Frankenstein Greed Quotes

Frankenstein: a Tale of Human Ambition and Desire for Power

The eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia in the year 1815 plagued Europe with unusual weather patterns that, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, consisted of low temperatures, little to no sunshine, and heavy snow. Consequently, 1816 became known as “the year without a summer”. It also happened to be the year when Mary, along with her lover Percy Shelley, went for a trip to Geneva, Switzerland. During this trip Mary and her later husband spent a lot of their time in the company of Lord Byron and John William Polidori, both important figures in literary history. To pass time the group often discussed topics such as science and the nature of life. One evening Lord Byron proposed

Frankenstein is a doctor of great ambition who is consumed by the mystery of life. This explains why he turns to science in an attempt to manipulate nature and bend the rules it plays by. Interestingly enough, at no point in the novel does Shelley condemn Victor’s curiosity or determination. Instead, she highlights that the doctor’s desire for knowledge turns into greed when he seemingly ignores the immoral or unethical decisions he must make. This clouded judgement and overly confident attitude is what leads to Frankenstein’s demise by the end of the story. Simultaneously, Shelley makes an example out of Victor by showing that disrupting nature’s balance can have fatal consequences. The scientist was able achieve his goal of creating life, but not replicate the intricate design made by nature. Therefore, the Creature turns out deformed and grotesque. It receives the gift of consciousness, but also all the horrific traits of a human

The series of horrific events linked to the monster’s existence can all be traced back to Frankenstein’s abandonment of his creation at the start of the story. In reality The Creature only followed its natural instincts of seeking revenge after being rejected by society. Perhaps if Victor took responsibility and considered the ethical side of his experiment the monster would never have become a source of destruction. What’s interesting is that according to an article written for psychology today, for people to be able to take responsibility for their mistakes, they need to first believe that they are able to change as a person. It is possible that Victor was so consumed by his goal that he didn’t see the immorality of it and therefore didn’t feel the need to change. Either way, Shelley once again reminds that there is no inherent good or evil when discussing science, but that the intentions and actions of scientists matter the