In nineteenth century Europe, the view on progress of technology varied. Marquis de Condorcet had a more optimistic view on human development, whereas Mary Shelley had a more pessimistic view. Their difference in views stem from the fact that Shelley is from England, while Condorcet is from France. England and France had different ideals at the time; England had romantic ideals while France had enlightenment ideals. Shelley and Condorcet’s ideals are revealed through the style and what they are writing about, and it becomes clear that they have highly contrasting views.
Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, which is a story about a scientist, Victor Frankenstein, playing God and creating a sentient being out of parts from deceased humans. The monster escapes and exacts revenge on Frankenstein,
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Shelley’s Frankenstein had a plentiful amount of fantasy elements in her book, which was characteristic of romantic art. Unlike Shelley, Condorcet believed that humans could achieve progress, and that progress would be good and would lead to perfection, characteristic of enlightenment ideas. Shelley did not believe the same as Condorcet, and was more pessimistic about human progress, as is evident in how she writes about Frankenstein’s monster and the characteristics and personality Shelley gives the monster in addition to the actions the monster does. When Frankenstein created his monster and saw it come to life, he immediately became disgusted by it. “I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.” Shelley would have seen scientific progress as possibly good at first, but when it is realized what was created, it would have been seen as extremely bad. This is the case with Frankenstein where he devotes an abundant amount of time constructing the monster,