Frankenstein A Cultural Perspective Essay Research Paper

The setting for Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein plays a very important role on both the significance and realism of the story. By the end of the 18th century, smallpox and cholera epidemics throughout Europe had claimed millions of lives and brought about a crisis of faith within both the Catholic and Protestant churches. The formerly profane practices of medicinal healing were only beginning to gain acceptance in major universities as hundreds of cities were put under quarantine for their diseases and high mortality rates. Interdisciplinary learning within the scientific community was unheard of. Had Victor Frankenstein been alive during this period, his practices would have been considered blasphemous. Much more so than Edward Jenner’s research on smallpox during the same time, which would eventually save millions of lives in 1796. Frankenstein’s intentions were good, but even during this modern age of genetic engineering and cloning, the story of his creation remains entirely evil. Contemporary thought has allowed for tremendous growth in genetic engineering in recent years; the evolution of science from the analytical engine to the modern PC has occurred thousands of times faster than the evolution of our own species, from ape to human. New medications are discovered daily. However, had Mary Shelly’s proposition of “playing god” been a reality in the late 18th century, and had Victor Frankenstein been able to take this dramatic shortcut in the slow process of evolution by creating life from death, the crisis between the church and science would have been decidedly against science. Such were the sentiments of Victor’s headmaster at Ingolstadt, as well as the rest of the European scientific community. Frankenstein’s intentions were good. He had wanted to rid the world of genetic defects and bacterial disease by creating the perfect man. He would do so by applying electricity to the polar regions of a body, which he had constructed from pieces of freshly executed villains, while submerging them in an elemental pool of life. However, he was so driven towards his goal that he never considered the consequences of his actions. He was in many ways acting like the benefactor of Jurassic Park, hastily creating a life form without consideration of possible detriments. When Frankenstein had created his monster, he didn’t know what to do with it and immediately wished it dead, but ironically he had made it so strong that it would not die. Initially, the monster was not filled with the hate and rage that he would exhibit later in the movie. It was in many ways a helpless baby, only wanting someone to love him and teach him. However, Victor Frankenstein was so afraid of him–as were the townspeople–that he did not get this love or education. The monster was forced to defend himself from the start, killing the inhabitants of the town who assaulted him on account of his liness. Thus, he perceived himself to be a public enemy, and isolation became his nature. Victor, counting on his helplessness from isolation, assumed the monster would die as he returned home to his sister (and future wife), Elizabeth, in Geneva. It was not until he got there that he could feel the monster’s presence. His creation had the mind of his master, which made the task of hunting down Victor easy. As the monster made his way from Ingolstadt to Geneva, he learned about human nature, elevating his desire for companionship and his rage against Victor even more. When he did reach Geneva, Victor’s creation announced his presence by murdering William, Victor’s brother. This initiated the mutual feeling of hate they had for each other. When they did finally meet, the monster explained that Victor had given him nothing, and if he wished him out of his life Victor would have to give him a wife or face the consequences. Victor considered this, but refused. Though he had made the right decision morally, Victor’s refusal would bring about the monster’s rage against his wife on their wedding night, as well as his father and his best friend, Henry. The monster killed them all. Victor,crushed by his losses, would hunt the monster to the ends of the earth thereafter, until they both destroyed themselves in the desolation of the Arctic Sea. Victor Frankenstein’s actions were doomed from the start. He attempted to make himself God’s equal, and it is only natural that God would destroy him, his creation, and his incestuous relationship with his sister by the hand of his own creation. While Victor had the capability to ignore the declarations of blasphemy issued to him by his headmaster at Ingolstadt, he could not ignore the wrath of God, working through his monster. He paid for his sins by the hand of his own creation. This story tells us that our creativity must be limited to the creation of life, or our life will be limited to our existence on earth. Defining the conscienceless action is one of the most baffling, enigmatic, daily rituals of the Christian faith. Like the Constitution of the United States, we are forced to accept a loose interpretation of biblical doctrines to both define and justify our everyday policy for living. So what rationalization can be made for the actions of Victor Frankenstein? None, there is no ethical way to defend him. Like human cloning, which has become a moot topic among both genetic engineers and society in general, intention will always remain insignificant when in contention with religion; and if society will refuse to uphold this ideology, God will.