Self-discovery, Destruction, and Preservation in Frankenstein Essay

Self-discovery, Destruction, and Preservation in Frankenstein      Ã‚  Ã‚   Mary Shelley's Frankenstein explores the downfall of certain human characteristics, set to the backdrop of creation, destruction, and preservation. The subtitle denoted by Shelly herself supports this idea, by relating the fact that the title can be viewed as either Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus. One scholar, Marilyn Butler, also maintains this by noting, "It can be a late version of the Faust Myth"(302). Shelly uses the story of the main character, Victor Frankenstein, to produce the concept of a dooming human characteristic of which Frankenstein states, "I have . . . been blasted in these hopes"(Shelley, 152). The reader finds, as a result of his thirst for knowledge and infatuation with science, Victor creates a living being by whom he has "suffered great and unparalleled misfortunes"(Shelley, 17). Eventually, Victor realizes this self-destructive trait, but he is not able to save himself stating, "I have lost everything, and cannot begin life ane w"(Shelley, 16). Although everything in his life that is dear has been lost, Victor is able to convince one in his same position--Robert Walton--to not "lead [his crew] unwillingly to danger"(Shelley, 151). While addressing the concept of characteristic and self-discovery, it is possible to realize that the monster also possesses the characteristics held by both Victor and Walton; except in his learning, the monster is driven to continue to cause destruction. Most important about the thirst for knowledge is that, as a form of human characteristic or downfall, it leads to large, critical pieces of self-discovery. In obtaining these critical pieces, Frankenstein finds satisfaction in j... ...s Frankenstein. New Haven Yale University Press, 1998. Butler, Marilyn. "Frankenstein and Radical Science." Reprinted in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Norton Critical Edition. 1993; New York: W. W. Norton, 1996. 302-313. Gilbert, Sandra M. and Susan Gubar. "Mary Shelley's Monstrous Eve." Reprinted in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Norton Critical Edition. 1979; New York: W. W. Norton, 1996. 225-240. Moers, Ellen. "Female Gothic: The Monster's Mother." Reprinted in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Norton Critical Edition. 1976; New York: W. W. Norton, 1996. 214-224. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Norton Critical Edition. 1818; New York: W. W. Norton, 1996. Storment, Suzanna. "Frankenstein: The Man and the Monster." Commentary page. October 2002. Washington State University. 8 April 2003. http://www.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/frank.comment3.html.   

Romance & Revolution

The Enlightenment was the foundation of the questioning the hierarchy of aristocracy and the Church. It took place in the eighteenth century throughout Germany, France and Britain. The impact of the Enlightenment on these different countries focused on different aspects of their societies. During this time of Western Philosophy, Reason was highly valued. This posed a threat to the established sources of power in the government. The expressed thought that the common people were still lower in the social hierarchy because of their birth rank was beginning to be resisted, along with the belief that the Church was the central truth. The background to this new way of thinking began in the late seventeenth century when the bourgeoisie began to realize the fact that they were paying taxes to the aristocracy that was not contributing to the improvement of society. Not only were the taxes not improving the state of the society, it was only being distributed to the group of rich citizens who truly had no use for it. The indignation of the middle class led to their encouragement of the working class to unite and oppose the foundation of their world such as they have known it to be for centuries. French Romanticism took part in the latter part of the eighteenth century. It was the outcome of the Age of Enlightenment and also the effect of the scientific questioning toward nature and human body. The notion of strong emotion was strongly encouraged, rather opposite from the Age of Enlightenment where the focus was intellectual and philosophical. Romanticism was mostly captured in art, theatrical performances, and music. Though these mediums conveyed the change of thought and understanding during this time, the best medium that embodies French Romanticism is literature. Most the themes in the literature of this time period were of the human psyche and supernatural occurrences. With these themes still being prevalent through out history, French Romanticism transcended time periods and countries. Jean-Jacques Rousseau greatly influenced this time period. His belief that through the abandonment of natural right, people could work in society with no true conflict. Rousseau believed that the people should directly make the laws, that way there would be no way to revolt against it. Some contirbute him wholely to sparking the French Revolution. The French Revolution was a time of political and social mayhem. The concept of natural rights and aristocracy were being challenged not only intellectually but also violently. During this period of time the king was excuted, the Napoleonic Wars took place, and the French Reformation took hold. The events that led up to the Revolution had many economic contributions. The major national debt caused by the continuous warring with the surrounding countires caused by King Louis XV made it hard for the working class to maintian the rise of taxes. This injustice might have been bale to be over looked, if the unemployment rate was not at an all time high. This frustrated the French citizens, having the demand of high taxes and no jobs, left several families with malnutrition. This being the plight of the lower and working class, the bourgeoisie had their own issues to face. The Roman Catholic owned largest landowner in France at the time. Trying to work up the social ladder, the middle class felt oppress that their efforts were being denied and ignored. The resistance of internal trade stifled the rise of capitalistic beliefs by the bourgeoisie also brought about extreme hatred. The Catholic Church became one of the central targets of the Revolution. One of the close followers to Rousseau, Robespierre, was one of the major figureheads to the French Revolution. He orchestrated the Reign of the Terror, the time of execution for those against the Revolution. Robespierre killed countless people believed to be spies, symbols of the Age of Oppression, and Catholic Church supporters. He became so obsessed with purging the French society of their oppressors; he turned on his own supporters. One of the supporters that Robespierre turned on was Georges Danton. Danton was a leader of the Revolution, but not very supportive of the Terror. Believing that change could be done with as little violence as possible, he was viewed as being lenient of the former government. These unfortunate facts lead to his execution. Another leader of the Revolution was Jean-Paul Marat. He was the editor and founder of the paper The Friend of the People. Through this paper he attacked not only the factions of the Revolution, but questioned their over all loyalty to the cause. This caused several disputes and targeted hatred toward Marat. This caused him to have to continually flee to London to resist arrest and persecution. Cult of Sensibility is the focus of strong emotions. It was believed a person who was considerably moved by a work of art or literature could be moved to cry, faint, or have a fit. The idea was a born as a British literary movement. However, the movement died because of the accusation that it was narcissistic. Parody is a different work used to mock an original piece. The origin of parody was found in Greek literature. The writers in the ancient Greek times used to switch around the words of a poem to give a humorous take on an epic. Parody is closely linked to satire. Satire is the method used to poke fun at a theory or philosophy that the writer disagrees with. Usually satire has elements of sarcasm, which makes the audience feel ridiculous. The use of satire is rarely used for just humor, but instead has a sense of ridicule. Irony is when the actual happening in a work in completely different then the expected happening. There are various types of irony, including but not limited to, verbal, situational, tragic, and dramatic irony. Verbal irony is when the speaker says something, but it is meant in a completely different way. This type of irony is interchangeable with sarcasm. Situational irony is the most common form of irony. This type of irony is when the expected or understood meaning of a situation turns out to be completely different. Some of the outcomes of these ironic situations are comical, but it is not the norm. With dramatic irony, this tool is used when the audience has a piece of information that one or all the actors does not know about. Tragic irony is when the true situation is misinterpreted and the characters act on the wrong information. Realism is the appreciation for how things appear in the monotony of everyday life. It was believed that one would benefit more out of life if they took it just as it is, and not add embellishments or unnecessary emotions. The movement began in France around the eighteenth century and was strongly against romanticism. The belief is that lie is founded on basic truths. When one adds emotion or philosophical meaning to a simplistic world, they lose the entire meaning of life. One of the most prominent Realist writers in France was Gustave Flaubert. Flaubert wrote the novel Madame Bovary, one of the first books of its time that portrayed life just as it was. Coming off Romanticism, the book was highly criticized for being dark and menacing. Realism was portrayed in France through artwork. Artists such as Jean-Franiois Millet, Honori Daumier, and Rosa Bonheur portrayed rural scenes and helped the common people be represented in high art. The depiction of everyday life was revolutionary to the time period and was mostly embraced by the poor and middle class.

Macbeth, By William Shakespeare - 1431 Words

Macbeth, though originally a valiant and prudent soldier, deteriorates into an unwise king whose rash decisions conclusively end in the atrophy of his title, power, and position. Several factors contribute to the downfall of Macbeth, which produce a contagion effect and ultimately end with his demise. He receives help from his â€Å"inner ambitions and external urgings† which result in his downfall (Bernad 49). The â€Å"external urgings† consist of the weird sisters who disclose his prophecies, which enlighten him about Duncan’s throne, and Lady Macbeth who abets Macbeth to realize his deep desires and come to the conclusion to murder Duncan. However, Macbeth is the most significant contributor as he makes his deep desires come to reality. In Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, while the weird sisters and Lady Macbeth are important contributors to Macbeth s downfall, they are not most responsible. Macbeth is, in fact, the most prominent contributor to his downfall whose actions, decisions, and state of mind lead to his downfall. Primarily, the weird sisters enlighten Macbeth about Duncan s throne and indirectly inform him about his competition. Antecedently, Macbeth is indifferent about Duncan’s throne, however, after the weird sisters reveal his prophecies, Banquo notices, â€Å" Good sir, why do you start and seem to fear / Things that do sound so fair?† (Shakespeare I. iii. 56-57). As noticed by Banquo, Macbeth begins to show an interest in Duncan’s throne. In fact, afterShow MoreRelatedMacbeth by William Shakespeare770 Words   |  3 PagesThe play Macbeth is written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to be written between 1603 and 1607 and set in eleventh century Scotland. It is also believed to be first performed in 1606. It is considered to be one of the darkest and most powerful tragedies. Macbeth, set in Scotland, dramatizes the psychological and political effects produced when evil is chosen to fulfill the ambition of power. The Tragedy of Macbeth is Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy and tells the story of Macbeth, a ScottishRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1425 Words   |  6 PagesMacbeth Just Can’t Wait To Be King Everyone has a quality that they do not like about themselves. Some people struggle to be social, others may be too controlling of people. The list goes on and on, but the point is that everybody has a particular quality that they must learn to control or else that particular quality can get out of hand. Of course, one could write a list of characters that have major flaws. There is no better example than William Shakespeare’s character, Macbeth, in The TragedyRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1409 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air.† On October 17th, I had the pleasure of going to see Macbeth performed at the Shakespeare Tavern. Along with its reputation for being â€Å"cursed,† Macbeth is also known as one of the crown jewels of William Shakespeare’s repertoire. In my opinion, the central concept of this particular retelling of the play was the murkiness of character. Throughout the pla y, the many characters go through fierce temptation and strife, and noneRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1203 Words   |  5 PagesMacbeth is a play based on King James I, it was written by William Shakespeare, however this play isn’t a king and queen fairy tale, but it’s a play about greed and guilt, chaos and murder and three evil witches who use prophecies to influence Macbeth to do bad things, using flattery would instigate his inner ambition to become king, which in the end doesn’t lead to a very happy ending. Shakespeare’s, Macbeth, was written in the early Jacobean period. During those times, women had no power, theyRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1243 Words   |  5 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s â€Å"Macbeth†, the author portrays the main character Macbeth as a very tortured and flawed individual whose actions only serve to further unravel him. He is conflicted and power hungry, which drives him to perform evil murders and become a ruthless person. Macbeth’s moral compass is not resilient enough to withstand his wife’s manipulations and he is provoked to act on his malicious thoughts of murder. The author explores the terrible effects that ambition and guilt can haveRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare Essay1487 Words   |  6 Pagesreaction†. Macbeth by William Shakespeare is a tale which illuminates the consequences of violating the â€Å"Natural order†, the hierarchy of beings in the universe. When Macbeth, a warrior wel l-known for his courage and bravery, murders King Duncan acting on his unchecked ambition to claim the throne, the order was disrupted, the result†¦chaos. Shakespeare uses symbolism to illustrate the atmosphere of the play as the natural order is flung into a state of turmoil. These techniques used by Shakespeare is usedRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1483 Words   |  6 Pagesdifferent references in the play of how a king deals with power and if they use it for better or for their own personal gain. In the play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Macbeth’s obsession with his journey to power leads to his failure. This obsession is demonstrated through the prophecies, the murder of his best friend Banquo, and his own demise. Macbeth demonstrates that he is incapable of mastering the power and responsibilities of being a king. This is indicated throughout the play with theRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1045 Words   |  5 PagesBlood appears in only two forms, but many times in Macbeth by William Shakespeare; between the war scene at the beginning of the play and the lifting of Macbeth’s severed being lifted by Macduff at the end. It can be said that Macbeth could have been written in blood that there is such a large amount. What is unique about blood in Macbeth is that the â€Å"imaginary blood† or the guilt that the murderer feels plays more of a role of understand and amplifying the theme of the play, that blood is guiltRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare2060 Words   |  9 Pagesthe green one red Macbeth Quote (Act II, Sc. II). Out, out, brief candle! Life s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Macbeth Quote (Act V, Scene V). These quotes have been taken from play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare. Like these quotes there are hundreds and thousands of such heart touching quotes written by Shakespeare in his many differentRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1320 Words   |  6 PagesThe oxford dictionary definition of guilt, 1, the fact of having committed a specified or implied offence or crime, 1.1, a feeling of having committed wrong or failed in obligation. In Macbeth written by William Shakespeare, Macbeth, the titular character and his wife Lady Macbeth kill the King in order to become King and Queen themselves, this came with consequences which are still relevant in society today. The guilt they felt and the relevance to sleeplessness are common topics almost four hundred