Knowledge In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

From the beginning of time until now the limitless pursuit of knowledge reveals man’s weakness. Modern society provides humans with a wide variety of sources on how to gain knowledge, both good and evil. The thirst for forbidden knowledge beyond what man can essentially handle, causes a tragic life. The protagonist in the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley exemplifies the behavior of the ideal man grasping for more knowledge than he can truly bare; in turn this knowledge becomes tarnished. Shelley eludes to the Greek myth of Prometheus allowing the reader to delve deeper into the general theme that those who pursue an insatiable desire for knowledge, if not tamed,

Pg. 62). The letters with in the preface tell the story of Walton and his sister, and reveals that both he and his sister both put themselves in harm’s way simply to be the first to gain knowledge. The novel shows that sometimes the actions you take do not necessarily give you the outcomes that you want. This is shown in chapter four when Dr. Frankenstein was first conducing his experiment and becomes extremely obsessed with the lust to create life. Dr. Frankenstein ultimately removes all of his personal relationships and isolates himself from people who care about him. “For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardor that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.”(Chapter 5, pg. 42) It is clear that Dr. Frankenstein dislikes the monster he just created and notices that he does not make something that is beautiful but more on something that’s is monstrous. Increasingly, Shelly makes a point by giving the reader a sort of “warning” on the aspect of wanting knowledge too much She makes the effort by making Dr. Frankenstein a example for the magnitude of gaining dangerous knowledge. “A flash of lightning illuminated the object and

“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

In Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, ‘Frankenstein’, a recurring motif of ambition and the quest for knowledge is present among the characters of Victor Frankenstein, Robert Walton and the creature. Victor’s obsessive ambition is his fatal flaw, ruining his life and leading to the murder of his loved ones and eventually his own death. Robert Walton shares a similar ambition

Victor Frankenstein and Robert Walton’s creation holds the intention to make them almost the exact same person. Both men search for fame, yet refer to it as a, “quest for knowledge.” Unfortunately the need for fame leads to an over-dedication to research, obsessive tendencies, and injuring those who surround the men. Walton speaks of his ongoing journey to Frankenstein and says he would, “...sacrifice [his] fortune, [his] existence, [ his] every hope to the furtherance of [his] enterprise. One man’s life or death were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of knowledge which [he] sought…”(22) Also, Frankenstein admits his studies took priority when he says, “my cheek had grown pale with study, and my person had become emaciated with confinement… [it] caused me to forget those friends who were so many miles absent”(44) While Walton chose his expedition over his crew, Frankenstein chose his creature over himself and his family. Frankenstein’s decisions ruin his life, and if Walton kept his expedition on the intended course he would have an extremely high chance of ruining his life as well. The men’s similarities help the reader understand Walton truly does have the potential to destroy his life just like Frankenstein does. If not for Frankenstein’s cautionary tale Walton would have continued on even if it meant the potential danger of running into many more complications. Shelley decides to make the men extremely similar to let the few differences between them shine

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...

“Learn from me…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, 39).

In the real world, the power of knowledge has a real affect on human nature as it gives them a sense of the world and its surroundings. Knowledge is facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education. They are known to create separation between people, the smartest usually coming atop. While the monster and Victor’s adventures are told, the power of knowledge in Shelley’s Frankenstein are a big influence into the advancements of their actions and plot of the story because it gives a new outlook for them.

Through her use of language of curiosity, Shelly states that one’s passion for knowledge is overpowering. Frankenstein is talking to Walton about his mistakes through his quest to acquires knowledge. He explains that it is better for people to think they are the only people in the word than to try and become greater than their nature will allow. He starts telling Walton his story. He states , “No one can conceive the variety of feelings which bore me onwards, like a hurricane, in the first enthusiasm of success” (54). Through his use of the simile, “like a hurricane,” Frankenstein explains the forceful and destructive nature of passion. Also, his use of the word “hurricane” shows that passion is also natural meaning it is unpredictable and

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.

The word “knowledge” was recurring many times throughout Frankenstein novel and attracted or forced the reader to find out the true definition of it. Curiously, I decided to look up the definition of knowledge from the Webster 's Dictionary. It defines, “Knowledge: n. Understanding gained by actual experience; range of information; clear perception of truth; something learned and kept in the mind.” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) I realized this word is very straightforward, but has many useful and different meanings to all of us. It is also powerful tool to determine and control the result of our judgment. “Knowledge consists in recognizing the difference between good and bad decisions”. (Knowledge Intellectual

In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the creature experiences the harm of desiring knowledge. Although knowledge supposedly provides power and benefits the human mind, Victor Frankenstein’s creature understands his dreaded existence through the acquisition of knowledge and develops a sense of maliciousness and misery, proving that knowledge can be harmful.

Socrates once said, "To know, is to know that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge." This quote holds much truth as a truly knowledgeable and wise person would recognize that there is always more to learn and no one will always know everything. Thus, this idea states that new knowledge will constantly enter and shape one’s character. Similarly, the idea of being aware that one does not know everything and will constantly have knowledge shaping their character is present in Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein. In Frankenstein, knowledge causes deterioration in character and morals. This is shown through the monsters behavioral change and through Frankenstein 's loss of sanity.

There is a common saying, ‘knowledge is power,’ although it is not always true it is more fitting than the saying ‘ignorance is bliss,’ both can lead to two extreme ideals, too much knowledge it is on the verge of Godly, or not enough to function in society. In Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, someone is always attempting to fill an emptiness they have with too much knowledge. Weather it be an absence of a caregiver, or a loved one, Walton, the creature, and Victor Frankenstein all seek knowledge to fill a void in their life. Robert Walton is in search of knowledge through a voyage to the north pole where he hopes to find a faster route across the globe, or even uncover the secret to the magnetic poles. Robert writes to his dear sister, Margarette, “you cannot contest the inestimable benefit which I shall confer on all mankind” (Shelley 11).

In Mary Shelley’s horror fiction novel, Frankenstein or The Modern Day Prometheus, many literary elements and motifs are expressed. The action in this novel picks up after the main character Victor Frankenstein, creates a monster in his lab. This enormous event eventually leads to the murdering of his wife, friend, and his younger brother. One important theme that is expressed in this novel is that if knowledge is not used wisely, it can be a very dangerous and destructive tool.