Religion and science
When one does further research into the life of Mary Shelley, it may be safe to presume that she was likely a nonreligious person. This is due to some evidence claiming that her father and husband were both atheists. Some may argue that Shelley is simply arguing against the concept of god throughout this novel. Just as Victor created his creation and then left him in the world to fend for himself, she may be alluding to the fact that God created man and supposedly left him in the world to manage on his own. Some people also believe that the fact that Victor Frankenstein and the creature both end up feeling remorse for their actions, without any influence of religious beliefs, is making another point. Shelley may be trying to prove that religion is unnecessary for one to make sound moral decisions. In essence, she may be questioning the necessity of Christianity as a whole.
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Another opinion sees the novel as explaining the importance of religion. When God creates life, he looks after his creation and continues to care for them. However, Frankenstein was able to create life, but was unable to look after his creation properly. One gets the message that Shelley is trying to show, that certain things can only be done by God, and that religion is necessary for the regulation of man. Shelley may also be saying that sometimes the advancement of science and discovery is not more important than religion. Or rather, it cannot take the place of religion. This is clearly demonstrated throughout the novel, with the turmoil that Frankenstein must endure due to his actions.
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Man cannot play god
The concept of man not being able to play god is one of the main ideas that one gets from the novel Frankenstein. “A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me” (Shelley, 55). This quote clearly shows the God-like qualities that Victor is seen to exhibit. However, he was unable to control his creation and instead ended up creating a monster. Mary Shelley may be trying to prove that God is the only one that can create and regulate life. Man should not and cannot try to imitate him, because it will only end in destruction.
The imperfections of man
Throughout the novel, Victor Frankenstein is alluded to God. However, this novel drives to point out the imperfections of man. This in turn, goes back to the larger idea that man cannot try to be something that they are not. The motives of Frankenstein in creating the creature were not pure, and he was after fame and fortune. This desire had in fact been what clouded his mind and did not allow him to understand the repercussions for what he had been doing. Another attribute of man shown, is cowardliness. When Justine was being convicted, Victor could not bear to defend her innocence as he was scared of the backlash he would receive. Finally, Victor also exhibited a lot of selfishness throughout the novel. This was shown through him practically abandoning his family during his time at university, as well as his allowing many others to pay the price for his sins. These all prove that man is not perfect and it is human nature to exhibit some corrupt qualities. Therefore, an imperfect creation cannot create a perfect creature.
Temptation of knowledge
The idea of the dangers of the temptation of knowledge is extremely prevalent in the novel, Frankenstein. It is basically demonstrating that when man gets a taste of the world of discovery, fame, and fortune, it lures them to begin to get almost power hungry in a sense. Knowledge is key, but only if used correctly. Frankenstein did not use his knowledge properly and could have made great advancements in the field of science that could have benefited man. However, as he used his knowledge in negative ways, he ended up causing more harm than good. This idea of doing anything for knowledge is also demonstrated through Robert Walton. Walton had gone on an almost impossible expedition that was extremely grueling. The signs were present for him to return home, but in pursuit of the illusive knowledge, they plundered on.
Review Questions
1. How does Frankenstein portray science vs religion?
2. How did Mary Shelley show that man cannot play God?
3. Name a big idea and explain how it is shown in Frankenstein?