Deconstructing Frankenstein: Exploring the Complexities of Creator-Creation Dynamics

Abstract

Argumentative Essay: Mary Shelly’s novel Frankenstein Mary Shelley was a prolific novel writer who wrote the science novel, Frankenstein, making it the mother of science fiction. The book was first published in 1818 and has since then gained tremendous attention in the literature. Shelley tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young, ambitious man who ventures into science to perform experiments using various dead body parts to create unnatural life. Victor is an ambitious man and creates this creature to discover the secrets of life and death. He is desperate to renew life since he is still grieving the loss of his mother. Victor is confronted with the obnoxious appearance of the creature and decides to abandon it; the creature is confronted with the cruelty of society and decided vengeance on Victor leading to total obstruction of his family. Isolation prompts the creature to detest the human race. Furthermore, Mary Shelley addresses the creations of men through science and technology as the source of atrocities throughout the text. It addresses education, science, history, imagery, language, symbols, and various themes, including; revenge, alienation, isolation, ambition, injustice, creation, sublime nature, secrecy, the pursuit of dangerous knowledge, and monstrosity. Mary Shelley tells the untold story of unrestricted science. Deconstruction is one of the most controversial literary theories manifested in Frankenstein. The relationship between Victor and the monster is complicated, and there exist many controversies revolving around their relationship. The author uses the deconstructive approach in the destruction of binaries between good and evil, acceptance and alienation, the creator and the created, master and slave, and life and death. The binaries aim is to define the relationship between Frankenstein and his creator. The deconstructive approach is manifested in the creator and created binary where Frankenstein assumes the position of a creator while the monster is the created being. Frankenstein wanted to be glorified through his work. He laments that “A new species would bless me as a creator and its source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me” (57). He faces a crisis when the creature fails to subdue him and takes charge of him. The binaries of good and evil also form the basis of the discussion between the monster and Frankenstein. The novel discusses deconstruction concerning the alteration of the master-slave relationship where Frankenstein has the authority as the creator. Still, surprisingly, the creator is physically stronger than him. The aftermath is the slave taking power, and Frankenstein becomes slavery throughout his life. Life and death are seen as a form of deconstruction following the creation of a life, which eventually leads to Frankenstein’s death while the monster becomes less vulnerable to death. Deconstruction also arises when Frankenstein fails to accept the creature as her mother and teaches him the basics and morals but alienates him immediately after creation. This paper argues on the obsession and overambition of dangerous scientific knowledge that is damaging yet fatal. Responsibility is an essentiality for humanity to prevail. The novel Frankenstein is a manifestation of failed responsibility that permeates atrocities of misery and pangs of death. Victor lived a good childhood and received attention and love from the parents. “My mother’s tender caresses and my father’s smile of benevolent pleasure while regarding me are my first recollections. I was their plaything, and their idol and something better -- their child, the innocent and helpless monster bestowed on them by Heaven” (Shelley 40). This sentiment appreciates Victor's responsible parents but foreshadows Victor’s aftermath while seeking his ambitions, ending up in a traumatizing yet painful situation. He wanted to integrate his education into real-life situations, and he became overambitious. He had a narrow perspective of what he was doing; he did not look at the bigger picture while creating the creature; “responsibility.” He only wanted to be glorified and acknowledged as the creator but not responsibilities. He says,” A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me” (55). Victor is then afraid of bringing a new creature to life and cannot care; he runs away from his creation and seeks refuge in a tavern near the university, leaving the monster to wander in the countryside. According to (Karalyn), although Victor can be rightly understood as a mother, he also has a distinct relationship with the creature as a father because of his position in society as a man[Sic]. He, however, fails in his role as father to the creature. This creates new implications for his relationship with the creature. Victor's parents were responsible for parenting him, but he failed in handling his responsibility. The creature gains sympathy at the start of his life as he is isolated and has no one to interact with. The creature experiences pain and pangs of distress and depicted misery.  "I was a poor, helpless, miserable wretch; I knew, and could distinguish nothing; but feeling pain invade me on all sides, I sat down and wept," he says (92). The creature is shunned by humanity and resorts to seeking solace from his creator, Frankenstein. The monster detests Frankenstein for abandoning his after creation which prompted him to be bitter and alludes that humans have mistreated him due to his appearance. The monster seeks revenge by lynching his family members. He kills his best friend, Henry Clerval, his brother William and his wife Elizabeth at their wedding. Victor's father dies grieving his family members. What a tragedy? Responsible persons find courage for their actions and face them head-on; they are confident of their doings and do not run away from their problems nor blame others for this. It is sad that humans do not take responsibility for the problem but then seek responsibility for the solution. Victor should have taken responsibility like his parents failed as a mother and father to create moral standards and care for him. Its shows victor’s irresponsibility, which eventually devours him away. Knowledge is power, but knowing too much can be poisonous for immortal souls. “Learn from me- if not by my precepts, at least by my example-how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow” (Shelley 38). Frankenstein realizes that books could not satisfy his quest for knowledge; he tries an experiment that makes him struggle over nature. He creates a monster that controls him and fails to reconcile humanity and reality. Frankenstein’s experiment was sacrilege. he wanted to discover the secrets attributed to life and proceeds to create a human being. He is perplexed by the grotesque creature and flees and leaves the creature to fend for himself. What was knowledge, becomes dangerous and he pays retribution for not correctly managing his knowledge. "He who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his disposition will waste his life in fruitless efforts" - Samuel bliss Johnson. Victor Frankenstein believed that he would be satisfied in creating a monster in his pursuit for knowledge in creating a monster. He was so focused and busy doing his thing on the plans of his heart that he could no travel much. Talking to his professors, he laments, “Two years passed in this manner, during which I paid no visit to Geneva, but was engaged, heart and soul, in the pursuit of some discoveries which I hoped to make" (29). The tedious engagement in his studies leads to a nuisance to society and his life. He wanted recognition and pride about it, but the results were misery and regrets, and he had to face reality. Victor regrets the pursue of dangerous knowledge and warns Walton of it. “I trod heaven in my thoughts, now exulting in my powers, burning with the idea of their effects. From my infancy, I was imbued with high hopes and lofty ambition,” he says (233). The quest for scientific progress and human innovation is excellent, but we can never know what it carries underneath. Human beings are curious to seek truth from the hidden but, in the aftermath, suffer the consequences of seeking too much knowledge. Human beings portray obsession to their intuitions, desires, and ambition at the expense of humanity yet profoundly flawed. Victor and Walton were ambitious men who sought intellectual enlightenment. “It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn; and whether it was the outward substance of things or the inner spirit of nature and the mysterious soul of man that occupied me, still my inquiries were directed to the metaphysical, or in its highest sense, the physical secrets of the world.”(Shelley 22) this was Victor’s sentiments on the pursuit of his ambition to study in the university and after that experiment something that would bring glory to him. The determination in Victor was overwhelming, an ambitious man to unveil the secrets of life. An ambition to understand things that no one has ever resorted to. He was obsessed with establishing the meaning of life and our purpose as humans. He says, “So much has been done, exclaimed the soul of Frankenstein — more, far more, 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." (15). Frankenstein believes that his desire to pursue science is intuitive. His creation makes him stretch beyond the limits of humanity. The aftermath is misery as his ambition is completely shattered. Victor ends up regrets and tries to caution his brother Walton from making the same mistakes.” Seek happiness in tranquility, and avoid ambition, even if it be only the innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries,” he says (236). Like Victor, Walton was ambitious, but Victor chose ambition over responsibility, the ultimate end being self-destruction. This statement attests to Victor's ambitions as deeply flawed. Walton tends to reckless behavior, which prompts his brother to warn him of taking after his steps. Through Victor's misery and fall-down, it is evident that ambitions directed towards science and technology are tedious and risky and can result in adversity. Why should we judge people based...