2010 09 10 On Write What You Know

Six Classic Horror Films and the Literature, That Inspired Them However, even with the subtitle The Modern Prometheus, the theme of science- gone-mad is rarely addressed in the novel. As Victor is relating his story to Captain Walton, he states, “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.”

 

In that same section, Victor’s hubris shows through, directly challenging God by stating that he hopes he can create a new species that would bless him “as its creator and source.” These types of comments by Victor, however, are few and far between in the novel, and there are no discussions or debates in the story about the ethical and religious limits of scientific research. In addition, while Victor clearly suffers significant mental torment and the very real loss of his companions in the story as a result of his experiments with the beginning of life, the engine of that destruction is the very real Frankenstein monster, not God or fate or karma.

 

Additionally, in wreaking his havoc on Frankenstein, the monster states that he is seeking revenge more than punishment, as for example, when Victor initially refuses to create a mate for the monster.