The Overview of Symbols - Writing is a part of the course HeroFrankenstein.
Both the Gothic and Romantic genres were associated with Mary Shelley's novel.The novel explores the pursuit of knowledge and its consequences as well as the human desire for connection and community.Shelley uses symbolism to reinforce the themes against the backdrop of a natural world.
During the Industrial Revolution, major breakthroughs in technology were transforming society.One of the central themes in the novel is man's pursuit of knowledge and scientific discovery.He ignores his family and ignores all affection as he pursues his studies because he is obsessed with uncovering the secrets of life and death.His academic trajectory in the novel seems to mirror mankind's scientific history, as Frankenstein begins with the medieval philosophy of alchemy, then moves on to the modern practices of chemistry and mathematics at university.
The fruit of his pursuit is not positive, even though he discovered the cause of life.His creation only brings sadness, misfortune, and death.The creature that was created by the man is not beautiful, but it is horrifying.He fell sick for months because he was filled with disgust at his creation.The creature causes catastrophe by killing William, his wife Elizabeth, and their friend, as well as ending the life of Justine.
In his search for the root of human life, the man was created with all the usual human degradations in mind.Does merciless pursuit of knowledge cause more harm than good to humankind?
As a warning for others who wish to be greater than nature intended, Frankenstein presented his story to Captain Walton.His story shows the downfall caused by human arrogance.At the end of the novel, Captain Walton calls off his exploration to the North Pole as he learns a lesson from the story of Frankenstein.He turned away from scientific discovery in order to save his own life and that of his crewmen.
The pursuit of knowledge is opposition to love, community, and family.The creature's singular motivation is to seek human compassion and friendship.
He isolates himself, puts aside his family, and loses those dearest to him because of his scientific ambition.The creature wants exactly what the doctor turned away.He wants to be accepted by the De Lacey family, but his large body prevents him from being accepted.He asked for a female companion but was betrayed and thrown away.The creature is driven to seek revenge and kill because of its isolation.The creature is essentially alone in the world, an experience that ultimately turns him into the monster he appears to be.
There are many orphans in the novel.Elizabeth and Safie are outsiders that the De Lacey family takes in to love as their own.These characters are similar to the creature in that they are both nurturing matriarchal figures to fill in for mothers.Family may be the primary source of love, and a powerful source for purpose in life at odds with the ambition for scientific knowledge, but it is still presented as a dynamic in conflict.Family is fraught with potential for loss, suffering, and hostility in the novel.The idyllic De Lacey family is marked by poverty, the absence of a mother, and a lack of compassion as they turn the creature away.Family is an important means for love and purpose, but it is also difficult to achieve.
There is a tension between the pursuit of knowledge and belonging.The experience of awe in the face of the natural world is what the Romantic period is known for.The novel begins with the expedition to the North Pole and goes through the mountains of Europe with stories about the creature and the author.
The problems of human life are mirrored in these desolate landscapes.A way to clear his mind is by climbing Montanvert.The monster runs to the mountains and glaciers in order to escape civilization and its fallibilities.
The ultimate wielder of life and death is also presented as nature.As they chase after one another in the wilderness, nature kills both of them.The uninhabited terrains of equal beauty and terror frame the novel's confrontations with humanity so that they highlight the vastness of the human soul.
Light is an important symbol in the novel.Light is tied to the theme of knowledge as enlightenment, as both Captain Walton and Frankenstein search for illumination in their scientific endeavors.The creature is doomed to spend most of his life in darkness so that he can hide from humans.The idea of light as a symbol for knowledge is based on Plato's Allegory of the Cave, in which darkness and the sun symbolize truth.
The symbolism of light arises when a creature burns himself in a campfire.Fire is both a source of comfort and danger, and it brings the creature closer to the contradictions of civilization.Prometheus stole fire from the gods to aid in humankind's advancement, but was punished by Zeus for his actions.Frankenstein took a kind of fire for himself, by using a power not normally known to mankind, and was forced to repent for his actions.
Light refers to knowledge and power and weaves in myths and allegories to make these concepts more complex, calling into question whether enlightenment for humankind is possible to achieve, and whether or not it should even be pursued.
As a testament to human nature, the novel is filled with texts, as sources of communication, truth, and education.In the novel, letters are used to express innermost feelings and were a ubiquitous source of communication during the 19th century.It is possible to confess your love for one another through letters.