Frankenstein-ignorance of man
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley may serve as an exploration of the ignorance man expresses in his attempts to dominate and control, this being the major evil in the heart and soul of humanity. The use of the science fiction genre allows for the acknowledgement of the past, discovery of the present and predicting the future, of the society of man. The events leading up to, the act of, and the consequence of, submitting an entirely unbiased and uninfluenced creature, [the Creation] to the society of man, allows for the exploration of issues facing mankind, presented in this text. The issues facing humanity being mankind's ignorance in the glorification of science whilst failing to recognise the power and beauty of nature, the gender roles enforced on both men and women leads to destruction and restriction, the consequence of upsetting the Natural Order by trying to take the role of God, and the rejection of 'the Creation' due to superficial values, that enable for the exercising of control. The presentation of these issues and the consequential influences on both the creation and mankind, represented by the creator, Victor Frankenstein, and other characters, encourages the reader is encouraged to examine the in
Men use science as a weapon to control life. This becomes evident when the monster speaks of how he 'admired the perfect forms of the cottagers' who were of natural creation which he compares to his 'unnatural hideousness' a result of scientific creation. The reasons for his rejection are revealed when he discovers the superficial values of man, 'rank, descent and noble blood,' and he compares his situation to that of the socially accepted 'I knew that I possessed no money, no friends, no kind of property, I was, besides, endued with a figure hideously formed and loathsome. ' Though Frankenstein suggests society can not exist without man, the text highlights the benefits which women have on society glorifying, their humble role as nurturer's and show the good that results from their feminine influence in contrast with the insensible and dangerous masculine attempts to 'accomplish some great purpose'Through the creation of life by means other than the natural, Victor Frankenstein not only attempts to take the role of women as mother, but also upsets the natural order by playing God. ' Even as a young child, Victor Frankenstein inspired by the stereotypes he is subjected to 'looked on Elizabeth as mine - mine to protect, love and cherish. His relationship with mankind meant that he 'looked upon them as superior beings' due to his low social status. ' Victor Frankenstein fanaticises that 'A new species would bless me [him] as it's creator and source,' and is consequently inspired to 'renew life where death had apparently devoted the body to corruption,' thus expressing man's desire for the power of God. Justine claims 'I had none to support me' because no man would step forward to defend her and she was unable to defend herself, her feminine traits made her weak, easily convinced and frightened, ensuring that she should 'submit in patience to the will of heaven. Alphonse Frankenstein saved Catherine Beaufort, in a manner that resembles the saving of Elizabeth and Justine 'He came like a protecting spirit to the poor girl, who committed herself to his care. In the representation of the monster as the discriminated people in society, and Frankenstein as the socially accepted, readers may learn to revoke the superficial values of mankind and to accept the socially rejected. This text defines traditional romanticism as masculine romanticism, which she believes does not focus on 'the recognition and appreciation of the beloved woman as an independent other, but rather the assimilation of the female into the male [or the annihilation of any other that threatens masculine selfhood] the woman must finally be enslaved or destroyed. The text appears to mock man's tendency to glorify science by comparing its failings to the beauty and power of nature. Mary Shelley uses cognitive estrangement, which takes the known and makes it strange and different, in her distorted examination on the society of man. Nature is personified as a woman, whilst science is associated with men for purposes that may be revealed in Romanticism and Gender by Anne K.
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