...HUMN 303 Week 7 Assignment Sheri A. Green DeVry University Professor Gessford August 23, 2014 Frankenstein, a novel first published in the year 1818, stands as the most talked about work of Mary Shelley’s literary career. She was just nineteen years old when she penned this novel, and throughout her lifetime she could not produce any other work that surpasses this novel in terms of creativity and vision. In this novel, Shelley found an outlet for her own intense sense of victimization, and her desperate struggle for love. Traumatized by her failed childbirth incidents, troubled childhood, and scandalous courtship, many of Shelley’s life experiences can be seen reflected in the novel. When discussing the character and development of the monster, Shelley launches an extensive discussion on the need for a proper environment and education for a child’s moral development. When we explore the novel in depth, we can see that it exudes the true horror of childbirth felt by Shelley, and articulates the fears and anxieties she had regarding her reproductive and nurturing capabilities. Shelley’s life was marked by a series of pregnancies, miscarriages, childbirths, and deaths. Her firsthand experience of a bereavement started early in her life, when her mother died when she was eleven days old, because of a puerperal fever contacted because of childbirth. This marked her first encounter with pregnancy and related complications, but unfortunately, it was not the last...
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...In Frankenstein Mary Shelley gives a small glimpse into the mind of Victor Frankenstein. To encourage movement the gothic genre is intensely used throughout the novel. To set the mood, a gothic setting is used to give specific details of weather, sounds, and the environment. Mary Shelley also uses irrational fear to keep the tone of a gothic novel. Without the gothic tone, Frankenstein would not be as impactful of a novel. First, one use of how gothic genre sets the mood is the setting. Use of certain time periods, weather, sounds, and environments keep the gothic tone consistent throughout the novel. “As soon as I was convinced that no assistance could save any part of the habitation, I quitted the scene and sought refuge in the woods” (124) meeting with the family the monster had been observing, it burned their house down. This is important because the monster felt that its place was in the ‘dark and scary forest’, it finally thought of itself as a monster that everyone else saw it as. Another example is when Frankenstein finds out that his brother has been murdered, the use of a gothic ‘scary’ setting is apparent. "I quitted my seat and walked on, although the darkness and storm increased every minute and the thunder burst with a terrific burst with a terrific crash over my head" (59). During this journey Frankenstein is very angry at his creation who he knows is to blame. Without the thunderstorm in the background, Frankenstein’s inner thoughts would not have been as easy...
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...Diem-Chi Tran Dr. Ingrao HUMA 1301.002 November 22, 2013 Row C-2 The Frankenstein Complex: Killer Robots or Metal Friends? In it’s fifty years of age, the fields of artificial intelligence and robotics continue to capture the imagination of the general public, but with this growing interest, it also engendered a great deal of fear and skepticism. Hollywood and the media exacerbate the problem while some well-known authors and scientist lend credence to it. This fear isn’t anything new and didn’t just appear with the creation of these mechanized humanoids. Even reaching as far back as the folktales of golems to the monstrous birth of Frankenstein’s creature, humankind has feared the rise of an army of evil manmade creations that banned together to overthrow humanity. Asimov called this fear the Frankenstein Complex. With so many amazing possibilities that came with the new technological era, Asimov believed that the creation of robots and androids would benefit humanity so he formed the Three Laws of Robotics to try and calm the fears that boiled amongst the general public. He states that first and foremost, “a robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm” (Asimov 37). The second law states, “a robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders conflict with the First Law” (Asimov 37). And the third law is that “a robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with...
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...Scientific Morality in Frankenstein Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a late nineteenth century novel about a scientist named Victor Frankenstein who creates a living person from dead body parts and gives it life through the power of magic and alchemy. It serves as a cautionary tale that sheds light on the ethical boundaries of scientific experimentation and the potential consequences of ignoring those boundaries for the sake of knowledge alone. Although science is not inherently good or evil, it can be used as a tool for both in the hands of imperfect humans. Victor Frankenstein betrays the scientific code of ethics when he creates a man that society can never accept. Victor, as a scientist, follows the very same path which elementary school children follow today when learning the scientific method; observation, hypothesis, experimentation, and conclusion. Victor Frankenstein observes the power of nature through the destructive force of lightning. He sees the potential of such energies and develops a hypothesis based on his studies of Agrippa and Magnus (German scholars and philosophers), who he looks to as mentors. His hypothesis is that through the power of nature, he can reanimate organic tissue with the use of alchemy which his chosen mentors have claimed to achieve. Victor Frankenstein’s experimentation requires a form, which leads him to the charnel houses to claim tissue from the deceased. His hypothesis proves true, and a monster is born. Throughout the process...
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... Jill Scheller DeVry University HUMN-303N-63125-Introduction to Humanities July 2014 Abstract Past experiences and death of and infant either at birth or shortly after is psychologically painful causing fear and depression. The death of the mother after childbirth would also contribute to this fear. Lockiophobia is the result, women fearing the birth process. Fear is a great motivator for humans, and it can push a person to do good or bad things. Mary Shelley chooses to write expressing her fears of childbirth in a uniquely creative way. Psychotherapy for individuals can be different, and she created her own through her writing. Utilizing the fictitious character of Frankenstein created by a male over a nine month time period before being brought to life. By avoiding the use of a female to create Frankenstein, the fearsome birthing process was bypassed. His life, filled with rejection and lack of love, severely depressed he choose to kill. Any further pregnancies for Mary Shelley would be encased with the fear of death, not only for the infant but also herself. Keywords: Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, childbirth, depression Introduction The fear of childbirth arises from past experience of the birth process, lockiophobia. Mary Shelley’s book was written about a monster that was brought to life. Childbirth does not always end happily, death of a child or mother is always a possibility and the ability...
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...Some readers have commented that Mary Shelly presents the creature as more human than his creator. How far do you agree with this view? To some extent I agree with this statement, but there is also a point of disagreement. Shelly introduces the creature into the novel with physical human characteristics, who soon begins to learn the human language and feel human emotions and senses such as love, kindness, pain and anger. The creature takes complete responsibility for his actions, respects life more than Frankenstein, which is apparent by Frankenstein robbing graves to create the creature, and the fact that Frankenstein abandons the creature to die, only for the creature to experience the hatred of mankind. In almost every way, the monster portrays himself as more human than Frankenstein, but of course, one must not put aside the fact that ultimately, Frankenstein is a human and the creature is not. Of course, for the creature to be more human than his creator, he must first have the typical human characteristics. He firstly shows physical human features. He is “eight feet in height” and his body parts are taken from dead bodies which his creator dug out from graves. His “limbs were in proportion” and his “hair was of lustrous black. He has also developed human emotions. Having been scared off by the villagers he began “feeling pain invade [him] on all sides, [he] sat down and wept”. This shows that his surroundings have an impact on how he feels and reacts, and to weep is...
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...story itself is something from the darker side of the mind, playing into just how terrible a human is capable of being without the restraint of ethics, morals or true human compassion. The monster epitomizes the darkest sides of our nature in his simple lack of morality or concern for human life. Perhaps Frankenstein has remained so popular for the many pieces of human nature that it shows...
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...person who puts out their flame will be left with nothing to drive them, and a person who feeds too much into their flame will become overtaken by the fire. In both the novel, “Frankenstein”, and the play, “Macbeth”, the title characters find themselves in the latter situation, eventually becoming too engulfed in their own fire to extinguish the blaze. In both books, Frankenstein and Macbeth feed too much into their ambition, leading them to pursue things with deadly consequences. While both books feature characters whose ultimate downfall is a result of their ambition,...
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...Frankenstein Biblical Allusions Essay Marco Ng Mrs. Hawes English 11 14 January 2016 To what extent does one’s collective intellect and diligence increase his/her capacity to achieve greatness? Is it feasible to believe that humanity—with adequate knowledge and wisdom— may be capable in imitating the abilities and power of God? These questions are flamboyantly revealed in the novel, Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelly, as a result of numerous biblical allusions focusing on the relationship between Victor Frankenstein and the monster. Through the biblical allusions in Frankenstein, Victor and the monster are utilized to emphasize the terror of uncertain human boundaries and also portray the duality of the two questionable protagonists in the novel. The duality depicted serves to critique the dominant religious beliefs developed up to the time period of the novel and challenge the axioms formed due to religious faith towards the Bible. The primary biblical allusion illustrated in Frankenstein is the reflection of Victor and the monster as creator and creation. In other words, Victor represents God and the monster represents Adam. By forming this allusion, Shelley illustrates the uncertain boundaries of human capability and arouses fear towards the power of human achievement. This biblical allusion inducing fear in human achievement first appears in chapter four through implicative dialogues involving the reanimation of life. While Victor defines reanimation, he accentuates...
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...Introduction Frankenstein was Mary Shelley's (1797-1851) first published novel, written when she was only eighteen years old in 1818. In her preface to the 1831 edition, Mary Shelley tells the reader that she was asked by her publisher: "How I, then a young girl, came to think of, and to dilate upon, so very hideous an idea?" Explaining where and why the idea for Frankenstein came to Mary Shelley could answer it Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (living with but unmarried to the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley); Shelley; George Gordon, Lord Byron; and Dr. John Polidori spent the summer of 1816 in Switzerland. According to a 1 June 1916 letter by Mary Shelley, "almost perpetual rain confines us principally to the house." Lord Byron (a friend of Shelley's) and his physician John Polidori, resided nearby at the Villa Deodati. Persistent heavy rains kept them indoors, the four finally resorted to telling familiar and recently published horror and ghost stories. For days they told tales which included gothic elements: graveyard and convent, burial vaults, mysterious trap doors and passages, wild locations, secluded spots, and pursuits by moonlight. Finally, one evening at Byron's villa, they made a pact to see who could write the most frightening ghost story. Both Percy Bysshe Shelley and George Gordon, Lord Byron, had earned widespread fame; even Mary had first published a book at the age of eleven (Mounseer Mongtongpaw). Each undertook the task eagerly. It is said that Mary had a nightmare...
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...Frankenstein Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley, is a literary work considered by many to be a monstrous horror story. The book contains many different themes. However, three of the themes most prevalent throughout the novel include dangerous knowledge, monstrosity, and secrecy. One of the themes in the novel, Frankenstein is dangerous knowledge. Dangerous knowledge is trying to reach beyond human capabilities. Frankenstein wanted to gain all the knowledge he could in science. His yearning for the knowledge of all science drove Victor Frankenstein to gain knowledge to a point where it was beyond the limits of human capability. Captain Robert Walton a ship captain wanted to pursue knowledge of an unknown world beyond to find the North Pole. This could cause harm to himself and everyone around him. Victors story of how he had created something he wished he had never created. Grabbing the attention of the ship captain, he rethought his idea and plan to pursue dangerous knowledge. Another one of the major themes in the novel, Frankenstein would be monstrosity. Monstrosity is a chaotic event or being that occurs. Victor Frankenstein...
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... whether they carried out the plan or not. It can seem to bring a sense of justice, equality, and even power. Although, can the use of revenge be taken too far? Mary Shelley explore this idea of the limits of revenge through the use of her characters Victor Frankenstein and his creation. They are constantly craving for the demolition of each other, and it takes a large toll on their mind-set, and even on their loved ones around them. Victor Frankenstein is enraged that his creation murdered some of his loved ones. This results in him to want nothing other than the abolition of his creation, or as he refers to him, “the monster.” The creation only wants love and companionship from others, but is denied the request on multiple accounts due to his horrendous appearance. The creation places the blame for his loneliness on Victor...
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...The role of science is the modernization of the world, thus possessing a lot of power. The outcome and use of scientific progression depends solely on the scientist’s intentions of its use. Humanity should fear the power of the creator or the creation’s behavior due to its social, physical, mental and environmental health effects, if it is not used for the better of the community. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelly argues that the beast is dangerous because it symbolizes scientific technology; implying that the beast can impose threats to civilization. The author warns, that the beast can form independent consciousness and then turns upon society in an apocalyptic rage. Society becomes afraid of the monster and as a result, rejects it. This fear...
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...can a baby be considered a monster? Many might argue how an innocent newborn can be compared to something as gruesome as a monster. In the novel Frankenstein, author Mary Shelley, writes about a monster and its creator. The creator who was Victor Frankenstein, just like any person went to college and studied, natural philosophy, chemistry, and alchemy. Later on during his studies, he tries to figure out how to bring alive a body, that is cut from a dead persons’ corpse. After his creation, he becomes very overwhelmed and scared of such a horrid creature. After the creation, the monster brings nothing but sadness, sickness, and destruction into the life of Victor Frankenstein. Now, how can a child be considered a monster? And what led the monster to go bad. The monster had characteristics that were opposites of a child. The monster is said to be unlike a child because of its appearance and creation, lack of parental guidance and abandonment, and it became dangerous because of his rejection by his creator. The birth of a child in today’s society is perceived as a very memorable moment. The beauty of the child, the joy of the parent is what makes that moment more memorable. However, in Frankenstein, the birth of the monster is not what one would expect, to be a way a child is born. The monster that was created by Frankenstein took body parts from dead corpses and put it together to create the monster. This is totally the complete opposite of how a child is brought into...
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...it’s high points, though with harder times, love can cause extreme heartache and distress. The fear or recognition of loss hurts people, as they attempt to strive for an unblemished state of bliss. The unwelcome devastation of loss continually hurts and helps, as it causes misery (in loss) and elation (in love). Loss strengthens love because it is supported by a backbone of dull fear. The loss of love is something that scares people into wanting to make the best of any happiness they have. In “Ode On A Grecian Urn” by John Keats, the effects of both love and loss are displayed. The poem...
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