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Acquisition Of Knowledge In Frankenstein Research Paper

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In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the creature's knowledge acquisition profoundly alters him, ultimately driving him toward vengeful and destructive behaviour. Knowledge alters the fates of all three primary perspectives in Frankenstein, deterring the path their lives take. The creature's journey is one of innocence to torment. Initially, he is blissfully unaware, driven by basic survival instincts. However, his path takes a drastic turn as he delves into the realms of humanity, religion, war, and societal norms, transforming him into a tortured being. Frankenstein's monster is freakishly disfigured and abominable, to the degree that people experience unfathomable fear upon seeing him. Victor had strongly desired to create a human, but now states, "...the …show more content…

Through his horrid expressions and denial of accompaniment, he succumbs to a pitiful and wretched mindset. The creature's deformity stems from his unnatural and inhumane birth. Through gaining knowledge, he laments that he will be subject to a life of loneliness as he is the only one of his kind. Comparing his own life to Paradise Lost, he associates himself with both Adam, in jealousy of his companion, and as Satan through his creator's abandonment. The creature grieves over how Adam "...had come forth from the hands of God a perfect creature, happy and prosperous," but lives in misery as he considers Satan more agreeable, as "...like him, when I [he] viewed the bliss of my [his] protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within..." (Shelley, 92) As he learns about his unethical nature, he questions why "...did I [he] not extinguish the spark of existence which you had so wantonly bestowed?" Shelley, 97, longing to have passed before possessing the knowledge he currently has. The creature's self-awareness of his deformities drove him toward vengeful misery, envy, and an unfulfilled longing for companionship and

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Obtaining knowledge is seen as a positive objective, but sometimes it may come with a negative outcome. Attempting to discover something new without thought of morality can bring you disastrous events. Learning something new can disappoint you and leave you with no option but to walk away. An attempt to get knowledge secretly can make people uncomfortable with you. Knowledge can be thought of as power, and if you can’t limit yourself; this can damage people’s life and lead to loss of trust.

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With this quote, Shelley shows Victor's lack of empathy for the creature, whom he has created without considering the implications for his life and

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In every good horror story, there is always some sort of monster that is violent and cruel. However, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is the exception. The monster that Victor Frankenstein creates, gains great sympathy from the audience, while he describes his story. As he narrates his experience, it is revealed that the creature is no fiend, but a friend. Frankenstein’s monster, for a monster acts very human.

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In Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, the creature 's acquisition of knowledge leads to his diversion from benevolence to pure hatred towards mankind. The works of Victor Frankenstein, the monster was created by old body parts and strange chemicals, animated by a spark making him come to life. The Creature enters life as an eight-foot giant only to have been created with the intellect of a newborn. Abandoned by his creator and confused, the Creature attempts to integrate himself into society only to be shunned away in disgust by humanity. The Creature then makes his way and lives next to a human family which is essentially the start for the creatures detestation towards humanity.

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First, the creature reveals emotions of his “Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust. God in pity,

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While his creator lives in extreme comfort, the creature suffers extensively which it blames on its maker. When at an all time low, the creature discovers a family that fills his underdeveloped mind with the idea that he might still have hope of accommodating with the world it found itself in and attempts to acquire the traits that might enable this adaptation with a familiar environment. The creature immensely strived to be accepted by the one that made it that it would subject itself to immense self loathing and strenuous mental development. This portrays the torture Frankenstein subjected his poor underling to due to his imperfections. With this, Shelley criticizes the weakness of the faulty chemist.

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As time progresses, the more these fears intensify—unless resolved. Likewise, Victor Frankenstein’s relationship with the monster he created is complex due to being the parent of the monster and subsequently abandoning it, resulting in unforeseen and fatal consequences. In the name of science, Victor brought this human-like being to life; therefore, he is granted a father-like dynamic to this creature. Victor questions, “anyone indeed exist, except I, the creator, who would believe.in the existence of the living momentum of presumption and rash ignorance which I had let loose upon this world (Shelly, 66).” Victor created this monster with great ignorance of what might happen if the creature was not perfect, as it turned out to be.

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Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a novel about the dangerous pursuit of knowledge, as it explores the consequences of unchecked ambition and the implications of playing God, through the characters of Victor Frankenstein, the creature, and Robert Walton, ultimately emphasizing the idea that the desire for glory can lead to catastrophic consequences. Frankenstein's inexorable craving for knowledge proves to be a risky endeavor as seen through his obsession with reanimating life. When Frankenstein speaks to Walton concering his research and results of those experiences, he says, “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

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He refers this mastery of language and communication as “godlike science” (Shelley, 2000, p.103). According to Thakkar (2008), not only is the creature discerning and perceptive but he is also intelligent. The creature has a passion for the arts: music , literature and poetry and enjoys reading books such as Paradise Lost, a volume of Plutarch’s Lives and the Sorrows of Werter and Victor Frankenstein’s papers about his origins. Through these books and documents, he learns a lot about the world and the intricacies of his being (Thakkar, 2008).The creature’s had virtuous intentions that were appreciated by the cottagers. As the creature explains to Frankenstein in their meeting, “I admired virtue and good feelings and loved the gentle manners and amiable qualities of my cottagers, but I was shut out from intercourse with them, except through means which I obtained by stealth, when I was unseen and unknown, which rather increases than satisfied the desire I had of becoming one among my fellows,” (Shelley, 2000, p.110).

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In Shelley's novel, the creature is portrayed as a being who seeks acceptance and love from its creator and the people around it. However, as the creature is repeatedly rejected and mistreated, it becomes increasingly violent and vengeful. This is evident in the following quote from the novel: "I am alone and miserable; man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me. My companion must be of the same species and have the same defects. This being you must create."

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The idea of knowledge in the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley interprets knowledge as an evil pursuit. The knowlege is misused, due to Victor, the monster, and the interference with nature. Theses reasons are different perspectives that lead to tragedies. The novel Frankenstein identifies Victor's desire to gain knowledge as misusing it.

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In Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein (1818), Shelley shows her audience that while acquiring knowledge leads to survival for the Creature and power for Victor Frankenstein, the path to obtain this knowledge leads to the destruction of one’s self. Education and knowledge have major negative effects on both of the characters’ attitude, perception, and decisions. The life experiences of each character is dependent on the amount of knowledge that the character possesses. Knowledge gives Victor Frankenstein a superiority complex, and it changes the Creature’s perspective of the world and the people in it. The Creature, like a baby, is brought into the world with no prior knowledge of how society behaves.

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