Frankenstein Essay Research Paper Science and Technology

Frankenstein Essay, Research Paper

Science and Technology: The Romantic View in Frankenstein

The eighteenth century was a remarkable time for humanity. The movement known

as the Enlightenment brought drastic changes in the cultural, scientific, and industrial

aspects of life. Rationalism and critical thinking applied to anything from art and literature

to scientific studies and technological inventions. The advancement was clear and inevitable.

Nonetheless, not everyone seemed to share the views of the Enlightenment. The upper class

Europeans, children of the Enlightenment, revolted against the rationality of the eighteenth

century and focused rather on imagination and development of potential as the key

components of life. Their fierce opposition to technology and industry as well as

unparalleled love and fascination with nature, expressed often in a literary or artistic form,

earned them the name of romantics (McKay 766). Consequently, Mary Shelley s

Frankenstein, being a centerpiece of romantic literature, criticizes the extreme uses of

science and technological advances by means of an evil monster, which despite being a

scientific wonder, proves to be an uncontrollable force, making life miserable for humanity.

In her novel, Shelley shows the hazardous and destructive effects of science taken beyond its

simple purposes, depicting rather accurately the views of romanticism.

Science is shown to have negative effects very early in the novel, even before the

introduction of Frankenstein s monster. Both Captain Walton and Victor Frankenstein,

endure sacrifice and hardship in pursuance of their humanity-benefiting goals. While

Frankenstein s passion for creating a human being made him neglect his health,

surroundings, as well as friends and family (Shelley 40), Walton s expedition proved to be

lonesome and full of danger. In a letter to his sister, he wrote I desire the company of a man

who could sympathize with me, whose eyes would reply to mine (5) and this proves to be

the biggest distraction to otherwise very promising scientific endeavor. It is seen that both

men become infatuated with their works, which in turn causes severe disturbances to their

usual, or natural, way of life. While romanticism certainly does not oppose passion, in cases

where one chooses science over family, friends, and nature, it does show its disapproval

(McKay 767).

This opposition for using science and technology for personal satisfaction or

obtaining results not directly benefiting humanity is further shown by Shelley in the creation

of Frankenstein s monster. The monster personifies the extreme use of knowledge and

represents the negative aspects of science. This can be first concluded from the appearance of

the creature, which does not resemble accurately the human form. His yellow skin scarcely

covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black and

flowing; his teeth of pearly whiteness; his watery eyes seemed almost of the same colour as

the dun-white sockets in which they were set (Shelley 42). The wretch was of a hideous

form and no mortal could support the horror of that countenance (43). Even the creature

himself acknowledged his ugliness and could not endure his appearance (105).

The visual appearance of the monster was only one way of showing how wrong

things can go when humans involve themselves too deeply into scientific research. The other,

undoubtedly more important, was the monster s attitude and actions. Although very gentle

and unfiendish in the early stages of his life, the creature and his development was totally

dependent on his creator. However, abandoned and repulsive the wretch was not accepted by

humanity and only the desert mountains and dreary glaciers proved to be his home (84). I

was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend (84) says the monster, indicating that it

was not up to him to decide his fate. He is absolutely right in this argument, since it was the

responsibility of Frankenstein to familiarize his creature with life, just as a parent would

with a child, a responsibility for which the scientist was not ready. Not only did he create a

monster, he also was responsible for it becoming a murderer. This shows the Romantic

opposition to technology, which is viewed as something involving enormous responsibility

and dedication going far beyond the mere creation of something. Making sure of its proper

use and full development is probably even more important, something the romantics thought

eighteenth century was not ready for.

Frankenstein did not deny his fault in creating the monster, acknowledging his input

on the deaths of his beloved ones. I had turned loose into the world a depraved wretch

whose delight was in carnage and misery; had he not murdered my brother? (61),

contemplated the scientist and added each successive mischief of his creation to his blame.

The mere existence of

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