankenstein,” by Mary Shelley, written over 200 years ago, remains incredibly relevant as it delves into the ethical and moral implications of creating life, a topic that seems to be strongly connected with today's advancements in biotechnology. In this essay, I will explore how “Frankenstein” spotlights modern bioethics, through its themes: the dangers of playing to be God, the consequences of irresponsible scientific experimentation, and the ethical dilemmas …show more content…
Victor Frankenstein's careless quest for scientific achievement leads to the creation of a living being. However, he fails to anticipate or prepare for the ethical and social implications of his experiment. Consequently, the creation of the monster results in immense suffering for both the creator and the creature, as well as for other innocent people caught up in the tragedy. Victor reflects this when he states, "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, 2008, Chapter 5). This moment shows the terrible results of Victor's uncontrolled experiment, as his creation quickly goes out of control, causing many destructive events. For instance, the monster's existence leads to the suffering of both Victor and innocent people around him. It causes Victor immense emotional turmoil and guilt, and it results in the deaths of several characters, including Victor's loved ones. One notable example is the death of Henry Clerval, whom the monster murders while Victor is in Scotland. In the novel it can be read “Clerval, my friend and dearest companion, has fallen a victim to me and the monster of my creation” (Shelly, 2008, Chapter 21). In brief, scientific research conducted without proper ethical consideration can have …show more content…
For example, Victor Frankenstein is confronted by the monster, who asserts, "You are my creator, but I am your master; obey!" Shelley, 2008, Chapter 20. This confrontation highlights the complex dynamics of power and responsibility between creator and creation. Additionally, it questions the moral obligations Victor has towards his creation, which he abandons out of fear and disgust. This is evident when Victor encounters the monster in the Alps, and the monster reproaches Victor for abandoning him. “I expected this reception," said the daemon. "All men hate the wretched; how, then, must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things! Yet you, my creator, detest and spurn me, thy creature, to whom thou art bound by ties only dissolvable by the annihilation of one of us” (Shelly, 2008, Chapter 10). This abandonment raises questions about the creator's moral responsibility towards their creation, especially considering the devastating consequences that result from this act of rejection. In contemporary times, this theme is reflected in debates about artificial intelligence, and the implications of creating life through advanced biotechnology. For example, the development of AI and robotics
Simon Liu English 9 Brown PD 8 May 4, 2014 Frankenstein Dangerous Knowledge Near the end of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the creature stands by Frankenstein’s dead body and curses himself: “Polluted by crimes and torn by the bitterest remorse, where can I find rest but in death?” Although he murders the younger brother, best friend, and wife of his creator, the creature remains a sympathetic character, as his demise was caused by his rejection from society. In comparison to his creator, Victor is
Introduction: Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, published in 1818, is considered one of the most influential works of science fiction and Gothic literature. The novel delves into many aspects of society, the discrimination, injustice, the scientific developments, and the beauty of nature. However, the one that we as readers should focus on is scientific developments, because we, as readers, must understand that Victor Frankenstein was not a good man. This is shown throughout the novel if looking from the
Connor Lehmann Mrs.Heckman Literature 6 May, 23, 2024. Who is the Real Monster in “Frankenstein”? “Frankenstein” is a play adapted by Philip Pullman from the novel by Mary Shelley. “Frankenstein” is a play in which a scientist named Victor Frankenstein creates a monster that he thinks would be better than humans, but his creation turns out to be hideous. Frankenstein abandons his creation and the Monster runs unsupervised around the country. The answer to the question - who is the real Monster?
the author of Frankenstein, portrayed Science Fiction by utilizing the three characteristics needed in every Science Fiction novel. That being said, Shelley created Frankenstein based on plausible scientific principles and technology, predictions about life in the future, and important issues in society. However, because she does not show these characteristics clearly, her work may not follow the genre’s guidelines entirely. Throughout the works of Prophets of Science and Frankenstein, it was apparent
essays, lyrical ballads, etc. It can be easily stated that one of the most interesting forms is indeed, letters. Letters are generally from a single person to another person but, when compiled together can make a compelling story. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a prime example of how cool writing in the form of letters is. First of all, the letter structure wasn't common for the time period. During the time when Mary Shelley wrote her story, it wasn't at all common for someone to write with
Torn. Desperate. I am a snob. Accused. All of these words describe Victor Frankenstein, as a result of his creation's evil actions, where he was blamed for the actions taken by this fowl creature. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Victor creates a creature using Galvanism and the parts of dead people, however, he is perceived as the monster within the story as a result of the creation's doings. The novel Frankenstein has the main character Victor pursuing his passion for Galvanism, which is the direct
In Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein, the protagonist, is intrigued by science and creating new life. However, Victor is obsessed with successfully giving life to his eight-foot-tall creature, and he fails to think of the consequences of his actions and leaves his creation to discover the world on his own. This creature is considered a “monster” and shunned by his creator and all humankind. During his quest to find love and acceptance, the creature unfortunately only finds rejection
Frankenscience: Questionable Science Research Paper Mary Shelley introduced the concept of questionable science in her story Frankenstein. In the novel, Victor Frankenstein dives into his curiosity by creating a monster out of cadavers. This careless action causes a lot of conflict throughout the story and becomes the peripeteia of Victor’s life and he wishes he had never created his monster in the first place. Scientific advancements have grown immensely over hundreds of years, but sometimes in
Shelley’s novel Frankenstein emphasizes intense emotion, nature, and problems with scientific advancement to stress to the reader the importance of Romanticism. While conceived as a horror story, Shelley being a Romantic, Frankenstein has many instances of beauty and emotion. Lots of the story takes place in the amazing mountains of France and among the stunning castles of the Rhine River. Misery and terror in the midst of extreme elegance creates a very unique story for the reader. This novel represents
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a dramatic example of the ever-changing philosophies regarding creation, science, and the age-old question of a divine being’s presence in the world. When Shelley published the novel in 1818, the Age of Enlightenment was in full swing and left antiquated ideas of religion in exchange for newfound ideas based on science and logic. One of these philosophies of the modern era was humanism; humanism is the idea that human matters are of more importance than those of a divine
The theme of vengeance is incredibly prevalent throughout Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Vengeance drives the creature to commit the actions he does, and the plot revolves around the creature and how he affects Frankenstein. The story begins with Victor, an incredibly talented young man who, ever since childhood, has had a fascination with science. This leads to him traveling to Ingolstadt to study at a university, where he takes an interest in chemistry, which eventually leads to him becoming obsessed
Frankenstein and Prometheus What does a mad scientist and a Greek god have in common? In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley was inspired from the tale of Prometheus that she gave the subtitle of the book The Modern Prometheus. Victor Frankenstein, the main character in Frankenstein, and Prometheus are parallel from one another because of their family status, creation of mankind, and punishment for shaping man. Prometheus was born into a highly recognized family. His father Iapetus was a Titan and his
Plan of development: Victor Frankenstein is a man full monstrous attributes and his self-absorbed mind is seen through his actions. He also demonstrates moral irresponsibility for the duration of the novel. Lastly, Victor is depicted as a cruel man with nothing but himself as his main objective. Victor Frankenstein’s Thesis: In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, Victor’s narcissistic personality inspires his monstrous actions which inadvertently cause nothing but destruction to himself and others;
Obsession can lead to a dark mindset and an intense attraction to personal desires that can be detrimental towards others and the person themself. In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, it is prominent how Victor has turned into a true monster due to obsession. With his obsession in science and making the dead alive again, it had changed other’s perspective of how they viewed Victor. It led to this compulsive mindset into his creation; even Victor’s creation has his obsession: revenge. Both of
Does distortion of the human body affect a man’s fear of others? In Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein’s curiosity for science drives him to accomplish the goal of regenerating new life. Through other human body parts, Frankenstein spends years to create a disfigured man—one who becomes despised by his own creator and eventually the rest of society. The Creature desires to be respected as a human, but it also represents the distorted figure of artificial life. The duplicity of the mind creates a sense