Frankenstein

“When I found so astonishing a power placed within my hands, I hesitated a long time concerning the manner in which I should employ it. Although I possessed the capacity of bestowing animation, yet to prepare a frame for the reception of it, with all it’s intricacies of fibers, muscles and veins still remained a work of inconceivable difficulty and labour. I doubted at first whether I should attempt the creation of a being like myself or one of similar organization; but my imagination was too much exalted by my first success to permit me to doubt of my ability to give life to an animal as complex and wonderful as man” (Shelly, 31).

I found this paragraph to be significant, this was the moment when the decision of the creation of Frankenstein came about. After Victor spent countless hours discovering the cause of life and became fascinated in matters of the non-living. He contemplated how he would exploit his new found knowledge. So far I have gathered through victors reflection of his background, he presents accounts that lead him to his misfortune and landed him on Captain Walton’s ship sharing his tale of dangerous of the power of knowledge and trying to play “god” it can cause. I feel this was the tone for the story Mary Shelling was trying to portray.

Victor shares how his nights and days were spent into his creation his life was drowned in his work he had joyous thoughts of gratitude from those he would give existence to. After all the hard work his creation was complete and the moment his first breath was taken victor’s bliss was overwhelmed with disgust when he realized what he had leashed upon the world. He feels by sharing his tale he may prevent Walton from repeating the same mistake, that although he did have the knowledge it may not always be wise to take part in matters that were not meant for man to achieve.
This a link that shares a poem of frankenstien that I enjoyed.


picture from http://dcolton7.glogster.com/frankenstien/