The overwhelming theme of science that is expressed in Frankenstein is that knowledge has the potential to go beyond the boundaries of human control. The reader first obtains the notion that Frankenstein had an urge to explore science in his discussion with Robert Walton. After Walton mentions to Frankenstein that he aims to go out into the word and seek knowledge and wisdom, Frankenstein states: “One man's life or death were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of the knowledge which I sought, for the dominion I should acquire and transmit over the elemental foes of our race.” From this statement, the reader is first given a sense of foreshadowing that what Frankenstein will tell Walton about his past will be about how he attempted to pursue knowledge and how it affected his life. He recites that during his schooling at Ingolstadt, Frankenstein caught a real interest in the science of biological creation through his teacher M. Waldman. Afterward, Frankenstein acquired an eager curiosity to explore the realm of biological creation, where he states: “So much has been done…more, far more, will I achieve; treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown power, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation.” Here, Frankenstein frankly
In Frankenstein, Shelley displays the dire consequences that accompany the unrestrained pursuit of knowledge. Victor Frankenstein begins as a scholar striving for knowledge as “In a scientific pursuit, there is continual food for discovery and wonder”. The metaphor “food for discovery" emphasises Victor’s endless desire for more knowledge. This pursuit in science is reflected in Shelley’s time period, during the Enlightenment, where there were major scientific developments, including Galvani’s concept of electricity as a reanimating force. The electricity is alluded to, as a spark, when Victor Frankenstein brings his creature to life by “infusing a spark of being into the lifeless thing”.
Essay: Frankenstein by Mary Shelly based on “The Uncanny” It is a strange, but yet stimulating phenomenon to justify and compare the inanimate and animate object by suggesting the impression of unconscious work behind the ordinary appearance of mental activity. Throughout the novel, Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, Victor Frankenstein’s character possesses “knowledge, feelings and experience” in common with the self-named monster he has created. The monster is presented as both a human being and automaton, while Frankenstein is deliberated according to his appearance of sanity versus insanity. Why is it so difficult for Frankenstein to dissemble himself from the creature’s wrath? Perhaps it is true and applies to this “double” situation when they say “you are who you marry.” This brings meaning and relates to Frankenstein in the sense that unconsciously, Frankenstein creates a creature that possesses and resembles Frankenstein’s most deep and inner thoughts and desires.
What was I? Whence did I come? What was my destination? These questions continually recurred but I was unable to solve them.” Readers may also find it easy to sympathise with The Monster as Shelley is very critical of Frankenstein. For example, in Chapter 15 when the Monster is talking about Frankenstein’s journal that documented his creation, the Monster says ““Everything is related in them which bares reference to my accursed origin; the whole detail of that series of disgusting circumstances which produced it is set in view; the minutest description of my odious and loathsome person is given, in language which painted your own horrors and rendered mine indelible.
Cursed by the day, abhorred devil, in which you first saw light! Cursed (although I curse myself) be the hands that transformed you! You have made me wretched beyond expression. You have left me no power to consider whether I an just to you, or not” (Shelley 104). Correspondingly, in the dilemma about who is good and who is evil, the qualities seem to transfer evenly from one side to another like the scales of
However, some people aren’t recognized for their abilities, causing lack of acceptance, which leads to becoming an outcast. Frankenstein is an outcast, and isn’t even accepted by his own creator, “unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room and continued a long time traversing my bedroom chamber, unable to compose my mind to sleep” (Shelley 90). Unlike a normal human, the monster Victor created has no family; he has no one but Victor, who won’t accept him, because his appearance is too revolting. Frankenstein endured rejection after rejection, and after he had enough, he killed William. When approached about the murder, Frankenstein explained that the root of all his evil actions were in response to his desperate loneliness.
Of my creation and creator I was absolutely ignorant, but I knew that I possessed no money, no friends, no kind of property. I was, besides, endued with a figure hideously deformed and loathsome; I was not even the same nature as man. I was more agile than they and could subsist on a coarser diet; I bore the extremes of heat and cold with less injury to my frame; my stature far exceeded theirs. When I looked around I saw and heard of none like me. Was I, then, a monster, a blot upon the earth, from which all men fled and whom all men disowned?” (Shelley 108).
In Frankenstein, allusion to the ancient poem, ‘Rime of Ancient Mariners’, is phrased by both Walton and Victor- ‘I shall kill no albatross’, ’with this deadly weight around my neck’. ‘Rime of Ancient Mariners’ is a didactic poem that tells the deaths of all of Mariner’s sailors after the unintentional killing of an albatross by the Mariner. Albatross symbolises the divine quality of nature and shows that Walton is thoroughly aware of the unrelenting outcome from destroying the nature. Ironically, Walton closely resembles the Mariner, whose persistence to continue his voyage threatens his ship and alienates himself from his crew. Unlike to Walton, Victor views his guilt of breaking that fundamental bond as ‘deadly weight around his neck’ which strongly eloquent to the part of the poem where the Mariner is forced to carry dead albatross around his neck due to his guilt.
Everyone and everything was put on earth for a reason and it is in a search for identity where one finds his/her reason for existence. In the novel Frankenstein, a main theme is search for identity. Victor Frankenstein discovered a great interest in the field of science and pursued dreams of becoming a scientist. He was astounded with what the world of science could explain and create. He believed that he had found his identity in his youth.
There may seem to be many motivations for villains throughout the times but as we study these scoundrels we find that generally they are motivated by pure jealousy, or a need of superiority. They utilize manipulation, both physically and mentally in order to achieve their goals and show a lack of remorse. Stephan King’s “Misery”, provides us with a very graphical depiction in Annie Wilkes a sadistic, mentally unstable retired nurse, who has a desire for power and control. Annie goes to tortuous extremes on her captive Paul Sheldon to realize this. Iago from Shakespeare’s play Othello is also a power hungry villain who enjoys having people under his control, he is driven by extreme jealousy and the motivation, revenge.