How Is Frankenstein Relevant Today

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The quest for knowledge has led to many advancements in philosophy, psychology, and science over the years, which has led to modern advancements of the human race. Although, how much is too much science or can knowledge ever hurt more than it can help? In the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, she raises questions about the modern world, nature, and knowledge. Frankenstein has an anti-enlightenment perspective on issues such as knowledge and moral failure, and also raises questions that have relevance to the modern world today.
In Frankenstein, an anti-enlightenment or critical perspective of knowledge exists. Victor Frankenstein is continually searching for and advancing his knowledge, aspiring to create life. Frankenstein reached his goal of creating life, but once he did, he …show more content…
An example of a moral failure would be the monster and his vengeful killing of Victor’s family. The monster originally wanted to be accepted by society, but when he was not, he requested a companion. To Victor he said, “I will revenge my injuries: if I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear, chiefly towards you my arch-enemy, because my creator, do I swear indistinguishable hatred” (Shelley 104). The monster seeks revenge for the pain his creator has caused and he will cause fear because he recognizes he cannot inspire love. This fear will be mostly aimed and Victor and the hatred he feels will not be hidden. This is when a change in the monster occurs. At first the monster had good morals and intentions, but those failed when he was rejected and decided to kill, which in turn is an example of moral failure. This is an example of an anti-Enlightenment perspective because the monster is moving away from reason and rational thought and relying on emotion. Emotion is not Enlightenment thinking, but reason is. Therefore, this shows how Frankenstein is anti-Enlightenment within the context of moral

Who Is Mary Shelly's Frankenstein?

chosen to review Mary Shelly’s, Frankenstein (Shelly, 1818). The reason I chose this work from the others on the list, is because of its almost universal appeal. While academics and scholars may cherish the works John Keats and Alexander Pope; Frankenstein fascinates audiences of all ages, genders, education, and socio-economic divisions. A work that resonates with so many people seems an appropriate subject for a discussion of the humanities. One aspect of Frankenstein that interests me is the debate…

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Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a precautionary story of uncontrolled scientific advancement at the expense of human and society. Mary’s argument is that scientific progress in not inherently good or bad but instead the fashion that it is applied can lead to catastrophe. When Victor Frankenstein sets out to artificially yield life he does not consider the ethical consequences of creating a monstrous being. From this logic, Shelley would also argue that cloning, while having great potential, should…

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fiction and Jimi Hendrix’s music were the two boyhood loves of Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, who is the primary funder of both. Founded in 2004, the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame is dedicated to exploring the history of science fiction and how it shapes our culture, politics, and philosophy. While the Experience Music Project next door has the guitars used by Bob Dylan, Bo Diddley, and Kurt Cobain, the Science Fiction Museum rocks just as hard. Displayed in the museum are such artifacts as…

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