A classic battle, presented in many works of literature, is the internal battle between ones passions and responsibilities. The question exists of which one is more beneficial to the goals, ideas, and development of the individual who is faced with the ultimatum of choosing passion over responsibility. Passion, and the pursuit of it, is what most individuals yearn for, however, responsibility is omnipresent and typically is more potent in importance. Nevertheless, what if someone chooses responsibility over passion? In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Victor's aptitude to follow his passions over his responsibilities created trends of consequences, many fatal, which reflect an ideology that one must prioritize responsibilities over passion.…
Mary Shelley cautioned that the risk that can come from hunting for knowledge is not solely from the subject of the information itself, but it is from the obsessive intentions of whoever is seeking it. Frankenstein and Walton began looking for knowledge as a way self enjoyment, however, in the end they developed a strong need for personal glory that had caused misfortune to be brought to them, and their friends, during the search of the knowledge which they had so eagerly…
Power Struggle in Frankenstein Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, uses a constant power struggle to enhance the character relationships in the novel. Each character handles power in their own way, and each has their own motivation for pursuing it. Most of the characters in the novel meet their demise because of the terrible ways in which they express power. The way characters interact, such as Victor Frankenstein and the Creature, show who has the power and how it affects the other characters. The society in which the main characters live also play a role in the power shift, affecting their level of power, whether positive or negative.…
Marry Shelley's experiences obliged her to write "Frankenstein" because it was born out of the waking nightmare she had (Gilbert, 4), Mary's rejection of the creature by Frankenstein arises from the betrayal of her father and husband. According to her experiences, we understand that her father showed neglect towards her after the death of her mother, Mary's response to this event is shown in her novel "Frankenstein" by the decision of the monster to abandon Victor and to seek revenge against him. Moreover, Shelley represents herself in the character of Victor Frankenstein who suffers the pain of his mother's death Caroline; he tried to beat on this pain by the creation of monster which brings the delightful inside his heart. Also, she employed…
Self-love is healthy; self-devotion, on the other hand, is not. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, told primarily from the point of view of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who discovers the secret of life, illustrates this idea. Following his discovery and fueled by his desire for fame and glory, Victor decides to put his newfound knowledge to the test by creating a living being from dead flesh. However, when the Creation does actually come alive, Victor abandons him immediately. This is a catalyst for the misery that befalls him and his loved ones later in the book and (combined with Victor’s unshakable sense of pride and decided lack of empathy) is what leads to the deaths of the Creation, Justine, and Elizabeth, among many others.…
We see that even at a young age, Victor’s powerful and unwavering perseverance will lead to his downfall. Shelley uses all encompassing drives as extremes. Victor does not simply toil away diligently in his pursuit to create life. He does so without bounds, journeying deeper and deeper into his own isolation. Victor’s determination to maintain the secret of his accomplishment leads to the deaths of many friends and family.…
The quest for knowledge, and the danger in the quest, is a main theme in Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein. The novel’s three main characters, Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein, and the monster all relentlessly search for different kinds of knowledge. They each discover danger and even tragedy in their obsessive quests. Robert Walton is the captain of a ship on a very dangerous voyage. It’s his quest to be the first man to successfully navigate to the North Pole.…
Often times, in the court of law, and in society, murderers and crime offenders are often viewed as “hateful, malicious, and vicious” by the general public; and honestly, it’s easy to view them as such. You had said so yourself early this week about a certain case that occurred in which you asked, “What would make someone turn so evil?” However, I believe that our society has caused us to highlight and view criminals’ bad nature, rather than looking at the root of what caused them to go awry. At times, their crimes overshadow the fact that they are still human. I used this thought that we had discussed earlier and applied it to a rather strong central theme that is present within Frankenstein: What caused Frankenstein’s creation to go awry?…
The Moral Monster A monster may be considered a viable or nonviable element of which provokes the fear of mankind whether it be of appearance, abnormality, or the effect it could cause. What is the line between monster and man? “Regardless of the intentions of the creator, should he fail to provide the necessary support for his creation, that being will undoubtedly become a monster.” (Rosenberger 1).…
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley tells the story of scientist Victor Frankenstein. Throughout Victor’s young life he has been fascinated with several different forms of the sciences. He has a great knowledge in this area, and this leads to him having arrogance in his abilities. After Victor sees a tree struck by lightning he decides to study Galvanism. Victor spends years going to the slaughter house and gathering pieces for his creation.…
Frankenstein In Mary Shelley’s, Frankenstein, a morally ambiguous character plays a pivotal role. The creature could be viewed as either purely evil or purely good. The creature’s moral ambiguity plays a significant part to the work as a whole. When thinking over the creature, many could debate whether he is good or bad.…
One of the main topics of Mary Shelly’s novel Frankenstein appears as the desire for power. One character that shows its desire for power in Frankenstein is the creature, which Victor Frankenstein brought to life after almost two years of working only to flee in terror of it.. The creature shows this desire for power throughout the novel, especially when it begins to kill the people that Victor Frankenstein cares about. The creature almost immediately obtains its freedom at the beginning of the novel, when Victor Frankenstein flees from it in the laboratory after bringing it to life. The creature gains power over Victor Frankenstein’s life and influences starts to influence it after murdering William, Victor’s younger brother. By the time that William is murdered the monster appears to have a strong dislike for his creator and wishes to harm him and his family, resulting in William’s death.…
Crystal Gabun Professor Morrow English 105 October 20, 2014 Frankenstein Literary Analysis Over the past few centuries, scientists have made countless discoveries and advances. These developments stem from an individual’s innate curiosity and desire to further the realm of possibility through theory and experimentation. For many, the thirst for knowledge can grow so immense that one is willing to disregard the moral codes or ethical standards of society in order to push the bounds of modern science.…
He would often yearn to dive into it to cleanse himself of the responsibility of Justine and William’s death. He would wish to become one within nature because it was beautiful and calm, opposite of what Victor thought of himself, a man riddled with guilt and fear. The creature, in a similar state of loneliness and depression, wandered throughout the forest regaining “pleasure, that had long appeared dead, revive within me…forgetting my solitude and deformity, dared to be happy” (Shelley 129). Nature affects the creature exceedingly, turning his emotions in a complete 180°, in spite of being lonely. The creature is in comfort of the beauty of nature.…
But the desire to create new literature should never outweigh desire for one’s family. Because of her young child’s death Shelley sees that real life outweighs literary creation. Shelley also discusses having to destroy something old to create something new. Victor and Walton both destroy old bonds and end up failing to achieve their goals while neglecting their families. Victor’s self reflection binds together many of the principles she has discussed, but even after acknowledging his faults he cannot let them go.…