Helen J.

Mendez
P.3 11/3/12

Frankenstein Essay I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation, (p.28) was Victors obsession due to the knowledge he had. The novel, Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley raises a question through this Romantic/ Gothic literature. Frankenstein, questions how the obsession with knowledge leads to misery; through Victor, the novel portrays the misery knowledge can cause. The acquirement of the knowledge gained can cause an unexpected result that brings unhappiness. After finishing what Victor had desiredhorror and disgust filled (p.350) his heart. All the beauty of his goal had been replaces with negative feelings. Victor no longer felt as strongly towards his desire and it only brought horror and disgust in his heart taking away positive feelings and making him miserable due to the dissatisfaction he had towards it. His expectations werent what he wanted and it was devastating for him since he put so much time and work into it. This creation had a profound effect on Victor because only by remitting attentions was he restore[d]to life (p.39) This indicates how his results turned out was life changing for him. He did not expect his wretch to be horrifying. The result from his work changed him because he felt lifeless after seeing the wretch. All the time invested in his creature turned out to have impacted him severely since he didnt take care of his health and spent his time in solitude; he was like a zombie, lifeless and unable to have a normal life. Therefore his unexpected results caused him misery. The knowledge gained can cause one to become something he or she werent which would make them miserable. Victor acknowledged what he turned loose into the world [to be a] depraved wretch (p.50). Victor became a creator of a creation horrifying and full of misery. He

is a creator of a criminal which was not what his intentions were, but resulted in that way. He is unhappy with realizing hes the creator of an obsession that killed his brother and whose goals are to bring misery into the world. During Justine was on trial, Victor felt the tortures of the accuse did not equal (p.57) his. His action of having to stay silent caused him remorse, but he was unable to speak for the people would not believe him. Due to his obsession, Victor became an accomplice of the wretchs murder. Victor felt miserable because he knew Justine was innocent, but could not do anything about it. Therefore, the wretch caused him to be in shame and become something he didnt wish to be, a creator of an evil being and an accomplice. The knowledge acquired can cause negative consequences one had not thought about which would bring misfortune. The creation cried to Victor that his hours will pass in dread and misery (p.122). The consequence for Victor was to live unhappy. He had not thought of the consequences his creation would bring him, but now due to his creations proclamation he knew he would suffer and be in dread. Victors knowledge would cause him misery and only bring hardships to his life. The consequences the dread brought of unhappiness were that William, Justine and Henry died by [his] hands (p.136). His consequences of the obsession with knowledge were to have those closest around him killed. This consequence brought pain to Victor for those close and dearest to him were killed. He also felt guilty towards those murders for his hands had created the being that had killed them. This guilt was to be another consequence he suffered. As a result, his obsession brought consequences that brought pain to him. Through Victor, the question of the misery knowledge can bring, is answered. Therefore the result of his obsession with knowledge and creating a being brought him pain due to the unexpected results, what he became as a result of it and the consequences it brought. He had so

Helen J. Mendez
P.3 11/3/12

much knowledge, but it didnt bring happiness or anything good resulted from it, on the contrary, too much knowledge can be too much for a person to handle and will have a negative result for them.