The Importance Of Science And Technology In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

The most frightening horror story can only be called such if it is believable. Nothing is so unnerving as lying awake at night with very real fears. No monster can harm you, unless the monster was genetically engineered by a mad scientist. The theme of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - scientific investigation without consideration of morality and responsibility - is a very relevant topic in today's world. This theme, along with the less obvious themes of revenge, prejudice against deviation from the norm, and fate all make Frankenstein one of the most unique and terrifying horror novels ever.

Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein cannot merely be read as a literary work of the early 19th century. It represents the workings of young Shelley's mind. Further, it represents the vast scientific discoveries of the time, combined with Mary Shelley's intuitive perception of science. She views science as a powerful entity, but also recognizes the dangers if uncontrolled. Shelley demonstrates this fear in the book as science drives Victor Frankenstein to create his monster. In the end, it is also his use of science that inevitably becomes his demise.

Mary Shelley once wrote,“Nothing contributes so much to tranquilize the mind as a steady purpose - a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye.” Shelley talks about stepping away from society and learning to focus your mind. This connects to nature and romanticism by way of focusing on the natural world. When Shelley wrote Frankenstein, industrialism was on the rise. Industrialism is social or economic system built on manufacturing industries. This pulled people further from nature and into cities and towns.

Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein follows the young Victor Frankenstein who --as a college student-- becomes compelled by the idea of creating life from non-living objects. While the article "De-Extinction Is Immoral, and Bad Science All Around" argues that de-extinction --the process of fabricating an organism that is otherwise categorized as extinct-- "is immoral, unethical, and dangerous” that it should "not be pursued. " Both novel and article indirectly advocate the responsibilities inventors must take when creating technology. Shelley’s novel proposes that scientists carry the moral and personal responsibilities over his or her breakthroughs while the article on de-extinction concludes that advancing technology comes with moral responsibility.

Over two centuries ago, Mary Shelley created a gruesome tale of the horrific ramifications that result when man over steps his bounds and manipulates nature. In her classic tale, Frankenstein, Shelley weaves together the terrifying implications of a young scientist playing God and creating life, only to be haunted for the duration of his life by the monster of his own sordid creation. Reading Shelley in the context of present technologically advanced times, her tale of monstrous creation provides a very gruesome caution. For today, it is not merely a human being the sciences are lusting blindly to bring to life, as was the deranged quest of Victor Frankenstein, but rather to

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein explores the concepts of knowledge and science and the dangers involved with the pursuit and investigation of these ideas. The novel conveys Shelley’s attitudes towards science by portraying it as having the capability to exceed the bounds of human restraint. Through the development of her protagonist Victor Frankenstein, the romantic and gothic aspects of her novel, the period of 1818 and the influences of the world she was living in that

In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, science, technology, education, and inventions are important themes throughout the story. Frankenstein was on the quest for knowledge and used the themes to invent a creature from dead body parts, whom he later abandoned due to its looks (Shelley 35). Though it sounds incredibly silly and ridiculous, this was not unheard of for the time frame. Shelley used the prominent themes throughout Dr. Victor Frankenstein and the “monster’s” actions.

Frankenstein, written by author Mary Shelley, was a romantic based story written in Europe during the eighteen hundreds. During this time period, Europe was experiencing many social and economic changes. Many of these changes were a product of the industrial revolution of Europe. This time period can be defined and era of exploration, discovery and industrialization in which ideas were pushed to the limits. Victor’s creation of Frankenstein is a reflection of the industrial revolution and a scientific era in which the borders of the possible are pushed and society is forced to face a monster of their own.

Mary Shelly’s novel, Frankenstein, can be greatly related to many horror novels, no consideration of morality or thought. Shelly writes her story in a real world perspective showing themes of corruption and downfall making it seem frighteningly realistic. It truly is mind-boggling how research can conflict with religion without a thought or care. During the enlightenment, science began to mask over faith and religion, creating a cultural phenomenon. This is still a factor in today’s world. Although experimenting and research can have poor and great affects, the common question comes to mind, “even though it can be done, should it be done?” While Shelly talks of science and technology, it seems to become more predominate that not all

A professor of his by the name of M. Waldman presented Victor's interest in science and technology to him. He taught Victor that the modern philosophers and scientists were able to "penetrate into the recesses of nature, and show how she works in her hiding places. They have acquired new and almost unlimited powers; they can command the thunders of heaven"(929). The notion of penetrating nature was very romantic and would lead to the unleashing of Victor's technological side. From that point forward, "natural philosophy, and particularly chemistry, became nearly my sole occupation"(930). Victor was on his way. Shelley began to bring together romanticism and technology. Like Victor's, her actions were to be irreversible.

Victor at the beginning of the book seemed to be almost obsessed with learning more and making discoveries. Victor says, “As I applied so closely, it may be easily conceived that my progress was rapid. My ardor was indeed the astonishment of the students, and my proficiency that of the masters… Two years had passed in this manner, during which I paid no visit to Geneva, but was engaged, heart and soul, in the pursuit of some discoveries which I hoped to make” “(Shelley, 53). He even describes his fascination with the human frame, foreshadowing his later experiment to create the monster.

Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein may be a warning and caution to some that delving into forbidden subjects could potentially be catastrophic. Victor Frankenstein created a horrible creation and explored the unknown where no man should go and it affected his life until the end. Exploring a subject that presents itself as unethical just as Victor did, ends with dissatisfaction, obsession, and a feeling of regret that lingers forever.

Morality, or the lack of it, has become one of the most commented issues about Frankenstein. This novel has been used as an approach to reflect on the ethics involved in most controversial scientific domains, such as genetic engineering or DNA research. This essay will analyse the controversy of moral standards in Mary Shelley’s novel, focusing on the moment in which Frankenstein contemplates the idea of the creation of a whole new species. I will confront the protagonist’s apparent lack of morality and analyse whether said morals do not appear at all in his characterisation or if they are concealed under his apparent excitement and selfishness.

Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley, explores the theme of the pursuit of knowledge and scientific discovery through the main characters; Victor Frankenstein, the Creature and Robert Walton. This pursuit of knowledge drives the plot of the novel, leading Victor to create the Creature in his attempt to break down the mortal barriers that surround him and unlock the secret of life. Robert Walton’s quest for discovery leads him to the North Pole, far beyond the reach of Humans at that time. Ultimately Victor’s thirst for knowledge and scientific discovery did him more harm than good with Victor’s hatred of his creation driving him to death. Frankenstein’s message to the modern is age is simply put as “humans should not meddle in the business of the gods”. Mary Shelley’s is using Frankenstein and the actions of the characters in the novel to warn us that although we have the technology to for example, create a human being, some things are better left to nature. In our quest for knowledge we can do ourselves more harm than good. Through her novel Shelley tells us that on our path of scientific discovery there are some trails better left unexplored.

“Oh! No mortal could support the horror of that countenance. A mummy again endued with animation could not be so hideous as that wretch” (Shelley 57). This statement is how Mary Shelley successfully portrayed the overall negative consensus of the industrialization of Europe in the 1800s in her novel Frankenstein. This story parallels the world’s transition from nature and emotion to reason and truth which was the primary cause for the industrial revolution. Though the revolution brought new technology and knowledge, people felt as though they were enslaved by this sudden change. This is clear through Shelley’s Dr. Frankenstein and the ‘wretched monster’ that would forever change the world.