Dangerous knowledge

Mary Shelley demonstrates how dangerous it is to pursue knowledge through Victor’shealthwith his growing obsession with his scientificgoals, the death of his younger brother William due to his neglect of his own creation, and finally his loss of rationality and mental stability when the creature retaliates against its maker. As a young child Frankincense had an uncommon craving for knowledge. As an adolescent Victor was more intense than most and could apply himself more acutely. Reading outdated books as child victor became interested in the fields of naturalphilosophyand chemistry.

Becoming an above average tuned Victor pursued highereducationat a university level. This curiosity lead him to his research to discover the hidden laws of nature. Laws of nature that no human was ever meant to know. Spending multiple years dedicated to this discovery, abandoning his moral code victor tries to play God by trying to create life where there is none. The potential rewards of this attempt causes Victor to miss all caution when considering the consequences of his actions, which allows the experiment to progress till completion.

It is only after completion that victor realizes the dangers of knowing too much, not legalizing the dangers of this knowledge Victor ignores not only his personal wellbeing but his loved ones as well. Spending many years in seclusion, Victor ignores his person health and falls into a state of illness. Because of his growing obsession victor further disregards his health and almost dies. Victor fails to realize is that the knowledge that he has pursued almost killed him, and will continue to hinder him to live a peaceful and happy life.

In a condition of illness and isolation victor discovers Cleaver his boyhood friend has come to visit him in his time of weakness. With the presence of Henry victors spirits arise to levels of normality, although for a time which is yet to be determined. Unprepared for the consequences of his creation victor realizes his worst fears. On receiving a letter from his father telling him that Victor’s youngest brother, William, has been murdered. Victor travels back to Geneva to find that is was his creation that murders his brother.

Victor realizes that it was he who responsible for the death of his younger brother. Later in the novel victor sees that it was his neglect for the power hat he held and the power in which he wanted to obtain were the reasoning for his catastrophes. ” By my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier the man is who believes hisnative townis the world, than he who aspires to become greater his nature will allow. ” Cheap.

This quote is when victor is telling his story to Walton, telling him the dangers of obtaining knowledge. Because of his lack of attention to the power that he held victor now sees that it was he himself that altered not only his fate but his loved his loved ones as well. Further in the novel the reader sees he accumulation of distress placed on victor because of his accretion of dangerous knowledge. The final phase in Victor’s realization that it was his acquisition of dangerous knowledge that lead to the death of his beloved Elizabeth and father.

He believes that it is him who the creature is after only to find that it is his loved ones. Once the creature murders Elizabeth Victor falls into a state of severe illness yet again from his own doing. Recovering from his sickness Victor’s mental state is disarray having nothing left to live for he is determined to take life from that in which he gave and eventually dads to his own death. Victors near death experience is in direct relation to his lack of understanding of dangerous knowledge.

The entirety of his adult life Victors life was dictated by his disregard for the acquirement of dangerous knowledge and lead to the death of everyone close to him and eventually his passing Frankincense, is a warning about the dangers of knowledge and the consequences that result because of the reckless pursuit of information. The novel shows that sometimes actions do not get the chosen outcome. As was the case with Dry. Frankincense. Victor becomes obsessed in his pursuit to gain knowledge and create life.