The Importance Of Knowledge In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

In the novel, Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelly, there are three different narrators throughout the whole book. This is important because we get 3 different looks into the same story.  The three perspectives allow us to form our own opinions about the story. Having three perspectives helps the reader understand everything a whole lot more because they get everyone’s story and side. Shelly also uses three different narrators for the reader to be able to step in each character’s shoes. Throughout the book, the reader is able to take sides with a certain character because the author used a unique writing style.

At the beginning of life, humans are exposed to the outside world with an open and blank mind. A newborn has no knowledge, no concerns or worries and it only seeks to fulfill its main necessities. Surrounded by the outside world one lives through many experiences where knowledge is accepted. Encountering other human beings reflects upon one's perception and brings about ones self decisions. Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, written in 1816, demonstrates through characters that an obsessive desire for more knowledge may ruin ones life.

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

“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

“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.

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.

Mary Shelley also shows the consequences of the pursuit of knowledge by depicting a mad scientist that did not think of the significance of the penalties he would face. Victor Frankenstein creates a monster that leaves him alone in this world and ultimately leads to his death. He says himself, “‘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 64). Curiosity is an important factor in humans even today. One could be curious about every aspect in life like Victor was. Once again, Victor did not know his limits, and this led him to face the consequences. The question now could be, would it be better if we were brainwashed and did not have the ability to pursue knowledge? What if we believe every word the media says? If our pursuit of knowledge cuts off, then one would believe everything the media says. As Albert Einstein says, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but

“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 his world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow.” Most people might find the story around Frankenstein and his creation both fascinating and gruesome. People are fascinated because of the unknown, the real embodiment of new life, the power over life and death. On the other hand, they are afraid of this new life. It is against human nature to create life contrary to what is natural.

Various movie productions have been made about the popular Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. The film, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein by Roger Ebert brushes over the vision Mary Shelley portrays in her book-- not exactly following along to the plot in Mary Shelley’s novel. However, the characters in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein accurately depict the characters in Mary Shelley’s actual book. Victor Frankenstein is the same mad scientist in the movie and in the book--placing his yearning for knowledge above everything else; Henry Clerval is supportive of Victor, Elizabeth is an intense lover of Victor, and the creation is the abhorred monstrosity as portrayed in the novel.

During the transformative ages of infancy and maturity, damage can occur as a result of a lack of parental insight. Transformation can be defined as a change from one stage to another. As the Monster gathers knowledge in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, his character begins to manifest. First, the trial and error method put the Monster in precarious positions such as, trying to utilize the elements, seeking food and shelter, and trying to form human connections by breaking the language barrier. Consequently, maturity teaches the Monster that his appearance is in stark contrast to those around him.

The misuse of knowledge is a deadly and unfortunate thing. Knowledge can be used for the greater good and help those in need. But great knowledge can be put into the wrong hands and used to bring evil. In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the misuse of knowledge is wide displayed by explaining unfortunate events that can happen from creating evil out of knowledge.

Despite being published in 1818, Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, still bears a warning for readers today, in 2015. Depending on the reader, the warnings or lessons to be learned will inevitably vary, just as interpretations of the text may vary. However, one irrefutable lesson lies with Victor Frankenstein and his studies.

How does Mary Shelley develop the theme of dangerous knowledge using epistles, shifted point of views, and allusions? This research question is worth studying because, in today’s generation, the theme of dangerous knowledge can be applied. Many people are studying and developing more electronics, software, and much more. For example, there is a software that is created to detect one's face. Our technology has been improving and many people are relying on it. Some technology is not worth creating and can be harmful to society's health.

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.