Knowledge, social responsibility, society's view of beauty, and secrecy
             are major themes that occur in Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein. Shelley
             is able to identity some of the most hideous of human characteristics in
             her characters, focusing on how easily an obsession can become a blinding,
             dangerous force. Frankenstein and his monster represent the good and the
             bad that can come from the reckless pursuit of knowledge. Frankenstein's
             inability to accept his responsibility leads to endless suffering. This
             paper will examine how Shelley develops her characters throughout the novel
             and will also explore the important themes Shelley focuses on to make her
             We can clearly see how the theme of knowledge is intrinsically connected
             with scientific exploration in this story. This is significant because
             during the nineteenth century, many new scientific endeavors included the
             ability to "create artificial men and automations" (Johnson xiii).
             Additionally, favorite topics of the time included alchemy and galvanism.
             It is also important to note that Shelley adopted her father's belief that
             society was a corrupting force. (xiii) According to Martin Garrett, author
             of Mary Shelley, many conversations revolved around "the nature and the
             principle of life, and whether there was any probability of its ever being
             discovered or communicated . . . perhaps a corpse would be reanimated with
             the aid of electricity, or perhaps the components of parts of a creature
             might be manufactured, brought together, and endued with vital warmth"
             (Garrett 33). In addition to being a part of such lively conversations,
             Shelley had also read Sir Humphrey Davy's Discourse on Chemistry prior to
             penning her novel. Davy's notes conclude that chemistry grants man
             " powers . . . which have enabled him to modify and change the beings
             surrounding him, and by his experiments to interrogate nature with power,
             not simp...