Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has captured the minds of science fiction lovers since its publication in 1818. It follows the story of a brilliant scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who accidentally creates a living monster from putting together body-parts. After abandoning the sickening monster, and fleeing to Geneva, the monster’s horrific acts follow him, and his family throughout the novel. The monster forces Victor to make horrific, morally questionable decisions and goes on rampages of vengeance whenever Victor refuses.
Knowledge, and the reckless pursuit of knowledge, can pose dangers to those not careful enough to consider its consequences. The pursuit of knowledge is the novel’s central theme. Victor’s relentless seeking of knowledge (beyond what society accepts), and his desire for the secret of life, is the cause of his ultimate demise. Victor believes his discoveries will bring him glory and transform society. As he works to bring the creature to life, he believes himself to be nothing less than a god. But he fails to fulfill the responsibilities a creator has for his creature. His arrogance was not prepared for the grotesque monster he created, causing him to flee. The monster that he created in his pursuit of knowledge, and his arrogance, led to the destruction of everyone he holds dear in his life, and the destruction of his sanity. Throughout the novel, as the monster murders more of Victor’s loved ones he obsesses over his hatred for the monster, leading to further dire consequences.
Shelley also uses the monster Victor created to suggest that perhaps Victor himself is the monster. His ambition and selfishness drive him to make decisions that alienate him from society, including his obsessive hatred for the monster. Even when the monster itself pleads with Victor to take responsibility for his actions, Victor still blames the monster, unable to fathom he has blood on his hands. The monster is only a mirror of Victor’s character, and a symbol of what his selfish ambitions can do to others.
Frankenstein is one of the earliest examples of science fiction, told through the perspective of multiple characters, including the monster. Permeated with mystery and darkness, this classic tells the story of humans who find refuge in nature, while struggling with their own emotional turmoil.
"Everyone has heard of Frankenstein, there is an image that surely comes to everyone's mind when you hear about it but that image has changed for me. Frankenstein is the creator, not the monster itself. The actual story is much different than I thought. It was a very interesting how it displayed the challenges between science and religion. At first I was confused with the letters written at the beginning of the book, but at the end everything came together."
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Nick (4 out of 5 stars)