Mary Shelley's Frankenstein-The Curse Of Knowledge

The Curse of Knowledge The American Psychological Association, an organization supporting psychological needs, stated “During the 2020–2021 school year, more than 60% of college students met the criteria for at least one mental health problem.” While attending rigorous classes and acquiring knowledge are important and beneficial, having large amounts of homework and little personal time can cause more harm than good. In fact, many college students experience the negative side effects of the collegiate quest for understanding, such as stress and exhaustion, during their time at universities. Mary Shelley displays this concept in her novel Frankenstein by pointing out the negative effects of knowledge. The acquisition of knowledge is often seen

When Victor becomes ill from bringing his creature to life, his friend Henry Clerval tells him of his family’s state: “They hardly know how ill you have been, and are uneasy at your long silence” (Shelley 51). Victor’s obsession with creating his monster leads him to lose sight of everything else in life, such as his family. The wisdom he gained, although it is beneficial for his education, is outweighed by the curse of losing his family. After Justine’s death, Victor explains that “sleep fled from [his] eyes; [he] wandered like an evil spirit, for [he] had committed deeds of mischief beyond description, and more, much more” (Shelley 81). He learns that his creation, a result of his expanding knowledge, is the cause of Justine’s death and causes his own sorrow. Knowing he can not tell anyone about what he created, he is internally tortured and pained with the understanding he holds inside of himself and the consequences of his actions. Furthermore, Victor is cursed by his knowledge because he loses his family and, therefore, has no one to help him through the creature’s

He soon cultivates a deep desire to feel the love he observed, and when Felix denies him affection he becomes destructive. The creature’s understanding of love hurts him by allowing him to get his hopes up. When the creature finally approaches Victor and retells to him his journey, he includes, “thanks to the lessons of Felix, and the sanguinary laws of man, I have learned how to work mischief” (Shelley 135). Because knowledge is a curse, the creature identifies his malediction as mischief. Before being denied his desire for love, the creature was sweet and innocent, but mankind, such as Felix, led him to mischievous and evil. Subsequently, the creature is cursed by his knowledge because he is denied love and becomes evil. Like the creature, Robert Walton also suffers from the desire for knowledge by seeking wisdom to such an extent that he loses connection with all of his friends and becomes arrogant to his own needs. In a letter to his sister, Walton says “I have no friend, Margaret. When I am glowing with the enthusiasm of success, there will be none to share my joy” (Shelley