Elements Of The Age Of Enlightenment In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Frankenstein fulfilled his destiny and made his creation despite his suffering and misfortunes. However, his influence on Walton is paradoxical. One moment, Frankenstein exhorts Walton’s almost-mutinous men to not stray from their path courageously, regardless of danger. The next, he serves as an abject example of the dangers of heedless scientific ambition. Walton serves as a foil to Victor, either not obsessive enough to risk almost-certain death or not courageous enough to allow his passion to drive him. Walton ultimately draws back from his treacherous mission and returns to England, having learned from Victor’s example how destructive the thirst for knowledge can be.

Walton's letters to his sister at the beginning of the story foreshadow the feelings and motivations that Frankenstein experiences when he first discovers the "the cause of generation and life." Both Walton and Frankenstein are adventures and obsessive with

Walton’s letters act like a framing device for Victor’s narrative. Shelley’s use of letters enables the shift of narrative from one character to another, while still remaining like a standard novel. Walton’s is only the first of many voices in ‘Frankenstein’. His letters set up a

Frankenstein is a book written by Mary Shelley in 1818, that is revolved around a under privileged scientist named Victor Frankenstein who manages to create a unnatural human-like being. The story was written when Shelley was in her late teen age years, and was published when she was just twenty years old. Frankenstein is filled with several different elements of the Gothic and Romantic Movement of British literature, and is considered to be one of the earliest forms of science fiction. Frankenstein is a very complicated and complex story that challenges different ethics and morals on the apparent theme of dangerous knowledge. With the mysterious experiment that Dr. Victor Frankenstein conducted, Shelly causes her reader to ultimately ask

Mary Shelley introduces the story of Frankenstein with an exchange of one-way letters from Walton to his sister. In these letters, Shelley introduces the main themes of the novel via the character of Walton and his letters, in that he presents many of the themes later explored in ‘Frankenstein’ such as thirst for knowledge and power, isolation and nature, in his own story. These opening letters thus have an impact on the reader as they will influence their view of the rest of the novel in ways that will bring them to ask themselves important questions valid for any are ad society, and bring them some understanding of what is to come next in the novel.

The statement that Victor Frankenstein is telling Walton deciphers an aspect of human life, which is that individuals are creatures that are not completed until another half is found, which is a friend. A friend who possesses greater attributes that makes one want to improve the qualities one possesses. The quote is significant to the story due to the fact that Victor Frankenstein was seeking his other half just as Walton since they lack that satisfaction from someone that could understand them and help them improve. The need for a companion is the beginning of Frankenstein's creation in order to fulfill that emptiness with an intellectual being. The statement connects to life as well since throughout life people seek that companion that will better them and share similar qualities, such as both men seek since one of the greatest fears of men is solidarity, which both men felt.

Walton is motivated more by the desire for recognition and accomplishment, than just to obtain knowledge. Walton would rather die glorious than return home alive. "One man's life or death were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of knowledge which I sought..." (Shelley 17). This shows that Walton wished to peruse glory at any cost. The need for recognition and glory leaves no room for rational thought of what is possible, and what is impossible. Walton becomes deeply involved into Frankenstein's story. "I have resolved every night...

Over two centuries ago, Mary Shelley created a gruesome tale of the horrific ramifications that result when man over steps his bounds and manipulates nature. In her classic tale, Frankenstein, Shelley weaves together the terrifying implications of a young scientist playing God and creating life, only to be haunted for the duration of his life by the monster of his own sordid creation. Reading Shelley in the context of present technologically advanced times, her tale of monstrous creation provides a very gruesome caution. For today, it is not merely a human being the sciences are lusting blindly to bring to life, as was the deranged quest of Victor Frankenstein, but rather to

Mary Shelly’s novel, Frankenstein, can be greatly related to many horror novels, no consideration of morality or thought. Shelly writes her story in a real world perspective showing themes of corruption and downfall making it seem frighteningly realistic. It truly is mind-boggling how research can conflict with religion without a thought or care. During the enlightenment, science began to mask over faith and religion, creating a cultural phenomenon. This is still a factor in today’s world. Although experimenting and research can have poor and great affects, the common question comes to mind, “even though it can be done, should it be done?” While Shelly talks of science and technology, it seems to become more predominate that not all

Egotism is characterized by an inflated appraisal of one’s intellect, ability, importance, and appearance. It is practiced by placing oneself at the center of his or her world. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, Shelley seeks to deliver her idea of the egotistic archetype as it relates to the ideals of The Enlightenment Period, a time period she sees as self-centered. Shelley sees the arrogance in the fact that Enlightenment philosophers test the limits of human understanding and attempt to simplify the ambiguities of nature. She asserts that man is egotistical to believe that he or she can completely dominate a comprehension of the human experience. In the novel, Victor Frankenstein embodies Enlightenment

Frankenstein was reflecting on his past when he shares his guidance of knowledge to Walton. He was thinking about his mistake and how different his life would be if he were not creating the monster. He was passing this helpful knowledge onto Walton, hoping that Walton would learn from his mistake or it would help Walton to understand the power of using knowledge unreasonably. Surely, Walton was able to learn from Frankenstein‘s advice and thus prevent his crew from enduring cruel death by turning back and leaving his ambition behind. “I cannot lead them unwillingly to danger, and must return.” (Shelly, Walton, in CONTINUATION, p. 161) Walton was a seeker who learned the limits of seeking.

The Enlightenment age encouraged everyone to use reason and science in order to rid the world of barbarism and superstition. In fact, Kant argued that the "public use of one's reason must always be free, and it alone can bring about enlightenment among men" (Kant 3). Enlightenment thinking not only influenced philosophy and the sciences, but also literature (especially in Pope's Essay on Man). In reaction to Enlightenment's strict empiricism, Romanticism was born. In Frankenstein, Shelley argues (1) that Victor Frankenstein's role as an Enlightenment hero, not only pulled him out of nature, but made him a slave to his creation; (2) that Frankenstein's role as a revolting romantic failed, because he didn't take responsibility for his

Furthermore, it’s understandable that Frankenstein and Walton want a relationship with someone who is “...Half made up, if one wiser, better, dearer than ourselves — such a friend ought to be.” Friendships should be based on trust and basically enjoying their company. In friendships, the friends should strive to better each other; this doesn’t mean try to fix every bad trait they exhibit. With this in mind, Walton values such a relationship that he doesn’t understand the true nature of Frankenstein. Though, the influence of Frankenstein’s story is enough for Walton to change his mind about his

When someone shows an act of kindness towards him, his whole countenance lights up. This is probably because all of his friends and family have died. Walton fears for Frankenstein, as he says, 'Two days passed before he was able to speak and I often feared that his sufferings had deprived him of understanding'. Even without knowing Frankenstein's full story Walton knows he has been through a lot and this makes the reader appreciate this.