The Tempest And Frankenstein Essay

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Both of these novels the Tempest and Frankenstein demonstrate an extreme violation of nature and a use of powers outside our natural world that cause unnecessary destruction to themselves and the lives of others also. The authors of these books use the creatures’ appearance and manner to emphasize that they are outcasts and must therefore serve as slaves for those who do fit into society. The superiors in the relationship display greedy and immoral actions throughout by challenging nature and mankind, the subordinates experience the horrific effects of this. However the duplicity between them of selfishness and revenge helps us to understand how reliant they are of one another and as the novels progress the hierarchy between them begins to subvert.

Mary Shelley experienced a difficult upbringing, emotionally watching her parents pass; she uses these feelings in the creature to express social isolation throughout. For example the creature says
“I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel”.
The fact the creature refers to a Biblical story teaches us that what Victor has done is not ethical or morally right as the bible connotes truth and wellbeing, the creature feels he is not treated as Adam because he is rejected like the fallen angel is from heaven; the philosophy is that one should absolve themselves of all sin, leaving the creature feeling like his is owed something from Victor. Furthermore during the romantic period it was said that ‘All man is born good’ however this contradicts the creatures life as he is sinned against, hated by Victor and feared by society from the day he was created although he did no wrong. The creature is given no chance in life like Adam was; he is simply a creation who is isolated fr...

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...ng us to understand Caliban’s fright.
These two works successfully illustrate the master slave relationship as both books revolve around hierarchy and desire for power. Even though these two novels portray different journeys, the destination is virtually the same. Neither man ended feeling any sense of satisfaction or contentment as they may have predicted prior to their experiments with nature. The initial intention behind each mistreatment of nature was to gain power in order to control a life to which was not their own. Victor was determined to have control of forming a being, whereas Prospero was set on controlling those who surrounded him already and reconciling their actions and thoughts for his sole benefit. Both novels make us aware of the dangers that can happen when Nature is desecrated and that when human beings abuse it, Mother Nature will always win.

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