"Frankenstein's scientific ambition to create life blinds him to the importance of compassion as the true animating spirit of humanity" How helpful do you find this view of the novel?

Página 1

"Frankenstein's scientific ambition to create life blinds him to the importance of compassion as the true animating spirit of humanity" How helpful do you find this view of the novel?

PARAGRAPH ONE

creating the monster - the glory of ambition overtakes him.

KEY POINTS:

Scientific ambition

blinds him to seeing compassion

true animating spirit

Humanity

Is it a helpful view?

When he was a child he was brought up in compassionate environment yet he fails to reenact this with the monster

AO1 + AO2

As a child he was seen as an "idol" by his parents. An " innocent, helpless creature bestowed on them by heaven"

However, he in turn sees the monster as a "wretch - the miserable monster whom i had created" or a "demoniacal corpse to which i had so miserably given life"

The fact that Frankenstein 'created' the 'demoniacal corpse', yet his parents saw him as an 'idol' sent by 'heaven' highlights his delusional state. The fact that the life he has created he now sees as a 'catastrophe' shows how his 'one pursuit' had failed and therefore has an overwhelming sense of bitterness and consequently takes it out on the only being he is in contact with: the monster, as he had 'shunned [his] fellow creatures'. Therefore, it is arguable that Frankenstein lack of compassion towards the monster is due to his scientific ambition, but more in the respect that his ambition is destroyed and so is left defeated and bitter, thus taking it out on the monster.

AO3

The Monster's words and sincerity have a profound effect upon Frankenstein - yet he doesn't trust him.

"His words had a strange effect on me. I compassionated him."

'He is eloquent and persuasive, and once his words even had power over my heart: but trust him not."

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