Destructive Knowledge In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Destructive Knowledge

In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Victor suffers from isolation by being in need of family, friends and society. Although Victor suffers from his own mistakes, he sees the effects of isolation from society, and by losing everyone he loves in his life, he drives himself insane and becomes dangerous.

As a young boy, Victor had been surrounded by love from his family. In the college of Ingolstadt, Victor set a goal for himself, “ Under the guidance of my new prospectors I entered with the greatest diligence into the search of the prospector’s stone and the elixir of life; but the latter soon be obtained my undivided attention. Wealth was an inferior object, but what glory would attend the discovery if i could banish disease from the human frame

Victor finds that society is sadly mistaken as he realizes that he has to still be apart of society to get the information he needs. Victor states, “If this journey had taken place during my days of study and happiness, it would afford me inexpressible pleasure. But a blight had come over my existence, and I only visited these people for the sake of the information they might give me on the subject in which my interests were so terribly profound” (147). He is starting to become non-sociable. Because of the scarce interactions that Victor has with company, he has never been able to look at the population the same way again since his childhood. “Like one who, on a lonely road, Doth walk in fear and dread. And, having once turned round, walks on, And turns no more his head: Because he knows a frightful fiend. Doth close behind him tread.” (150) (Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner). This proves that even though a man is no longer with society, he is always there and poses a