Frankenstein Dangerous Knowledge Essay

Mary Shelly wrote Frankenstein in 1816 when she was just 20 years old. Even at a young age, she was able to craft what is considered the first science fiction novel. At this time of her writing, a scientific revolution was occurring and with it came advances in topics like radiation and atomic theory. With this rapid change in science and human understanding, Shelly chose to write a story as plea against unorthodox scientific experiments. She portrays this idea with the use of the characters Victor Frankenstein and the monster he created. Through her use of these characters, as well as her use of allusions from religious texts and other literary works, she is able further her argument against untraditional science.

“Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow” (Shelley 60). In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, she expresses her beliefs regarding the danger of pursuing happiness through the attainment of knowledge, because true happiness is found in the emotional connections established between people. The pursuit of knowledge is not necessarily an evil thing, but it can cause destruction when it is pursued beyond natural limits. Victor Frankenstein becomes a slave to his passion for learning in more than one way; first his life is controlled by

Here Walton is acting like the young child, being selfish to the needs and safety of his crew only caring about himself and the knowledge he can attain within this adventure. After telling Victor Frankenstein this, Victor looks shocked and replies to Walton, “You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did, and I ardently hope for the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent and sting you, as mine has been.” (Shelly 28). This quote represents the guilt and regret found within Victor’s life that lead from the want and desire of knowledge.

As of this writing, I have decided to regard the local TV channel's "The more you know..." commercials as being evil. I do not understand how anyone could regard "knowledge" as anything but evil. "The more you know..." the more your mind feels the need to explorer for more knowledge and the more evil it will encounter. The more you search, the more ignorant you realize you are and the more open to pain you become. Who needs to have the knowledge possessed by God or the knowledge of creation from nothing? Frankenstein "...ardently desired the acquisition of knowledge" and later came to realize "...how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge."

Frankenstein is to be “sometimes considered one of the first science fiction novels” (Fox,stacy ”Romantic and Gothic Representation in Frankenstein”). Frankenstein was written by Mary Shelley. In this novel the main characters where Victor Frankenstein, his creation the monster, Robert Walton, Elizabeth Lavenza, Alphonse Frankenstein, and Henry Clerval. Frankenstein starts out with a normal boy named Victor Frankenstein who discovers an early interest in science. Victor later goes off to college to study science and ends up creating a monster. Throughout the novel the monster is stereotyped by his looks and is traumatized and goes for revenge against his creator when Victor refuses to make him a

In the novel, Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein shows the cruel karma that joins in the achievement of attaining knowledge. With countless examples to support this statement, the opinion of this reader holds strong with the opinion of Mary Shelly, that the power of knowledge, though incredibly tempting to grasp hold of tightly, can be a dangerous achievement that can lead to more destruction than it can recover.

Knowledge is knowing that Frankenstein is not the monster, but wisdom is knowing that he in fact becomes the monster. Inside all of us there is darkness, light, and the potential to become what we all fear: a monster. It is the choice to not give in to our inner demons that keeps us human. The biggest demon that some hold is the desire to make a human, but not through reproduction, thus taking the power of life and death out of the universe’s hands. Worse than that though, is taking life and death out of the universe and then abandoning your creation, much like abandoning a child.

Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley, addresses many ideas such as excess knowledge being a danger, which is significant to the whole text as the story itself can be viewed as a warning to Walton and readers as to the perils of possessing knowledge beyond that of the natural. Frankenstein is a story of Victor Frankenstein’s unusual life events retold by R. Walton. Victor, who possessed an excess of knowledge beyond what was natural, attempted to create a new race that would be brought to life from the dead. Victor succeeded, but instantly regretted his decision to interfere with the laws of nature. He was haunted not only by the visual image of his ugly creation, but also by the horrifying events following his creation, such as the murder of his brother. Meanwhile, the monster failed at receiving human acceptance which was what he desired the most. The

Some people say that intelligence can be both a curse and a blessing. They argue that in many ways knowledge can help mankind, while it also can create dangerous monsters that can harm others. However, in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Victor’s intelligence is portrayed as only a curse because it unleashes a murderer, results in his perpetual sickness, and makes him want to keep the knowledge a secret. First, knowledge is portrayed as only a curse and not a blessing in Frankenstein because Victor’s intelligence creates the creature who becomes a murderer. After Victor finishes his creation, he exclaims that “the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled [his] heart” (Shelley, 56).

Knowledge is a key theme throughout much of literature. In a well-developed essay, present how the theme of Knowledge is examined by an author that you have studied

A women who wrote “Frankenstein” named, Mary Shelley, she was born August 30, 1797, in London, England. Mary Shelley came from a rich literary heritage. She was the daughter of William Godwin, a political theorist, novelist, and publisher. Her ideas to write Frankenstein cameon summer of 1816, Mary and his brother Percy visited the poet Lord Byron at his villa beside Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Stormy weather finally forced them going indoors, while the other guests read a volume of ghost stories. So there, Mary's story became Frankenstein when she was only 19 years old.Frankenstein was published in 1818, when Mary was 21, and

The Danger of Forbidden Knowledge Scientific development is important in any society but, can get chaotic when knowledge is given to an unsuitable person. Having an excessive amount of the “wrong” type of knowledge leads to damaging mistakes. Mary Shelly’s novel Frankenstein examines what limits should be placed on scientific discovery. The two primary characters, Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein are important factors in examining this topic. In the novel Frankenstein, scientific endeavor and development are challenged through creation, education, and exploration as it leads to forbidden knowledge in both Walton and Frankenstein’s lives.

In 1818 Mary Shelley wrote a horrific novel titled Frankenstein. It was such a hit back then, that it is still people still republish and make shows and movies from the book. Frankenstein, is about a young man, Victor Frankenstein, who is obsessed with science and trying to find the secret to life. While he is away at college, he thinks he has found it and begins putting a person together using various body parts. As soon as the person has life, Victor realizes his creation is a monster and immediately regrets the monster he has brought to life. He goes several years with hearing nothing from the monster and then finds it killed his youngest brother. On his return home, he decides he will track the monster down. It does not go so well though.

Frankenstein was written two hundred years ago by Mary Shelly when she was eighteen years old. A science fiction novel but often read as a gothic horror story and ominous warning about the ramifications exceeding boundaries of science. The main character, Victor Frankenstein, at a young age has been fascinated by life and death and classical experiments of the alchemists, thus creating his first subject the Monster. Frankenstein epitomized the climatic change in the study of science during the eighteenth century. The time is characterized by important experimentations and rise of scholars such Faraday, Dalton, and Benjamin Franklin. There were signs in the novel that it was influenced by scientific discovery of our modern understanding of electricity. Shelly attempted to uncover the limits to which science can surpass morals. Frankenstein who attempted to attain powers through science by his display of creation of life and death, has forbidden limitations and unforgiving ramifications.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has become a classic in modern literature. Her tale is full of moral lessons that encompass a wide variety of subjects but one of the most prevalent is the theme of knowledge and its pursuit. Frankenstein, Walton, and the Monster all have an appetite for acquiring knowledge and actively pursue their perspective interests, but it soon turns to the obsessive and proves to be dangerous. Each of the character’s desires demonstrates to be detrimental to them when no boundaries are established. Through the use of consequences, Shelley’s Frankenstein shows that the relentless and obsessive pursuit of knowledge can lead to dangerous and disastrous situations.