Examples Of State Of Nature In Frankenstein

Human understanding presumes the position that it is human nature to be curious, intuitive, and to move forward through inquiry. [When reflecting on Shelly’s Novel, Frankenstein, we can find several relations to the ideals of the state of nature theories; feminism is also a frequent topic that can be unveiled when analyzing the themes throughout the book including human understanding and pursuit of knowledge.]
For many years philosophers have studied the question of how and why society functions as a whole. (3)They’ve looked into, “if the police, government, the state, and laws didn't exist”(State of Nature: Definition, Philosophy & Examples), what society would lead to. This leads to the question of why we let ourselves be governed and what

Shelly uses Hobbes’ ideas that inevitably man is (3), “dangerous to each other… there is an inextricable link between equality and hostility, which generates continuous conflicts amongst men” (Kesici and Panatier). Shelly begins to express these ideas when revealing the Creature’s underlying request and alluding to his true desires overall. The Creature just wants to truly be accepted and learn how to act like others, even if that is to behave evilly, like Hobbes would suggest mankind do, or to act like a product of the environment as he is. The Creature applies Hobbes’ theory and says(1), “I could not conceive how one man could go forth to murder his fellow, or even why there were laws and governments; but when I heard details of vice and bloodshed, my wonder ceased and I turned away with disgust and loathing” (Shelly 107). Hobbes strong belief that,(1) “if any two men desire the same thing, which nevertheless they cannot both enjoy, they become enemies, and in the way to their End, … endeavor to destroy, or subdue one another’” (Hühne 76), is shown in the book when conflict arises between Victor and the Creature. We see Victor emotional and confused when thinking about,(3) “‘[How] strangely are our souls constructed…Destiny was too potent, and her immutable laws had decreed my utter and terrible destruction’” (Shelley 27). Another idea we can study is the debate of nature vs nurture. Throughout reading Frankenstein we see Victor reflecting on his past life and how that did or did not influence his life as it is now. Coming from the nature side, Victor states,(1) “A change indeed had taken place in me… At these moments I took refuge in the most perfect solitude” (Shelley 139). Victor is reflecting on the change in his life and his relationships along the way. In explaining the things that he took joy in, he is including how a female wasn’t a part of