The Portrayal of Dangerous Knowledge in Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein
Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, portrays education and the pursuit of knowledge as dangerous and life-changing through the three main characters, the creature, Robert Walton, and Victor Frankenstein. All three characters are determined to expand their minds and are forced face the changes and issues that come with knowledge. Firstly, as the creature gains intelligence, he becomes more violent. Second, Robert Walton’s passion for unknown scientific discovery puts him in very dangerous situations. Lastly, Victor Frankenstein’s pursuit of knowledge leads him to a life of misery and guilt.
Throughout the novel, the creature changes from a caring, helpful being, to a vengeful, …show more content…
He is angry at his creator, Victor, who brought him into his unfulfilling life and is depressed because he knows about the true circumstances of his life and his abandonment. He later reflects on how he purposefully tormented Victor and how he “devoted my creator, the select specimen of all that is worthy of love and admiration among men, to misery; I have pursued him even to that irremediable ruin” (165). Overall, the creature becoming more knowledgeable led him to do many horrific and violent acts, many of which he regrets.
Robert Walton is another character in the novel who portrays that the desire for knowledge is dangerous. His passion for unknown scientific discovery has him willing to explore the oceans without knowing if he will ever …show more content…
His obsession with science and discovering the unknown begins at a young age when he comes across alchemy and natural philosophy. He attends the university in Ingolstadt, where he continues to expand his knowledge in the sciences. Victor soon begins to develop obsessive behaviour, devoting all his time into his studies and aggressively using resources to learn all he can. After discovering an interest in anatomy and the decomposition of the human body, his preoccupation with creating life develops. He expresses his determination by saying “I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation” (28). Victor devotes many months to building an animate being and occupies all his time working on his creature. Victor’s obsession with the creature is a recurring event in the novel. He continues to obsess over the monsters whereabouts after it goes missing. He also travels across Europe tracking down the creature, committed to finding it, even if it costs him his life. Victor states “Never will I give up my search, until he or I perish,” (152). Victor’s obsession with building the creature soon begins to affect his health. He later on describes how his “Cheeks had grown pale with study, and my person had become emaciated with confinement” (32). His health is no longer a priority to him, and he often forgets to eat and sleep because he is so
Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, portrays education and the pursuit of knowledge as dangerous and life-changing through the three main characters, the creature, Robert Walton, and Victor Frankenstein. All three characters are determined to expand their minds and are forced face the changes and issues that come with knowledge. Firstly, as the creature gains intelligence, he becomes more violent. Second, Robert Walton’s passion for unknown scientific discovery puts him in very dangerous situations. Lastly, Victor Frankenstein’s pursuit of knowledge leads him to a life of misery and guilt.
Throughout the novel, the creature changes from a caring, helpful being, to a vengeful, …show more content…
He is angry at his creator, Victor, who brought him into his unfulfilling life and is depressed because he knows about the true circumstances of his life and his abandonment. He later reflects on how he purposefully tormented Victor and how he “devoted my creator, the select specimen of all that is worthy of love and admiration among men, to misery; I have pursued him even to that irremediable ruin” (165). Overall, the creature becoming more knowledgeable led him to do many horrific and violent acts, many of which he regrets.
Robert Walton is another character in the novel who portrays that the desire for knowledge is dangerous. His passion for unknown scientific discovery has him willing to explore the oceans without knowing if he will ever …show more content…
His obsession with science and discovering the unknown begins at a young age when he comes across alchemy and natural philosophy. He attends the university in Ingolstadt, where he continues to expand his knowledge in the sciences. Victor soon begins to develop obsessive behaviour, devoting all his time into his studies and aggressively using resources to learn all he can. After discovering an interest in anatomy and the decomposition of the human body, his preoccupation with creating life develops. He expresses his determination by saying “I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation” (28). Victor devotes many months to building an animate being and occupies all his time working on his creature. Victor’s obsession with the creature is a recurring event in the novel. He continues to obsess over the monsters whereabouts after it goes missing. He also travels across Europe tracking down the creature, committed to finding it, even if it costs him his life. Victor states “Never will I give up my search, until he or I perish,” (152). Victor’s obsession with building the creature soon begins to affect his health. He later on describes how his “Cheeks had grown pale with study, and my person had become emaciated with confinement” (32). His health is no longer a priority to him, and he often forgets to eat and sleep because he is so