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Sierra McCain

Ms. Winter

British Literature

Period 1

14 March 2017

Pursuit for Knowledge

Can the pursuit of knowledge, something people spend their lives trying to achieve, cause

a person to be left weaker and more broken than when they started? In the novel Frankenstein or

the Modern Prometheus, written by Mary Shelley in 1818, Victor Frankenstein, in his pursuit for

knowledge, he creates a creature out of lifeless matter. The creature becomes his worst nightmare

and makes him question what is right and wrong among gaining knowledge. Shelley makes this

point when she represents the different point of views by using the power of the frame narrative,

the switch of power between the creator and the created and as Victor increases his

understanding and knowledge, his mind becomes disempowered and weak.

Shelleys use of the frame narrative throughout the novel helps the reader gain

perspective and see a different view. Shelley uses the character Robert Walton as an innocence of

knowledge and wonder to connect him to Victor Frankenstein, who is more experienced and

aware of the capacity of knowledge and what it can create. As Victor says, I have suffered great

and unparalleled misfortunes. I had determined, at one time, that the memory of these evils

should die with me; but you have won me to alter my determination. You seek for knowledge

and wisdom as I once did...you are pursuing the same course, exposing yourself to the same

dangers...I imagine that you may deduce an apt moral from my tale (Shelley 15). The reader

listens, as if they were Walton, and this creates an epic and interesting story within story affect.
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Shelleys inspiration for this connection is from S.T. Coleridge who wrote a similar connection in

his tale The Rime of the Ancient Mariner when the character the Mariner starts a conversation

with the Wedding-guest. Coleridge describes, He holds him with his glittering eye--the

Wedding-Guest stood still, And listens like a three years child: The Mariner has hath his

will...He cannot choose but hear (Coleridge). This reflects the connection between innocent and

experienced like Robert Walton and Frankenstein. Now Shelley also uses the frame narrative

method to convey the creatures point of view to the readers. This is shown when Victor consents

to listen to the creatures tale when he states, But I consented to listen; and, seating myself by

the fire which my odious companion had lighted, he thus began his tale (Shelley 89). Hearing

the tale brought new understanding and gave life to the creature. Without hearing the side of the

creature the readers would have a biased opinion to who is right and wrong or the bad and good

of the story. Shelley also opens up new emotion of the creature when he and Walton encounter

over Victors corpse. Adding in the effect of Victor telling his story to Walton, he finally sees the

creature. Having them encounter each other opens a new perspective to Walton and the tale that

was told to him when the creature states, A frightful selfishness hurried me on, while my heart

was poisoned with remorse. Think you that the groans of Clerval were music to my ears? My

heart was fashioned to be susceptible of love and sympathy; and when wretched misery to vice

and hatred it did not endure the violence of the change without torment such as you cannot even

imagine (Shelley 207). Giving the creature a voice introduces, to the readers, the pain and

suffering that he is going through. This gave him power, as a character, over Victor who was now

seen as evil and irresponsible. Leading into the growing conflict between Frankenstein and the

creature as they progress in the flow of knowledge.

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Victor Frankenstein and his creature shift power between the creator and the created by

trying to understand the connection between one another. From the creatures point of view he

comes to the conclusion that his creator, Frankenstein, despises him and only sees him as a

monster. This is confronted to Victor when the creature says, Believe me, Frankenstein: I was

benevolent; my soul glowed with love and humanity: but am I not alone, miserably alone? You,

my creator, abhor me...they spurn and hate me (Shelley 87). The more the creature got to learn

through reading books and the Delacys he recognized the connections humans have with each

other. This is a blessing and a curse for the creature who is progressing in knowledge of the

world around him but learning that he will never be accepted by humanity. Even his own creator

who brought him here only sees him as a monster. The creature expresses this when he states,

Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in

disgust?..I was alone...He had abandoned me: and, in the bitterness of my heart, I cursed him

(Shelley 118-119). Not having the knowledge to who his creator is and what he is, causes the

creature to throw hate back at those who reject him, like Victor Frankenstein. The creature takes

his power and uses it against Victor, who knows what he is capable of. The creature shows his

superiority to Victor and his change in the battle between one another when he states,

Remember that I have power; you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched

that the light of day will be hateful to you. You are my creator, but I am your master--obey!

(Shelley 155). The creature is desperate and revengeful that he needs Frankenstein to listen and

to do what he says or he will never be happy. Having this attitude the creature decides that if he

cannot be happy then his creator will feel his same pain. This causes Victor to be consumed by

the creature that nothing else matter all he wanted was for his creation to be dead. Later he fell

too soon and never got to kill what he brought into the world and this is the reaction of the
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creature, turning towards the lifeless form of his creator, he seemed to forget my presence, and

every feature and gesture seemed instigated by the wildest rage of some uncontrollable passion

(Shelley 206). This scene relates to the first time the two, Frankenstein and the creature,

encountered each others presence. When the creature was born and Victor brought the creature

to life. That scene connects to the creature looking at Victors lifeless body, showing their last

encounter when Victor is dead by the hands of the creatures actions. The battle between the

creator and created, Victor and the creature, creates pain, vengeance, and lastly leaves one dead

and the other planning to die.

Increasing the amount of knowledge and understanding a person has does not mean great

power comes with it. Victor Frankenstein, in the beginning of the tale, has a thirst for knowledge

and knowing all. It is a passion that many can become consumed by. Victor Frankenstein started

his pursuit of knowledge optimistic and enthusiastic. He shows this when he states, I read with

ardour those works, so full of genius and discrimination, which modern inquirers have written on

these subjects, I attended the lectures, and cultivated the acquaintance, of the men of science of

the university (Shelley 36). The more he learned to more he wanted to progress and create

something new. Thus became his interests in human anatomy. Victor state this when he says, the

phenomena which had peculiarly attracted my attention was the structure of the human frame

(Shelley 37). The more knowledge he learned of the subject he grew more consumed in it.

Leaving him some days sick and unable to concentrate or get out of bed. But his ambition got

him to continue in creating the creature. As when the creature comes to life Frankenstein does

not like what he has created. He became irresponsible with his power of knowledge and took

advantage of it. He expresses this when he states, The different accidents of life are not so

changeable as the feelings of human nature i had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded
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moderation; but now that i had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror

and disgust filled my heart (Shelley 43). Why spend life creating something to only end up

despising the sight of it? Some can say the uncontrollable urge of humans is created by our wants

and desires. Humans, even now, subside to their desires. May it be sexually and they decide to

cheat on their partner or it be as simple as sleep, coffee cannot keep you awake forever. So

consequently, leaving Frankenstein wanting to know everything without thinking of the outcome.

In his human nature he perseveres until he is consumed and it is too late.

To conclude, Shelley represents her points through the use of the frame narrative

throughout the novel, the conflict between the creator and the created and Victors pursuit of

knowledge which is not always a good thing. Humans now versus human then have not changed

and never will. It may be in their nature that they let their own emotions decide what is right and

wrong. When to tell too much is too much. They consume until this world has nothing else to

offer such selfish human beings. Many people, such as Frankenstein, have lost sight of the good

in the world but blinded by selfish actions that later consume them whole into nothing.
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Work Cited

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. Rime of the Ancient Mariner

1834.Class handout. 2017

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein, Or, The Modern Prometheus: With Connections.

Austin: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1999. Print.