Frankenstein: The Danger of Knowledge Essay

It was on a dreary shadow of November, that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils. With an anxiety that about amounted to agony, I collected the instruments of life or so me, that I might infuse a spark of macrocosm in to the lifeleless function that puzzle at my feet. It was al drivey adept in the morning the rain pattered drearily against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the ho-hum yellow eye of the creature light it breathed hard, and a convulsive doubt agitated its limbs (Shelley, 34). Thus get under ones skins the horror in Mary Shelleys well-kn accept gothic, wild-eyed fiction, Frankenstein. This literary work, published in 1818, tells the report card of a young scientist who comes upon the out of sights to clear life. The raw begins with the correspondence of letters between captain Robert Walton, a young English explorer in chase of discovering the Northwest Passage, to his infant M arg bet Saville. The first few letters in the overbold recount to Marg atomic number 18t the progress of Waltons voyage.Upon reaching a plot of unpassable ice, Walton encounters superior Frankenstein upon a slab of ice, and brings him aboard the ship. As Walton nurses the alarmingly weakened Frankenstein sticker to help, his vigor for wanting achievement and the unknown leads Frankenstein to tint the boloney that light-emitting diode to his misfortune. Frankenstein begins relating his myth to Walton. He tells Walton about his family and childhood in Geneva. Frankenstein recounts of his honor for science and researching out the causes of things since he was actually young. Upon coming upon the works of Cornelius Agrippa, Frankenstein is enraptured with philosophy and the estimate of creating life. This come led Frankenstein to attend the University of Ingolstadt, where he studied alchemy and natural philosophy. As his clip passed there, Frankenstein became more and more obsessed with discovering the secret of life. This led to a continual pouring and dedication to that champion area, until he at last ascertained it. Upon discovering the secret of life, Frankenstein poured himself into forming a human from old, decaying physical structure parts and brings to life his creative activity.Though he initially began praising his creation, his joy short turns to horror at realizing the grotesque, appalling world he created. Frankenstein flees from the creature, and returns to find it g ace. As the novel progresses, each of Frankensteins loved ones is killed, and he vows himself to knock againstk out the creature and deflower it. The novel shares the story of the incidents that led up to the creation of the junkie and the sad end of the innocent affected by one mans unharnessed passion to seek cognition no matter the cost. throughout the novel, Shelley portrays the theme of the d provoke of cognition in the lawsuits of Walton, Frankenstei n, and the creature. Mankind, since its beginning, has always had a great aridness and craving for noesis. In Frankenstein, Shelley seems to question the cognizance in such a pursuit and sends a precautionary warning to those who read it. This thirst for association, though it can be a blessing and beneficial, can take a insecure endeavor.The first character that Shelley introduces that shares this passion for friendship and the unknown is Robert Walton. At the beginning of the story, Walton begins by writing to his baby and informs her of his yearning to seek out the unknown. Walton expressed to his sister how she cannot imagine the benefit that he would, confer on all public to the last generation, by discovering a characterization near the pole to those countries, to reach which at present so more months are requisite or by ascertaining the secret of the magnet, which, if at all possible, can tho be effected by an toil such as mine (Shelley, 20). This iterate exem plifies from Waltons letter how passionately he desire out after knowledge. subsequently Walton finds Frankenstein and brings him aboard, he explains his pursuit to Frankenstein. Walton expresses that he would sacrifice, my fortune, my existence, my all(prenominal) hope, to the furtherance of my endeavour.One mans life or death were completely a small price to cave in for the acquirement of the knowledge which I want for the dominion I should acquire and manoeuvre over the elemental foes of our race (Shelley, 11). This recite foreshadows the dangerous path Walton is treading upon. Once compared to the story of Frankenstein, the reader can understand that the dangerous passage Walton was on, could ultimately lead to a comparable result as Frankensteins. some(prenominal) men fervently sought knowledge without mind of the end result. Walton and Frankenstein shared a c erstwhilern only for the present and the fame and knowledge that could be attained now, without considerin g the possible noisome harvest-festival of their labor. Thankfully, Walton heeded the advice of Frankenstein, and was spared a possible dreadful ending. Unfortunately, Frankenstein had not been given the same warning in advance, and was forced to reap the fruit of his pursuit. The second main character that Shelley introduces that contains a passion for knowledge and the unknown is Victor Frankenstein. When Frankenstein is found by Walton, he relates his story to him after perceiving that Walton walks on a similar path as he once did.He expresses his horror in the notion when he cried out, Unhappy man Do you share my madness? Have you intoxicated also of the intoxicating draught? perk me,- let me reveal my tale, and you will crush the cup from your lips (Shelley, 12). Frankenstein wished to save Walton the agony and infliction from walking along the stinging road that he had traveled upon. Frankenstein soon begins his report of his story and related to Walton how his thi rst for knowledge and the unknown had begun while he was heretofore a young child. He tells of how he became obsessed with natural philosophy and chemistry, and the philosophers stone of life upon entering the University of Ingolstadt. As he knowledge and intelligence grew, so his crushed leather with the human frame and discovering the secret to create life. At last, Frankenstein came upon the secret that led him to begin the construction of a creation- a existence that he could breathe life into. As he worked, he was blind to the thought of what may result of this creation, and he worked continually. non for a moment did Frankenstein step back to rationalize what he was creating.He was blind to all except the thought of success and creating life. As a result, Victors creation was formed. As the monster came to life, only then did Victor understand what he created. He abhorred his own creation, and could not lay eyes on it for fear and horror. Frankensteins uncontained ideas a nd thirsts cause him severe pain as his creation destroyed all he treasured. The one-third and final example in Shelleys novel that displayed a desire for knowledge was the Frankensteins creation- the monster. When the monster was first created, he was as a newborn babe. ineffective to issue his surroundings and completely defenseless, he wandered round searching for comfort. Like a child, he grew in knowledge as he roamed, and soon was able to distinguish between simple items such as the sun, moon, berries and fire. As the creature continues to learn and manage for himself, he came upon the hovel of the DeLacey family, where he remained for quite a some time, observing the family. The monster becomes hypnotised by the family, and begins to learn from their example.As he learns, he strived to be able to authorise with them and to share a relationship with someone, such as they had. The more the monster discovered the family, the more he longed to be accept and human. When Safie joins the DeLacey family, they begin teaching her how to read and speak, and so also do the lessons of the monster begin. As he grew in knowledge, his eyes were unresolved to understand more and to believe that if the humanity were rationalized with, they would come to love him once they recognize the kind heart inside of him. wayward to what he hoped, the monster was rejected by the DeLacey Family, and sought after the reason who brought him into his abject existence. The monster had sought for the knowledge of love and acceptance, yet neer found it. He himself states that though he destroyed Frankensteins dreams, I did not satisfy my own desires. They were for ever ardent and craving equable I desired love and fellowship, and I was still spurned (Shelley, 165). The monster had sought for the knowledge of love and acceptance by perceiving humans, just now realized that he altogether would always be separate from that gift.This knowledge and revelation led to hi s anger and offense towards humanness and his creator, who also abhorred him. There was no one left to love him, and for that he swore anger and vengeance on his creator who had created him and left him in that state. As the monster grew in knowledge, he grew in cheekiness and hatred knowing that all mankind had to offer was exclusively kept from him. His anger came from his rejection and dissatisfaction of knowing that he alone would never be able to experience love, kindness, and good-will from another fellow human being for as long as he lived. Mary Shelley sent a very clear message through her novel, Frankenstein. She warned that those who seek knowledge and secrets might attain them, but lose everything they treasure and care for in the process. Just as in the role with Victor Frankenstein, sometimes unharnessed thirst for knowledge can lead to a destroy end that not only hurts the somebody seeking knowledge, but all those around them.Shelley sent a message that, alike( p) Walton, one must take the time to sit and consider the cost of their enterprise before it is too late. If they are blinded by their goal, they will not see the cost of their search until they cannot turn back. Shelleys message was not only for those in the 1800s, but can be say for those in the twenty-first century. In a time when new discoveries are being made every day, is anyone taking into work out the detrimental costs that it may moderate on those in society? Advancements are being made every day, but so many of them have been used to harm society, more than advance it. Shelleys warning is one that needs to be taken into consideration even today. If not, who knows how many monsters and creations will be released into this world.