It is said that every day one learns something new, no matter how insignificant it may seem. George Horace Lorimer, a former American journalist, and author, once wrote “If there’s anything worse than knowing too little, it’s knowing too much” (Lorimer). A key component of Frankenstein is knowledge, but at what point does it become too much? In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, through Victor Frankenstein’s thoughts and actions, Shelley depicts the pursuit of knowledge and claims that knowledge has the capability of leading to physical and psychological dangers. Though Victor isn’t always aware of the dangers, the audience sees the effects of his pursuit as he goes on his quest to find the secrets of life. Victor knew what he wanted to search …show more content…
The disappearance of his sanity begins after he starts his quest to create life. From the beginning, Victor’s tireless pursuit drives him mad. “Every night I was oppressed by a slow fever, and I became nervous to the most painful degree; the fall of a leaf startled me, and I shunned my fellow-creatures as if I had been guilty of a crime” (Shelley 56). After working tirelessly for two years, Victor finally able to bring his creation to life. This prompts him to run and hide in his bedchambers. When he tries to sleep, the nightmares come. His dream is about Elizabeth, whom he tries to kiss in the dream. When he does make the attempt, Elizabeth changed and he appears to be holding the corpse of his previously deceased mother in his arms. His mind is attempting to warn him that what he has just brought to life will bring pain and suffering to not only him but the friends and family he loves that surrounds …show more content…
“I felt as if he had placed carefully, one by one, in my view those instruments which were to be afterwards used in putting me to a slow and cruel death” (Shelley 68). Victor can no longer bear to look at anything that reminded him of the monster he created and the horror he has inflicted on the earth. One glimpse at any scientific instrument leads to psychological torment and frustration. His mind cannot come to understand and take responsibility for what he has done. For a short time, his pursuit leads him to be repulsed by what he loved most in the world. Science is what defines Victor. Without it, he is lost, not a single clue to who he is. His mind was frustrated and needed some time to rest, but Victor was relentless. “…the energy of my purpose alone sustained me: my labors would soon end, and I believed that exercise and amusement would then drive away incipient disease, and I promised myself both of these when my creation was complete” (Shelley 56). He would not take a single rest or relaxation, until he had found what he longed to know and when his creation was complete, causing psychological
Shelley characterizes Victor in a way that he acts on his impulses and not with rationality. As a result, Victor does not take the time to teach or talk to his creation. This action leads to his downfall as his loved one’s are killed by the Creature taking revenge on Victor for leaving him to fend for himself. Victor’s actions have consequences, hence why all his loved one’s are murdered because of his instinct to leave out of fear and safety. Shelley proves that our id demands immediate gratification of needs and thus, is in control of our actions.
In the novel, Victor’s constantly told that he’s unable to follow through with his creation of life. Victor’s arrogance and determination drives him to prove the people wrong, For example, Victor says, “Who shall conceive the horrors of my secret toil as I dabble among the unhallowed damps of the grave, or tortured the living animal to animate the lifeless clay?” (55) This quote shows Victor’s willingness to follow through with his experiment, to a great extent. Victor’s arrogance pushes him through these times, because he knows that he’s capable of completing his creation.
Knowing how to read, write, and even tie your shoes may seem like the everyday norm to most, but for Victor Frankenstein’s creature, it is one of the leading causes of his destruction. Frankenstein is obsessed with the idea of creating a being superior to humans. However, when his creation turns into a murderous monster, he is quick to blame his relentless search for knowledge, but he is unable to see how his ignorance brought his downfall. In the Gothic novel, Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, the concept of knowledge being not only a blessing, but a curse is demonstrated through the creatures desire to learn, society’s lack of empathy for the creature, and Victor’s ignorance.
Victor Frankenstein, blinded by pride, remained unaware of how his experiment would affect not only him, but the world around him as he formed his new discovery. His secret to creating life only caused more life to be lost. Because of Victor’s reckless behavior, he caused the depressed and lonely world around his own creation, one who, in the end, Victor did not want to take responsibility for making, no matter how remarkable. The Creation, a being of unfortunate circumstance, exemplifies how knowledge has dangerous and everlasting effects if not used safely or for good intentions. Unfortunately, The Creation leaves his own damage behind as well, again showing how knowledge is harmful, by killing Elizabeth, Victor’s wife, Henry Clerval, his dearest friend, and other members a part of Victor’s family and friends. This demonstrates how knowledge, if not used wisely, can lead to death and suffering. The power of knowledge, in Mary Shelley’s writing, is a gift bestowed on those who can handle the power responsibly, as opposed to using it for selfish boasting. In contrast, she uses these two characters to show the importance of being knowledgeable in both science and responsibility and the unforgivable mutilation that comes if you fail to overcome
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.
The pursuit of knowledge is at the heart of Frankenstein, as Victor attempts to go beyond the acceptable human limits and access the secret of life. Victor's experiment created in the name of science holds the key to which Victor believes is his future success. "The accomplishment of his toils" is a monstrous male figure created from parts of other corpses which he brings to life through his work (Frankenstein, 34). Victor's motivation for success and scientific exploration drive him to play God. "It was the secrets of heaven and earth that [he] desired to learn; and whether it was the ...
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.
Albert Einstein once said, “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing”. So is a lot.” Einstein believes that there is a point where the acquisition of knowledge becomes dangerous for humans. Mary Shelley extensively explores the effect dangerous knowledge has on the characters in her book Frankenstein. Throughout the book, Frankenstein and the creature are corrupted by knowledge that changes their outlook on life.
When Victor abandons the monster he runs away and tries to forget about his failed creation. It was extremely dangerous for Victor to flee his experiment because the monster soon becomes aggressive with hate and is curious to know why Victor left him; furthermore, the monster becomes obsessed with self-learning and knowledge.
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.
knowledge is found at the heart of the novel, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Mary Shelley constructs her novel in a form of tripartite that consists of three speakers Victor, Victor’s Creature, and Robert Walton. The pursuit of knowledge is conveyed by the alluring antagonist Victor in his endeavor to go beyond human adeptness and discover the elixir of life. The pursuit of knowledge is shown through another character, Frankenstein’s Creature whose pursuit of knowledge prompts him to become aware of himself. Robert Walton through the pursuit of knowledge learns that his own strive for success leads him to learning that his selfish pursuits are effecting the people around him. The pursuit of knowledge is proved to be dangerous to all three speakers Victor, Victor’s Creature, and Robert Walton and all three prove to the reader how destructive knowledge can be.
He travels to the Arve Ravine, where “the weight upon [his] spirit was sensibly lightened as [he] plunged yet deeper in the ravine of Arve. No matter how hard he tried to redeem himself, he could no longer be one with nature. The creature that Victor creates by using the malicious techniques of science actually starts out to be more natural than Victor himself. The Creature recognizes the wonders of nature and finds temporary happiness in his closeness to the world.
From the onset of Victor’s youth, his earliest memories are those of “Curiosity, earnest research to learn the hidden laws of nature, gladness akin to rapture, as they were unfolded to me, are among the earliest sensations I can remember” (ch. 4) This is the first example of obsession that we see in the novel. This drive to learn the ‘hidden’ laws of nature is the original driving force that sets the plot in motion. Without this, Victor would have never embarked on his unholy quest to overcome mortality, thus leading to his creation of his monster.
Because of Victor’s need for fame and desire for power leads to Victor becoming a monster. Victor begins his quest to bring life to a dead person because he does not want anyone to feel the pain of a loved ones death. At first he is not obsessed with his project. As he moves along in the project he thinks about what will happen to him. "Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world. A new species would bless me as its creator and source, many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me." (Shelley 39) He realizes that he will become famous if he accomplishes the task of bringing a person back to life. The realization that he will become famous turns him into an obsessive monster. He wanted to be admired, and praised as a species creator. He isolates himself from his family and works on the creature. “I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this I 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 156) By spending most of his time inside on his experiment, he has no time to write or contact his family. He puts fear within his family because they fear for him.
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, which happened later in his life.