Essay On Biblical Worldview In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
When one reads any book or magazine, one should always read from a Biblical standpoint. One should think through every sentence read to determine the writer’s worldview. However, in Mary Shelley’s book Frankenstein, the answer may be difficult to find. Readers should ask themselves, “Was Shelley presenting the Biblical worldview through her novel or was she expressing a different view of God, mankind, and nature?” If one reads using Christian worldview glasses, the answer to this question is a clear and resounding “no,” for Shelley’s ideas are different from the Bible’s.
Is it possible for man to become like God the Creator? Although Mary Shelley does not directly ask this question in her book, Frankenstein, she seems to imply that man can
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While Mary Shelley seems to revere nature in her novel, she makes Frankenstein seem to worship nature instead of worshipping the Creator of nature. After witnessing the unfair trial and death of Justine, the accused murderess of Frankenstein’s son, Victor takes a hike up a mountain to think things through. At the top of the mountain, he meets the Creature and has a deep conversation with it. Numerous times he was comforted after viewing the great aspects of nature. However, the Bible commands man to only worship the one true God and not to worship worldly things. As the book progresses, Shelley’s view of nature slowly comes out; she seems to think nature can be explained by natural examples. The author’s view of nature does not go with the Bible view of it, clearly showing where Shelley’s worldview lies.
While Frankenstein may seem like an ordinary mystery novel, the author’s meaning behind it goes much deeper. The book raises questions concerning the power of God, the characteristics of mankind, and man’s view of nature. Mary Shelley’s book clearly does not follow the teachings in the Bible because she believes man can become like God; man is born sinless, and finally, that man should worship
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Christianity In Frankenstein Essay
588 Words | 3 PagesIn the end of the novel, Shelly concludes that moral and spiritual development can best be obtain through the rejecting of dogmatic belief structures, resulting in the elimination of God towards the realization of self-realization. Despite the lack of learning in the morals and ethics of Christianity, the monster in Frankenstein is able to form his own code of behavior based on example and the behavior he views from others. It should be mention that his instinctive sense of morality comes without the knowledge of God or a creator. While this seems to be an atheistic way of thinking about how morality is "inborn" it is impossible to ignore the way the bible and religious learning influence even this aspect of the novel.
Solitude In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
1109 Words | 5 Pages“Whosoever is delighted in solitude, is either a wild beast or a god” (Aristotle). Romantic period writer and author, Mary Shelley, depicts two characters in her soft science fiction novel, Frankenstein, that is exquisitely similar to those who “would find delight in solitude” as quoted by Aristotle in his Politics. In Shelley’s Frankenstein, the parallel of Aristotle’s two presented personas consists as Victor Frankenstein as a god and his horrific creation, the Monster, as a wild beast. Unambiguously, Victor is indeed the god of the Monster because he created him, consequently bringing the Monster into existence. The Monster too is merely a wild beast from the perception that he appears to be a frightening and violent creature.
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436 Words | 2 PagesIn Chapter 15 of Frankenstein, the author compares the monster to Adam (the first man) as well as comparing Victor to God. I believe that Frankenstein is not as much a commentary on the bible, but rather on the nature of man. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley compares the monster and Victor to biblical figures in order to relate that everyone is capable of moral good and evil. As we see in the novel, the monster is much like Adam in that he desires companionship, he is made in the likeness of his creator (a man), and he eventually turns to evil.
The Influence Of Nature In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
1191 Words | 5 PagesNumerous research has concluded that several emotional bonds exist between humanity and nature that can impact everything from attitude to anxiety. Novels of the romanticism period, a significant literary era that encompassed most European works written in the early 1800’s, are most known for describing the impacts that nature has on people and implying that unexpected consequences can arise out of this relationship; Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a prime example of such a novel. The prime conflict of this 1818 science-fiction story occurs between the titular character, Victor Frankenstein, and a monster he creates through his own scientific innovations. Because of Victor’s abandonment of the monster, it becomes intent on destroying the scientist’s
Mary Shelley's Use Of Biblical Allusions In Frankenstein
1359 Words | 6 PagesIn Frankenstein, references to the bible are shown throughout and are very influential to the the deeper meaning of the story. "will I achieve; treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation"(Shelley 33). Here Frankenstein decides to further his exploration into science surpassing that of which most of society considers natural. He will attempt to create and animate life from the dead which is unnatural and beyond what is capable for mankind to accomplish. His unwavering quest for knowledge and what lies beyond the natural world entices him.
Theme Of Enlightenment In Frankenstein
974 Words | 4 PagesFurthermore, Shelley examines the relation that Frankenstein and his monster have towards relevant motifs of Enlightenment such as science, religion, and humanity. To begin with, the era of Enlightenment was characterized by numerous scientific discoveries in Europe. Advances were made in various scientific fields such as astronomy, physics, and mathematics. They caused large controversies which had a deep impact on people’s thinking about God and religion.
Similarities Between Frankenstein And Prometheus
722 Words | 3 PagesMary Shelley's Frankenstein depicts the remarkable resemblance to the “modern” myth of Prometheus. The intertextuality used to connect these two stories, allow Shelley to bring out the most prominent themes of Power and suffering. As both of the characters deal differently with the struggle to resist the power that comes with creating life, the inevitable end for both characters are the same; they fall at the hands of their own creations. Shelley carefully utilizes the legend of Prometheus to express the connection between punishment and creation.
Literary Criticism In Frankenstein
1245 Words | 5 PagesTheir perspectives of nature, however, are vastly different due to their circumstances regarding companionship and affection from companions. Victor Frankenstein describes nature as calming and it brings him great happiness when he is surrounded by nature because he himself is happy and adored by friends who surround him. Frankenstein has friends whom he holds strong bonds with where “harmony was the soul of [their] companionship, and the diversity and contrast that subsided [their] characters drew [them] nearer together” (29, Chapter 2). He is surrounded by companions that give him plenty of love and affection that in turn, bring him happiness and a favoring outlook on nature. Victor takes pleasure in wandering through various scenes of nature, feeling accepted by it, therefore, he can portray it as full of life and “awful and majestic” (82, Chapter 10).
Frankenstein Modern Society Analysis
869 Words | 4 PagesHowever, this novel by Mary Shelley is a very entertaining piece of work that painstakingly resembles modern day society. “From our expectations having been raised too high beforehand by injudicious praises; and it exhibits a strong tendency towards materialism.” (Anonymous, 1998) The first critique that was published in the Literary Panorama, and National Register strongly critiques that the development of the monster is entirely unrealistic and based upon the sense of greed that comes with materialism. The whole basis of this novel is fantasy.
Science And Morality In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
825 Words | 4 PagesDuring the Romantic era, Mary Shelley wrote one of her famous book called Frankenstein, which became respected literature of Romantic era. Even though Frankenstein was created mainly to emphasize horror, it rather developed different point of views; it captured many audiences who sought for ideas of science and nature. Throughout the story, Mary Shelley mingled science, human emotions, and nature in order to create supernatural tale that can be understood despite specks of illogical ideas. To make the story as much as smooth as possible without any disbeliefs, Mary Shelley incorporated science and morality in order to enhance her story to be easily absorbed and felt.
Frankenstein Critical Analysis Essay
883 Words | 4 PagesMary Shelley’s Frankenstein Critical Analysis About the author Naomi Hetherington is a member of the University of Sheffield, the department of lifelong learning. She is an early researcher in sexuality, religious culture, the 19th-century literature, and gender. She holds a BA in Theology and religious studies, an MA and a Ph.D. in Victorian Literature. She currently teaches four-year pathway literature degree at Sheffield University for students who have already attained foundation degrees. Among the books, she has written the critique of Frankenstein.
Creation And Transgression Essay
631 Words | 3 PagesArguably, if God’s conduct in Paradise Lost is even slightly comparable to Victor’s, it could be submitted that Shelley believes religion, and particularly Christianity, has a lot to answer for. Alternatively, Shelley could simply be reproving Victor’s behaviour in his obvious attempts at playing ‘God’, and making that more damning by contrasting Adam with the Monster. As Chris Baldick has remarked, to early readers of Frankenstein it appeared that Shelley was ‘calling into question the most sacred of stories, equating the Supreme Being with a blundering chemistry student.’ In his analysis, Baldick contends that Paradise Lost lays itself open to this kind of impious treatment by Shelley, because ‘by submitting God’s providence to rational debate’ Milton had ‘inadvertently exposed the foundations of his religion to
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