A Literary Analysis of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

This paper analyzes the bracing Frankenstein. It is subdivided into two parts. The low part is a thematic analysis of the tonic and the second part is a discourse analysis of the raw. Specifically it seeks to answer the following what atomic number 18 the major(ip) reputations of the novel what are the discourses contained in and articulated by the novel?Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus is a famous novel by bloody shame Shelley. It was completed on May 1817, when bloody shame was just nineteen years of age. It was made while she and her husband Percey Bysshe Shelley were on their summer vacation with Lord Byron in the Alps (Frankenstein ). With the best writers in England, Mary offered her contri furtherion to the literary classics, the famous Frankenstein novel, which became famous in two genres Science Fiction and horror (Milner, p.149).Thematic Analysis of FrankensteinThe novel Frankenstein is centered on four-spot major fundaments ignorance versus knowledge, injustic e in humankind, in a feminist viewpointequality of men and women, and murders explained from the viewpoint of the murderers. Among realityy other themes, these four, in my opinion, are the major themes and therefrom should be expounded.The novel was written in the early phase of the industrial revolution (Analysis of Frankenstein), that is, when science and technology was initially progressing. From this premise I notify say that the novel is an attempt to criticize the existing social condition, that is to say, the novel criticizes the progress of science and the acquisition of knowledge. Shelleys use of the character superior Frankenstein, the aesculapian doctor who created a being more superior to the present race of men, explains my point. Even though lord is knowledgeable enough to create life, he is nonetheless bounded by his imperfections. He created a fine-tuneing teras insteadThe Frankenstein nut. This suggests that science could unravel the mysteries of nature, b ut knowledge is still too dangerous for homosexual to acquire. The novel suggests that knowledge is dangerous like when Victor disc all overed the mystery of life. knowledge is a monster.Furthermore, the novel suggests that some knowledge should be kept unavowed from men. Some knowledge do more evil than good, as the novel suggests. It says that ignorance is good. Knowledge is evil (Remarks on Frankenstein).The other title for Frankenstein, The Modern Prometheus, is suggestive of the theme of this novel. Prometheus is a mythological character who gave fire to men to keep them warm (Prometheus gave fire to Men). But Zeus punished Prometheus for doing so. Prometheus received an eternal punishment. In connection, the fire symbolizes knowledge. In the myth, knowledge is forbidden to men just like in the novel Frankenstein. The fire croupe warm, but it lav also kill just as knowledge backside. The novel criticizes the scientist most especially, in their empirical quest for knowledge .The character of the Monster serves dual purpose in the novel, as removed my first and second themes are concerned. First, the character is a concrete articulation of knowledge. It is the product of Victors study and experimentation. And so, it symbolizes the fruit of knowledge. In the novel, the monster was show as ugly, abhorred, and disgusting and a killer. What does it say nigh knowledge? It suggests that knowledge is also ugly, abhorred and disgustinga killer, tooa monster.The second function of the Monster character in the novel points at the second theme of the novelinjustice in the world. First instance is when Victor created a lone monster, without a companion. It lamented saying that Even Satan had his companions, fellow devils, to admire and encourage him but I am solitary and abhorred (Shelley, p. 130). This points out that there is injustice committed to the Monster. Secondly, Victor denied the monster a companion when the monster pleads for it. It pleadsMy vices ar e the children of a forced solitude that I abhor, and my virtues will necessarily arise when I live in communion with an equal. I shall feel the affections of a sensitive being, and become linked to a chain of existence and events, which I am now excluded. (Shelley, 147)Instead of creating a skirt monster, Victor destroyed every little chance that the monster have of waiting for his lady companion by destroying the monster he was about to attain life to.Third, there is injustice in the world when the monster experienced ostracism because of its appearance. It was drawn by villagers away and was forced to live alone, and excluded from hu populaceity (Frankenstein).The theme on equality between sexes, in my opinion, is evident in the novel when the Monster pleads Victor to create a lady monster. There was no emergency in the novel that the monster will dominate the lady monster because all it wanted was to have a companion whom it shall feel affection to (p.147). The novel did not hint at the superiority of men over women, as far as the character of the monster is concerned.Lastly, the most obvious theme of the novel is murder. But in this case, there was no negative presentation of crime because the murders were explained from the viewpoint of the murderers. The murderers were presented to have logical reasons for committing the crimes this is unique (my emphasis). Let us take for instance the first murder casethe murder of Victors brother.Although the novel may have presented a shallow reason why the monster murdered Victors brother, that is, victors brother recited a litany of epithets to the monster, it somehow explained the reason behind the murder. The monster was too sensitive with its appearance thats why it has over reacted to the epithets.Another murder was committed when Victor destroyed the lady monster he was about to give life to. Victor is also a murderer. His reason was that if he let the lady monster live, he will bring tragedy to the world by producing a race of devils. Victors course of doing was paid for by the monsters killing of Victors fianceElizabeth. It was the price Victor has to pay for his murderous act.One good point about this novel was that it has presented murder from the viewpoint of the murderer. Shelley has produced characters with realistic motives, that is, the characters were driven by logical reasons for committing the crimes. This is something good about this novel.In conclusion, the novel Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus was centered on four major themes ignorance is good and knowledge is evil injustice in the world equality of men and women and murders as explained from the viewpoint of the murderers.A Discourse Analysis of the novelDiscourse theory of Foucault throne be applied to the Frankenstein Story. Foucault defines discourse as a way of thinking shared by a particular group of people at a particular place and succession producing truth and power and controlling actions. It is a l ived way of thinking deeply inculcated into individuals. Individuals become the subjects of discourses (Foucault, pp 21-30 ).Applying the theory of discourse, let us learn the discourses or ways of thinking which the story of Frankenstein articulate. What kinds of discourse are inculcated into individuals by the novel Frankenstein?Man as God and the Dawn of Scientific RevolutionThe story exemplifies man as a God. The giving of a life to an inanimate object is an act only reserved toa God. Yet in the story, man created life by Victors creation. It suggests an era where science has triumphed. It suggests that science could be a god, in this respect. It suggests that Science can offer man the impossible that man can be a god.Just like in the literary text, the movie Shelleys Frankenstein (dir. Branagh) explicates the dawn of scientific revolution. Below is an excerpt of the conversation between Clerval and VictorFrankenstein to begin with or later, the best way to cheat death will b e to create life.Clerval Now, youve gone too far. Theres only one God, victor.Frankenstein No, permit God out of this. Listen, if you love someone, they have a sick heart, wouldnt you give them a rosy-cheeked one?Clerval impossible.Frankenstein No its not impossible, we can do it, were steps away. And if we can do that, if we can replace one part of a human being, we can replace every part. If we can do that, we can design life. We can create a being that will not grow old or sicken. One that will be stronger than us, better than us, one that will be more intelligent than us, more civilized.From the above, we can see that what was impossible like a giving of a healthy heart, has become a possibility in the contemporary times. Heart transplant is a commonly practiced surgery these days. And it was made possible by science. The Frankenstein novel provides this transition.Even the creation of the monster symbolizes the triumph of Science. From this story of Frankenstein, we see t hat Science is like a God. Science can give life, too.Imperfect Beings and Unjust WorldIt is tell that we can neer be perfect like God. Whatever we do, we are still incomplete and imperfect. It is only God who is perfect. This way of thinking is also exemplified by the story of Frankenstein.Victor, a medical doctor and the creator of the monster, abhorred his very creation. In his attempt to create a being superior to human race, he had created a monster instead. This suggests that man, in his efforts, cannot create a being more superior to him. Victor has labored days and nights to create a being, yet a monster, instead, breathed to life. Even the monster itself abhorred his condition.Hateful the day when I received life I exclaimed in agony. Accursed Creator Why did you ever form a monster so repugnant that even you turned from me in disgust?Satan had his companion, fellow devils, to admire and encourage him, but I am solitary and abhorred. (Shelley, p.130)Similarly, God creat ed men in his own image and likeness, but then we are not like God who is perfect. More over, with imperfect beings came the imperfect and unjust world.Because of the grotesque appearance of the monster, the villagers attacked him. Everyone was stir by mere seeing the monster. Because of this, the monster too became malevolent to humans. It experienced injustice from the world.Remember, that I am thy creature I ought to be thy Adam but I am rather the fallen angel whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed. Every where I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded. I was benevolent and good misery made me a fiend. Make me happy, and I shall again be virtuous (Shelley, p.100)Another form of injustice made on the monster is thru Victors destruction of the lady monster. The monster had promised to live in peace and live in wilderness with his wife, the lady monster. The monster saidMy vices are the children of a forced solitude that I abhor, and my virtues will necessarily arise when I live in communion with an equal. I shall feel the affections of a sensitive being, and become linked to a chain of existence and events, from which I am now excluded (Shelley, p.147).It was injustice to give life to a being, and let it assemble without even a friend, a loved one,not even anybody.In conclusion, the novel Frankenstein articulates the following discourses man can be a God finished Science man is always imperfect and the world is unjust.ConclusionThe horror science fiction of Shelley entitled Frankenstein, as my arguments pointed out, is a critique of the existing social condition of Shelleys timethat isthe onset of industrial and scientific revolution.The novel is centered on the four major themes, namely ignorance is good and knowledge is evil injustice in the world equality of men and women and murders as explained from the viewpoint of the murderers.Frankenstein also articulates the following discourses or ways of thinking that man can be a god throu gh Science, and that man is always imperfect just as the world is always imperfect.Indeed, the novel has shown us that knowledge and science can bring chaos to man.Works CitedFoucault, Michel. archaeology of Knowledge and the discourse on Language. Trans. Smith, Sheridan A.M. USA Tavistock Publication Limited. 1972Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, dir. K. Branagh (Tristar, 1994, 118 mins)Milner, Andrews. Literature, Culture and Society. London UCL press, 1996Prometheus gave Fire to Men. No date published. A Hand-out in Mythology Class.Remarks on Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus A Novel. No date published. April 21, 2007.Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus. M.K. Joseph (ed) Oxford Oxford University Press, 1980