Finally, it is worth briefly mentioning that even if there were some inherent quality to human beings that existed prior to experience and influenced their personality and behavior, then the monster's experiences would seem to suggest that this human nature is inherently violent, cruel, and petty, rather than representing the kind of pure ideal suggested by Victor. In Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein, the idea of nature vs. nurture is explored through the characters of Victor and the monster, who each take a different position on the matter. Victor suggests that there is such a thing as human nature, and furthermore, that that nature is oriented against violence and gore and towards beauty and peace. The monster, on the other hand, argues that experience is what dictates a person's personality and decisions, and so violent behavior may be seen as the direct result of violence previously inflicted. By analyzing Victor's account of the monster's creation, the monster's time spent studying the De Lacey family, and the monster's transition from benevolent protector to vengeful...
For the most part, the monster is generally kind and peaceful, and he only resorts to violence after his kindness has repeatedly been met with violence on the part of human beings. His experiences reveal the important of nurture and experience in dictating someone's personality and behavior, and further serve to demonstrate that Victor's claims regarding human nature are in reality attempts to shield himself from blame, because all of the monster's violent acts may ultimately be traced back to Victor, who abandoned his creation at the moment of its birth.
Frankenstein & Romanticism How Romanticism is Demonstrated in Frankenstein In less than six years, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein will be 200 years old. This novel, indicative of the romantic period, is a compelling narrative with numerous themes and vivid imagery to consider. In the context of romanticism, Frankenstein is a worthwhile piece of literature to examine. Literature and art of the romantic period is characterized with an emphasis on intense emotional reactions, specifically
Frankenstein Although there are many different and related themes in Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein, one of the most important themes is that of revenge. The relationship between the title doctor and his creation is a complex one. Dr. Frankenstein created the creature, and so he is like his father. However, this father later abandons the creature. The abandonment causes the creature to dedicate his life to exacting revenge on his "father."
The creature grew fond of the family and perceived them to be his protectors. He laboriously studied the family; he learned about their relations to one another, he felt their moods and he practiced their language. He had hoped to be accepted as a member of the family and developed a plan for revealing himself. He decided to first approach the elderly, blind father; the creature hoped to gain
Frankenstein and Enlightenment The Danger of Unregulated Thought in Frankenstein Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; Or, the Modern Prometheus, considered by many to be one of the first science-fiction novels written, is rife with anti-Enlightenment undertones. Shelley's novel, first published in 1818 and republished in 1831, examines the roles of science and religion, and provides a commentary on the dangers of playing God. Considering that Mary Shelley was the daughter of two prominent Enlightenment
Frankenstein's creation of the monster is rendered as a kind of horrific pregnancy; for example, where a pregnant woman expands with the child she is bearing and usually eats more, Frankenstein wastes away during his work, depriving himself "of rest and health" (Shelley 43). Rather than expressing any kind of paternal (or maternal) love for his creation, Frankenstein recoils, as "breathless horror and disgust filled [his] heart" (Shelley 43).
Frankenstein An Analysis of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley wrote in her 1831 introduction to the reprint of Frankenstein that "supremely frightful would be the effect of any human endeavour to mock the stupendous mechanism of the Creator of the world" (x). These words not only indicate the manner of her thought on the night she conceived the idea for her gothic novel, they also reflect, as she notes, the ideas
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