Tracing the arguments-Mary shelly Frankenstein Essay Example
Having lived during the Romantic era, Mary Shelley was a writer whose work, Frankenstein, was heavily impacted by this cultural movement.
Mary Shelley had close relationships with some of the most prominent writers of the English Romantic era, such as her poet/husband Percy Shelley and poet/friend Lord Byron. Other renowned Romantic poets, including Wordsworth and Coleridge, directly influenced her writing, as she either quoted ortheir ideas in Frankenstein. Given her deep connections to these great Romantic writers, it is no surprise that her most well-known work, Frankenstein, encompasses numerous Romantic tendencies and techniques.
Romantic literature often incorporates natural and remote settings, which many writers use as a source of inspiration. For many Romantics, nature is a common place to express their thoughts and emotions. Typically, their settings are
...located in unique or unfamiliar locations. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a prime example of this style, as it takes place in modern times and highlights the use of contemporary science.
It can be deduced that the story takes place in an unusual setting to establish an unfamiliar world for the audience. Victor Frankenstein produced his creation within a secluded chamber situated atop his university in Germany. To bring about the being, Victor had to scavenge multiple cadaver fragments from a cemetery. Victor articulates, "I probed nature to her hiding spots. Who can fathom the atrocities of my covert endeavor, whether I wallowed in the unsanctified dampness of the grave or tormented living creatures to enliven sterile mud?..."
. 1 From charnelhouses, I gathered bones ...
In "Frankenstein" (1818, Vol. 1, Chap. 3, Frame 6), Shelley discusses "the secrets of the human frame." The protagonist, Victor, travels to a remote area i
Scotland to create a female partner for his monstrous creation. Afterwards, he moves on to Mont Blanc.
Returning to nature provides solace for both Victor and his creation. Victor seeks comfort in the mountains and streams, where he finds "the greatest consolation" (Shelley 80), while the monster wanders alone, shunned by society in his search for acceptance. Despite being rejected, the monster exhibits a natural love and respect for his maker, as seen when he approaches Victor's bed.
The monster desires to be treated like a human being and believes that he should not be rejected without cause since he did not break any laws. The monster attributes his hideousness to the miserable rejection caused by Frankenstein's unreasonable behavior.
Yearning to imitate Adam, the monster declares that, unlike Adam, he is not connected to any other living being and highlights the differences between his state and Adam's. When Victor declines his request, the monster swears to harbor eternal animosity and retribution against humanity. This marks the birth of the monster's desire for revenge and ability to ruin everything significant to his maker.
Romantic writing includes a desire for knowledge and heroism, which is evident in Victor's character. He embarks on a romantic quest for ultimate knowledge, only discovering his interest in natural sciences after a period of exploration. This leads him to ponder the source of life and humanity.
Victor delved into the question of the origin of life, studying its driving forces and the traits of death as evident from human decay. His fascination with both the sky and the land consumed him, causing him to devote an excessive amount of time to his research.
He urges:
Victor acknowledges his wrongdoing in deliberately abandoning his friends and realizes there is never-ending wonder in scientific exploration as stated by the quote, "In a scientific pursuit there is continual food for discovery and wonder" (Shelly 23). Despite feeling guilty, he cannot escape his behavior. Victor experienced pleasure in exploring the metaphysical and contemplated extensively on how to use the incredible power at his disposal, expressing, "When I found so astonishing a power placed within my hands, I hesitated a long time concerning the manner in which I should employ it."
In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Victor sets off on a search for the purpose of life with a noble motive of creating life to rid the universe of death. However, his quest ultimately becomes his curse as he is haunted by the existence of his monstrous creation. The novel also includes a brief reference to Coleridge's Ancient Mariner as Victor quotes lines from the poem upon first seeing his monster.
The horrifying appearance of the monster also causes Frankenstein to become ill with fear. This occurrence serves as a reminder to Victor of the Ancient Mariner, who like him, feels disconnected from the disorienting world. Victor Frankenstein's desire for the Romantic Quest means he must live with the consequences of his pursuit for knowledge for all eternity. Both Victor Frankenstein and his creation embark on their own individual quests. The monster sets out to track down and eliminate everyone close to his creator.
Despite facing challenges, he remained steadfast and eventually achieved his goal. Meanwhile, Victor became fixated once more on the monster, even after losing loved ones to its actions. Victor was determined to destroy his
creation, stating that he had been pursuing it for months with a slight clue to guide him.
Victor's search persisted until he was at the brink of death, having seen the fiend enter by night.
Subsequently, Victor imparts to Robert Walton the importance of pursuing contentment and avoiding the grasp of ambition - the very same ambition that drove him to bring the monster to life. As Victor bids his final words of guidance to mankind, his life comes to an end.
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