Heroism In Frankenstein

In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, a timely warning is issued regarding the role of science in society. Specifically, Shelley asserts that if objective goals are not considered before pursuing scientific inquiry, then it will become nothing more than a religion. This claim is illustrated through the relationship between Victor Frankenstein and his monster, a creature that was born from scientific inquiry. To compliment this claim, Shelley uses the monster’s transition from innocence to evil to illustrate the biblical narrative of the “fallen angel.” This narrative implies that the monster was not born evil, but that he became evil through the misuse of science. Ultimately, Frankenstein shows that scientific discoveries must be intellectually

For example, he learns to speak French and frequently quotes from Paradise Lost by John Milton. The monster describes Paradise Lost as having “excited different and far deeper emotions [within him]” (Shelley, 87). This is evidently due to his ability to relate to Adam’s fall from innocence. Furthermore, in an act of desperation, the monster approaches a blind man. When the blind man’s family approaches them, they become alarmed and prompt the monster to leave. Upon leaving, the monster saves a young girl from drowning and notes that he simply wished to “restore animation” to her body (Shelley, 143). This act of heroism is not viewed favorably, as observers begin to fire bullets at his body. Similarly, the monster attempts to befriend William Frankenstein, as he suspects that his heart is “unprejudiced” (Shelley, 144). Nonetheless, William is not receptive to his offer of friendship and calls him a “hideous monster” (Shelley, 144). This implies that knowledge and reason cannot negate the monster’s physical appearance, thus rendering him to a life of social isolation. Additionally, although Victor promises to find “a companion of the same species” for his monster, he is unable to (Shelley, 123). This troubles the monster and causes him to exact revenge on Victor by murdering his best friend, Henry Clerval, and his bride. By murdering Victor’s friends,

For example, when speaking to Captain Walton, Victor responds negatively toward the pursuit of knowledge. When discussing his voyage to the North Pole, Captain Walton states, “One man’s life or death were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of the knowledge which I sought” (Shelley, 29). In this moment, Captain Walton’s enthusiasm for science closely mirror’s Victor’s enthusiasm for science. Nonetheless, upon hearing this statement, Victor notes that a “dark gloom” has fallen over him. He cries, “Unhappy man! Do you share my madness? Have you drunk also of the intoxicating draught?” (Shelley, 29). His reference to the “intoxicating draught” that is scientific madness shows that it has caused him severe harm. This is further exemplified when Victor directly compares himself to Captain Walton, declaring, “You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been” (Shelley, 31). It is in this moment that Victor proposes a relationship between limitless scientific inquiry and despair. Furthermore, Victor tells Captain Walton that he may “deduce an apt moral from [his] tale” (Shelley, 31). Ultimately, this indicates that Victor hopes others will not follow in his path, as it has to led to nothing but chaos, destruction and emotional