Frankenstein, Community, and the Individual Essay

Many innovations throughout the modern world have made life significantly easier, safer, of higher quality, and are said to be done for the greater good of humanity. However, these accomplishments come at a cost, as expressed through the concepts of creation and responsibility that lie at the core of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein. It is through these concepts that Shelley explores how society has changed during Romanticism and the Industrial Revolution, with lessening importance on shared knowledge and the public sphere and more emphasis on individual achievement and identity, leading to a fractured and isolated society. In this paper I argue that Mary Shelleys Frankenstein criticizes the impacts of Industrial Revolution and Romantic†¦show more content†¦From a chance exposure to the works of Cornelius Agrippa, to the man with the air pump, the electricity blasted tree stump (Shelley 22-24), and the discovery of the principle of life come alive, Victor progresses through curio sity and innovation as swiftly as technology improved during the early 1800s, each promising new leaps, bounds, and capabilities and ignoring repercussions. Each of these steps provided individual accomplishment for Victor, with no concern to the benefit for the public sphere that resided at the core of Enlightenment-era knowledge (Melton 8). For example, Victor speaks of the pursuit of some discoveries and the ability of science to provide continual food for discovery and wonder, then relates the benefit he receives - he sought the attainment of one object of pursuit...which procured me great esteem and admiration at the university (Shelley 30-31). The priority of personal reward over community creates an individual identity of accomplishment superior to others, rather than contributing to a collaborative base of knowledge, a danger of individualism expressed through Victors eventual destruction. Furthering this point, Victors innovation was not only for this personal gain, as one could contest he did not ignore humanity for the sake of his own recognition. Rather theShow MoreRelatedFrankenstein And The Psychologic And Moralistic Effects Of Community1521 Words   |  7 PagesFrankenstein and the Psychologic and Moralistic Effects of Community Dense, ominous storm cloud fill the night sky over the stone walls of a castle. 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