Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus
The first thing that struck me was the impact of the epoch in which the book was written. I expected an explicit description of the being that was created by Frankestein, or the details of its conception. Rather, it was about philosophy; about man's insatiable thirst to know, to achieve the unthinkable. There are always a multitude of ethical and moral dilemmas surrounding the creation of something novel, but as we see in the book all these dilemmas come forth in retropect and not when the creator is blinded by the passion of what they might truly achieve. It is simply: I can do it, so I will.
The way the monster evolved was akin to the learning of a child. It is a reflection of the belief that everyone begins life in innocence. Followed by curiosity and fear. Basic instincts are developed by hunger and the environment, which spawns the realization for the need of sustenance and shelter. The distinction of cacophony and cadence. Of the need to be part of a society, and the realization of the need of language to be a part of it. What still confuses me is how the monster developed the idea of physical beauty; I always imagined it to be a learned thing rather than natural. And finally, of how different emotions are developed by interactions with others.
The creation of new life compells me to think about the the possible influence Shelley draws from the story of the creation of Adam and Eve as is observed in various religious scriptures. Especially Frankestein's holistic and puritanical feelings when he is creating the original monster, and his feelings when he starts working on creating its mate.
The book was a strory of human nature, and how incidences- big and small- shape the course of life to something that is much different than what we expect.
The first thing that struck me was the impact of the epoch in which the book was written. I expected an explicit description of the being that was created by Frankestein, or the details of its conception. Rather, it was about philosophy; about man's insatiable thirst to know, to achieve the unthinkable. There are always a multitude of ethical and moral dilemmas surrounding the creation of something novel, but as we see in the book all these dilemmas come forth in retropect and not when the creator is blinded by the passion of what they might truly achieve. It is simply: I can do it, so I will.
The way the monster evolved was akin to the learning of a child. It is a reflection of the belief that everyone begins life in innocence. Followed by curiosity and fear. Basic instincts are developed by hunger and the environment, which spawns the realization for the need of sustenance and shelter. The distinction of cacophony and cadence. Of the need to be part of a society, and the realization of the need of language to be a part of it. What still confuses me is how the monster developed the idea of physical beauty; I always imagined it to be a learned thing rather than natural. And finally, of how different emotions are developed by interactions with others.
The creation of new life compells me to think about the the possible influence Shelley draws from the story of the creation of Adam and Eve as is observed in various religious scriptures. Especially Frankestein's holistic and puritanical feelings when he is creating the original monster, and his feelings when he starts working on creating its mate.
The book was a strory of human nature, and how incidences- big and small- shape the course of life to something that is much different than what we expect.
