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Shelly's Erosion Of Moral Integrity In Frankenstein

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Impelled by the socio-political upheaval marked by the Enlightenment’s scientific rationalist expansionism, Shelley’s disruptive gothic novel Frankenstein confronts Rationalist beliefs by dismantling the established supremacy of human intellect, conveying man’s motivations of unsanctioned scientific advancements punitively culminate in immorality and alienation rather than solace and integrity. Shelley's Frankenstein immerses readers in a world of “misery and destruction” resulting from the unbridled motivations of its protagonist, Victor Frankenstein. Driven by an insatiable thirst for scientific knowledge to “penetrate nature’s secrets” and the desire to transcend the limitations of mortality and “acquire unlimited powers,”, Frankenstein …show more content…

Shelly's characterisation of the hubristic motivated character of Victor Frankenstein exemplifies the consequences of unchecked ambition and the erosion of moral integrity, as he seeks forbidden knowledge, “depriving (himself) of rest and health” in his attempts to transcend mortality, motivated by the idea that “a new species would bless (him) as its creator and source”, ultimately leading to create what he describes as a “hideously ugly creation.” Through the moral quandaries faced by the characters whereby the creature laments upon his predicament, “I was a poor, helpless, miserable wretch…..I cannot describe to you the agony that these reflections inflicted upon me…sorrow only increased with knowledge” Frankenstein becomes a cautionary microcosm, compelling readers to reflect upon the repercussions of prioritising personal aspirations above ethical …show more content…

Emphasised by way of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘The Birthmark’ challenging the lingering influence of the Enlightenment Era in Romantic America, illustrating the consequences of individuals who seek to exceed the limits of natural laws in their pursuit of perfection. Congruent with the characterisation of Victor Frankenstein, the protagonist Alymer is a scientist “proficient in every branch of natural philosophy” who possesses hubristic self-confidence of being on the level of Mother Nature and the gods, promoting a commentary on the battle between science and nature whilst ultimately embodying the collective hubris of man as his dedication to scientific progress comes at the expense of common decency ultimately resulting in immense tragedy for both husband and wife. Demonstrated by his scheme to "corrected what Nature left imperfect in her fairest work". His hubristic obsession with eradicating a tiny blemish on his wife's face ultimately leads him to disregard the consequences of tampering with nature, neglecting the delicate balance between science and ethics a central concern in the technological advancement and world of

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Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, The Birthmark, tragically displays that the quest for knowledge or perfection can sometimes result in man’s detriment rather than man’s enhancement or success. Aylmer’s constant obsession to make his wife, Georgiana, perfect showcases his concern for his own selfish, unattainable needs to triumph over Nature. Aylmer’s decision to dominate the powers of Nature, illustrates the limits of not only man, but perfection itself. From the onset, Hawthorne portrays Aylmer as a man so involved in his experimental projects, that his love for his own wife never equaled his love for science. Despite her efforts to win her husband’s true affection, Georgiana realized that she could not compete with Aylmer’s

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Alike Shelley, he cautions his audience about a civilisation which has been corrupted by science and technology – however, while Shelley’s text results from the contradictions in ethics of her context in Romanticism and Rationalism, Scott deduces the late 20th century conundrum of scientific knowledge as a commercial product. Thus, Bladerunner and Shelley’s Frankenstein both result in a discussion of contextual ethical dilemmas involving the exploitation of science for personal

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In the Gothic Novel, Frankenstein, by Mary W. Shelley, the moral conscience of the two main characters, Victor Frankenstein and the Creature is a prominent theme throughout the novel. The novel explores the consequences of reckless ambition and the responsibilities that come with creating life. Victor's ambition and the subsequent abandonment of his creation lead to devastating outcomes, while the Creature's yearning for acceptance and love exposes the dark side of human nature. Through the contrasting experiences of Victor and the Creature, Mary Shelley highlights the importance of moral conscience and the consequences of failing to exercise it. Both Victor and the Creature exhibit moral conscience by acknowledging the ungodly actions they do throughout the novel.

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Victor Frankenstein's single-minded focus on creating life leads him down a dark path, and he becomes increasingly isolated from the world around him. His obsession with knowledge blinds him to the ethical considerations that should guide scientific research, and he becomes a victim of his own ambition. In addition, the novel also serves as a critique of the Enlightenment-era belief in human reason and progress. Victor Frankenstein is a product of his time, and his obsession with science is reflective of the cultural climate of the era.

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The Creature’s Unjustified Morals of a Monster Frankenstein’s horror tragedy leaves the reader with a dilemma about Victor’s creature guiltiness and moral responsibility. This dilemma arises due to the irresponsible care from his creator and general hatred received from the human species; contrasted by his unjustified actions towards innocents and commitment of murders as the catharsis from his problems. It is true that this being was inattentively abandoned in the most fundamental stages of its life and that circumstances may have corrupted his initial good benevolence. However, in this essay, I argue that the actions, motives, and values expressed by the unnamed creature in Shelley’s story make him solely responsible and, because of their

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Frankenstein by Mary Shelley has been an American classic for almost 200 years, which contains both philosophical and moral themes in the text, making the reader question the limits of humankind and its desire for power. For every character presented in the story their independent desire to overcome their intentions becomes so intense that the future that lies upon them is nothing close to what they can imagine. Victor Frankenstein´s desire to quench his thirst for power ends up clouding his judgement and making him elude the future that awaits him. As Victor´s intention to succeed in natural sciences grow to an abnormal point, his judgement about what to do with that knowledge didn't let him contemplate the future consequences

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Frankenstein explores peoples’ lack of forgiveness and compassion toward the unknown. Shelly demonstrates this lack of understanding in three distinct ways: Victor Frankenstein’s blatant disgust/hatred of his creation, the cottagers’ aggressive reaction to seeing the creature, and Victor’s refusal to attempt to understand him. When the monster was created, he had no idea of the harsh world into which he was being thrust. This lack of preparation and guidance turned him into a cold, unforgiving monster; he lost his innocence and became this horrible, dangerous monster. Frankenstein perfectly exemplifies humans’ lack of compassion and the long lasting effects it

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In the 1818 edition of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, we follow the story of a scientist, Victor, who creates a being from the body parts of dead animals and humans. Victor learns that playing God comes with consequences when the creature comes to life and is not what he imagined it to be. We as the readers learn how the power of uninterrupted knowledge can corrupt a person and how neglect can lead someone to commit unfathomable crimes. Mary Shelley tests her audience’s morality and lets them decide whom they think deserves pity and who they think is to blame for the destruction that takes place in her book.

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-------->In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story, “The Birthmark“, the reader comes to know a mad scientist who's the only goal of perfection not only leads to the death of his wife but shows how a man can change neither man nor nature. "The Birthmark" fixates a man's desire to remove his wife's imperfection so she may acquire perfection; Her imperfection through the hand-shaped birthmark shows natures "hand", man only have themselves to fight when it comes to nature's doings, and nature will always take what cannot be replaced. Nothing anyone in the world can and will do, even with the best intentions, can go against nature. Aylmer is a scientist who marries a young lady by the name of Georgina, that is by far very beautiful except for her birthmark

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In Mary Shelley’s Romantic novel, Frankenstein, an over-ambitious young scientist, infatuated with the creation of life without a female and the source of generation, breaks the limits of science and nature by conjuring life into a lifeless form constructed from stolen body parts. The young experimenter confesses his monstrous tale that defies nature to a captain who shares his desire for glory and the pursuit of knowledge. Though a Romantic novel itself, Frankenstein serves as a critique of part of the philosophy behind Romanticism, that is, the promotion of radical self-involvement that celebrates the individual’s pursuit of glory and knowledge. Both the lone captain and the young scientist seek glory from their quest for knowledge but ultimately their pursuits end disastrously. Throughout the novel, Shelley warns against excessive self-confidence, the ambitious overreaching in the acquirement of scientific knowledge, and the arrogant pursuit of glory, using the young scientist as a forewarning to the lone captain against his

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In the novel Frankenstein,by Mary Shelley, the mysterious and unnatural origins of the character of Frankenstein’s monster are an important element. The Monster, having been created unethically and haphazardly, is at odds throughout the novel, resulting in his alienation from society and prolonged feelings of anger, desertion, and loneliness. Shaping his character, his relationships with other characters, and the meaning of the work as a whole, the Monster’s origins are what define him. The Monster faces rejection and violence every time he attempts to make contact with the new, foreign world he has been thrust into.

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The fictional horror novel of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is driven by the accentuation of humanity’s flaws. Even at the very mention of her work an archetypal monster fills one’s imagination, coupled with visions of a crazed scientist to boot. Opening her novel with Robert Walton, the conduit of the story, he also serves as a character to parallel the protagonist’s in many ways. As the ‘protagonist’ of the story, Victor Frankenstein, takes on the mantle of the deluded scientist, his nameless creation becomes the embodiment of a truly abandoned child – one left to fend for itself against the harsh reality posed by society. On the other hand, Walton also serves as a foil to Victor – he is not compulsive enough to risk what would be almost

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(Shelly 42, 43) Here, the effects of his continued pursuit of knowledge and neglect of well-being is shown evidently. Once Frankenstein creates the monster, his unquenchable thirst for knowledge is frightened into silence. He then presently returns to the outside world,

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ENG-3U0 November 20 2015 Frankenstein: The Pursuit of Knowledge Throughout the course of their individual journeys, Victor Frankenstein’s extreme passion for gaining knowledge about creating life, Robert Walton’s curiosity to discover land beyond the North Pole and the monster’s eagerness to obtain knowledge about humans was the principal cause of each of their suffering. As such, In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the pursuit of knowledge is a dangerous path which leads to suffering. Victor Frankenstein develops a keen interest in discovering knowledge about living beings which ultimately results in his personal suffering as well as others suffering. To begin with, Victor embarks on an assignment through combining body parts and following various

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Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Critical Analysis About the author Naomi Hetherington is a member of the University of Sheffield, the department of lifelong learning. She is an early researcher in sexuality, religious culture, the 19th-century literature, and gender. She holds a BA in Theology and religious studies, an MA and a Ph.D. in Victorian Literature. She currently teaches four-year pathway literature degree at Sheffield University for students who have already attained foundation degrees. Among the books, she has written the critique of Frankenstein.

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