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Power In Frankenstein Essay

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Power, the one thing everybody desires, plays a major role in the lives of the characters of Frankenstein. Throughout the story, Shelley frequently emphasizes the theme of power and the constant struggle that the characters face to gain power over themselves and others. The two main characters, Victor Frankenstein and The Creature, show the most struggle for power throughout the story, both internally and over each other. They look to gain power of knowledge, power of themselves and power over one another. This struggle for power creates a constantly shifting dynamic amongst characters. From the moment Victor decided to create the Creature, he begins his assertion of dominance over the Creature. By creating a “monster” solely for his own …show more content…

When Victor abandons him, the Creature attempts to live alone and learn how others live. The people hindered his attempts with their harsh reactions and obvious fear of the Creature. He secluded himself from society and lived in the woods near a little cottage where a family lived. For a while, he stole wood and food from them until he learned their financial hardships and then he started helping them. He observed the family and began learning through them. He observed how they treated and interacted with one another. He learned about history, literature, and society and also taught himself how to speak, read, and write by watching them. The Creature finally gained power over his own life, with this knowledge he makes his own decisions and learns how people live in the real world. The power of knowledge has an effect on many of the characters. Victor wanted to create the Creature to learn more about science and giving life to something lifeless. Knowledge, the driving force behind Victor’s experiment, caused the creation of the Creature and set the course for the rest of the plot. The Creature desires the power of knowledge in his own life. When he flees after Victor abandons him, he does not know anything about society, the world, or how people interact. He tries to gain this knowledge by observing others from a distance. Eventually, he starts to learn and teaches himself many

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