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The Search For Knowledge In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

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Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in the 18th century. Shelley combined the mysterious and gloomy Gothic elements with Romantic ideals of the supernatural and idealism to create the world of Frankenstein. With those two genres, Shelly compiled in her work Frankenstein. Shelly describes to her reader the dangers of advanced knowledge to society. Shelley’s warning best represented by the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, during WW II. Shelley through her book warns that knowledge is a double edge sword which should be used wisely. Though powerful the search for knowledge has been proven to be a strenuous task with many sacrifices along the way, knowledge can at times brings blessings, and knowledge can open one’s mind to the loneliness of life. The search for knowledge is like a tall mountain, extremely hard to climb. In Frankenstein, Shelley creates the character Victor Frankenstein, an avid researcher who dedicated his life to learn, explore and create new things. His thirst for knowledge drove him apart from the society just to read about ancient physicians and alchemists. He in his pursuit of knowledge studied chemistry against his father’s wish. Victor as an intelligent, ambitious and hardworking scientist moved to Ingolstadt University to pursue chemistry. After his mother died, he developed an obsession with death. The concept of reanimation the deceased became his new pursuit. Victor, a modern Prometheus, went beyond accepted human

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