Historical Approach of Mary Shelley - Essay Example

Historical Approach of Mary Shelley Table of contents Mary Shelley's Frankenstein A. Introduction B. Historical approach and matter of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein C. Style discussion D. Conclusion 2. Rudyard Kipling's The Man Who Would be King 3. Comparison of genre, style, and archetype of six writers 1. A. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is tightly connected to the historical changes and events taken place in the 18th and 19th centuries. There are many historical, moral and philosophical approaches in this work that are still rather important for us today. The idea that Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is not only a creative fantasy without any scientific or historical sense is very interesting. This issue is increasingly important in this age of intensive scientific development and numerous approaches of the nature of life and death. Many people believe that Mary Shelly's work cannot be considered from historical point of view, but these people overlook the fact that the 18th and 19th centuries are the time of intensive scientific development and industrial revolution. Furthermore, many of their attributes are reflected in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. This essay will argue that it is possible to consider Mary Shelley's Frankenstein in historical approach. In addition to that, style and subject matter of the work, as well as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein historical context will be discussed. B. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was written in the early 19th century. The novel begins from the events took place in the Arctic Circle, when "Walton's ship becomes ice-bound, and as he contemplates his isolation and paralysis, he spots a figure traveling across the ice on a dog sledge. This is Victor Frankenstein's creature" (Frankenstein. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). This narration reflects the mankind aspiration to the North Pole and exploration of arctic territories which repeatedly occurred in the 18th and 19th century. This beginning (as well as the end) of the novel is not casual: the Arctic Circle was one of the least explored territories of the Earth, and people didn't know the nature of this area. So, the intriguing plot development begins in the Arctic Circle as the symbol of mystery and unpredictability. The time when the novel was written was that of rapid scientific explorations. As well as many other young men, Victor Frankenstein was fond of natural scientific researches and decided to devote himself to the science. But he did not just scientific experiments, but he decided to transform living substance from the dead one! Victor Frankenstein's explorations were based on medieval alchemists' researches which tried to prove that resuscitation is possible and a human being can be immortal: "Curious and intelligent from a young age, he is self taught by masters of medieval alchemy, reading such authors as Albertus Magnus and Paracelsus, and shunning modern Enlightenment teachings of natural science" (Frankenstein. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). Alchemists provided such experiments but nevertheless their dream wasn't realized. But the people's dream of resuscitation and transformation of lifeless substance was and is still survived, and this aspiration is eloquently reflected in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: "In her classic tale, Frankenstein, Shelley weaves together the terrifying implications of a young scientist playing God and creating life, only to be haunted for the duration of his life by the monster of his own sordid creation" (Burns, 2002). In the spirit of Enlightenment, Victor Frankenstein tried to explore the human nature. He was sure that scientific reason can surpass God, and he made his supernatural experiments intending to bring scientific benefit to the mankind. The spirit of Enlightenment appealed liberty, including human liberty from God, and Frankenstein wanted to realise this idea, but he transformed this idea into the idea of artificial intelligence. It was a popular philosophical idea, and it still survives today, in our century of genetic engineering. But that time Victor Frankenstein used less effective scientific methods than we do today: he used electricity. Experiments with electricity were very popular in the 18th and the 19th century, and many scientists tried to apply it in many realms, including medicine: "Benjamin Franklin not only performed the infamous experiment with the kite and lightning, but also studied the possible medical benefits of electricity. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is undoubtedly a product of his research of this crucial aspect in the book, electricity" (Storment, 2002). The experiments with electricity were widely used in medicine as the demonstration showing that frog leg can jolt under the influence of electricity - Victor Frankenstein decided to use this technology for resuscitation. He imagined himself as a great scientist who is able to surpass God and create new life using scientific methods. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein the old idea of aspiration of man superiority over nature is clearly visible. Alchemists and different scientific experimenters always aspired to surpass nature and place a man over nature, and they didn't reflect possible consequences. Victor Frankenstein realised the danger, nevertheless he went on: "Victor Frankenstein recognizes the power he holds with his knowledge, and even considers the dangers. He says, '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.'" (Storment, 2002). But later he found that his creature is not as ideal as he had planned. The monster was ugly, and nobody could see it without fear. Soon Victor Frankenstein received a letter with the information about the death of his brother. The family's maid, Justine, was convicted, but the scientist didn't tell a word to anyone. Soon he met the monster, and he told him about his actions. The creature confessed that he had killed Frankenstein's brother out of revenge. Mary Shelly realized the idea that people have no power to change the functions of nature; we must not have possibility to make living creatures as these creatures are doomed to be cast-off by as well their creators as the nature. A scientist should expect the consequences of his experiments and should have moral responsibility for his actions. This problem is actual for as well the 19th century as the 21st century. The 18th and 19th centuries are the time of Industrial Revolution and scientific explorations, and "Along with the liberation of European revolutions came high ideals and a strong belief in man's influence over his environment. With the perspective of Shelley's novel however, the reader can see the harsh reality that takes hold of such ideals" (Frankenstein: The Historical Context). People intervene in the nature laws and try to adapt them for their use and profit. That time most scientists, philosophers and industrialists didn't think of possible consequences of such intervention, they just tried to decide their scientific or industrial problems. Now this is the more actual problem than one or two centuries ago. So, such scientist has desire to hide himself from these problems and to escape the possible responsibility for his actions, and it becomes hard to understand where good and evil are: "Frankenstein and his creation may even represent one being -- two sides of a single entity forming a doppelganger relationship. However, it is difficult to decipher which represent good and which represents evil -- the man or the monster" (Storment, 2002). It also concerns many politicians and influential people of the 18th and 19th centuries who tried to escape responsibility for their actions. This duality of science and scientific explorations and discoveries is skillfully described in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and "With the perspective of Shelley's novel however, the reader can see the harsh reality that takes hold of such ideals" (Frankenstein: The Historical Context). C. The style of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein attracts readers' attention by its naturalistic and fascinating manner. In addition to that, some critics call her a founder of science fiction genre in literature. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein became a significant contribution to the romantic style in literature. Mary Shelley's writing style insists to sympathize to some characters and experience the same feelings as the characters do. The author used rich vocabulary for expressing the feelings and actions of the characters. She depicted many appropriate details, and these details allow readers to imagine the whole picture of the novel. She included three separate stories which are successfully combined and gave the novel originality and attractiveness for readers. D. The paper has argued that it is possible to consider Mary Shelley's Frankenstein in historical approach. There are many themes in the novel which reflect the development of science and influent our knowledge about ourselves and our notions about our place in the world. This view will become increasingly dominant in the coming century, because there are still a lot of problems concerning our scientific knowledge, their influence on the environment and psychological aspects of our attitude to the environment and to ourselves. It is inadmissible to make artificial creatures incurring the functions of the nature. Mary Shelley attracted our attention to these problems, and there is a hope that increased global cooperation, cultural understanding and our reason and knowledge will result the positive consequences. 2. The Man Who Would be King written by Rudyard Kipling and first published in 1888 is one of the first audacious works of the author. The main themes of the story are British Empire colonial system and exploitation of physical nature which is followed while establishing this system in India, as well as aspiration for profit and enrichment which is inherent for the British colonial army. The story tells about two former soldiers (Dravot and Carnehan) of the British colonial army who decided to become kings of one of an unknown tribe in the mountains of Kafiristan (in Afghanistan). They persuaded the natives to believe that they were gods, mustered the army and kept the native village under their control. But when one of the men decided to marry a native girl, their deceit became disclosed: the girl became known that Dravot was not a god, he was just an ordinary man. After that the natives "dropped Dravot to his death and crucified Carnehan between two pine trees" (The Man Who Would Be King). Carnehan survived, was revised, but soon he died of exposure to the mid-day sun. Nothing of his personal belodgings was found with him. Rudyard Kipling's The Man Who Would be King has two clear themes: British colonialism and exploitation of physical nature. These themes are directly connected to each other. The story has distinct parallels with the British colonial politics in India: "The story of two con artists who establish a kingdom in the remote part of Afghanistan parallels British methods of governing India, ruling through tributary leaders after frightening them with modern weaponry" (Hastings, 2003). Dravot and Carnehan used the politic situation in colonial India for achieving their personal mercenary goals. They wanted to use naivety and primitiveness of native tribes and untended to become their kings and gods. British soldiers acted the same way: they invaded India and many other countries, which had weak power and authority to protect themselves, and establish their power and authority based on weapon and strength: "They recruit a native army to support their rule, which is cemented by native acceptance of their superiority: they are seen as gods connected with poorly remembered Masonic rituals" (Hastings, 2003). British soldiers, as Dravot and Carnehan, used weapons and other achievements of Western civilization, so they supposed the native tribes to consider them as kings. Dravot impressed the natives after he shot above their heads, and after that he "calls them and gives them the boxes to carry, and waves his hand for all the world as though he was King already" (ReadBookOnline.net). At the same time the British considered themselves as people who give new advanced civilization, technology and social order to the natives, and Dravot and Carnehan associated themselves as representatives of advanced nation: "Dravot remains a patriotic Brit throughout, even though British society has no real place for him. He proposes to conquer an empire and then turn it over as a gift to Queen Victoria" (Hastings, 2003). The main characters of the story, as the representatives of British Empire, had faith in themselves, and they wanted to spread their will on the natives. They decided to establish their own law which should be more progressive than that of the natives. Carnehan told about Dravot (who became the king of the natives) that "Him and the other party stayed in that village, and every morning Dravot sat by the side of old Imbra, and the people came and worshipped. That was Dravot's order" (ReadBookOnline.net). Rudyard Kipling's The Man Who Would be King is a skilful metaphor of the British colonial style of governing over nations conquered by Britain. The British colonial Empire was built by such men as the characters of the story, and British authorities used the same methods as Carnehan and Dravot did. They were sure that they brought civilization and culture; Dravot said about the natives that "These men aren't niggers; they're English! They're the Lost Tribes, or something like it, and they've grown to be English" (ReadBookOnline.net). But why did Dravot lose his crown and his authority He wanted to marry a native girl, so he intended to be closer to the natives (as often colonizers are closed to those who are colonized by them), but he failed to take into account their traditions: they couldn't admit the god to marry an ordinary girl: "His problem is also connected to a failure to understand their belief system - to comprehend the fear of the woman sentenced to marry the god" (Hastings, 2003). It symbolizes failing of British Empire to take into account traditions of nations colonized by them with power of weapon and exploitation of physical nature. As a result, the natives saw that Carnehan and Dravot are not gods; they are men who didn't differ from the natives. So, they revenged, and Dravot was murdered. Carnahan showed Dravot's head, still with his crown on it, as the evidence of his story. So, the end of Kipling's story is tragic: the men who intended to be kings and gods of the natives failed, as well as the policy of colonialism and exploitation. 3. William Wordsworth is one of the most fascinating poets of England. He was one of the greatest romantic poets and one of the founders of romantic style in poetry. He was greatly influenced by the French Revolution, and his poetry is full of lyrics and beauty. His blank verses (The Prelude, Lines Written A Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey, and others) express his feelings and impressions he got in different periods of his life. William Wordsworth's poetry rejected all that was not natural; his works are full of serious themes and motives. In his verses the author explored the nature mystery and human soul secrets (his ode Intimations of Immortality From Recollections of Early Childhood). He was one of the most significant Lake District poets. Mary Shelley was one of the prominent figures among English writers of Romanticism. She wrote some significant works: Frankenstein, The Last Man, Lodore, Falkner, and some others. She is considered as the founder of science fiction genre in Western literature. Her literature language was significant with its realness. In addition to that, Mary Shelley had notions of scientific development, and she eloquently described possible perspectives of this development: "The book serves to warn readers, both past and current, of our own powers. It was almost as if Mary Shelley in 1818 could see nearly 200 years into the future, recognizing that our scientific discoveries of nuclear weapons and cloning could eventually be our demise" (Storment, 2002). Rudyard Kipling's works are another side of English literature. His literature differs much from that of Mary Shelley. While Mary Shelley was a significant representative of Romantic Movement in English literature, Rudyard Kipling reflects other themes - British colonial Empire and social contradictions connected with the process of colonialism. Some literature critics call Kipling "bard of British colonialism": "Rudyard Kipling was, in his grand style, the bard of British Imperialism, and in his dialect poems, the voice of the common soldier. Anyone interested in the military history of the period owes it to himself to become at least passingly familiar with Kipling's soldierly verse" (The Verse of Rudyard Kipling). His verses and stories (The Man Who Would be King, Tommy, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, The Young British Soldier and others) are dedicated to the colonial themes, and his language differs from that of Shelley, Elliot, Munro and Wilde. Oscar Wilde wrote in the manner which differs from that of Kipling and Shelley. In his works (The Picture of Dorian Gray, A Woman of No Importance, Lady Windmere's Fan, and others) the author sarcastically describes social morality in genres of epigram, comedy, romance and some others. The characters of his plays are often critical and even cynical of themselves and other people. Bernard Shaw said about Wilde: "Mr Wilde is to me our only serious playwright. He plays with everything: with wit, with philosophy, with drama, with actors, with audience, with the whole theatre" (Oscar Wilde). In contrast with Shelley and Kipling, Wilde feels social contradiction sharper, and his language is more bright and expressive in his irreconcilability and criticality. Thomas Stearns Eliot, an American poet of the first half of the 20th century, contributed much to the Modernist poetry of the last century. His poetic style differs from that of Wordsworth and Kipling that can be seen in his works (The Waste Land, Murder in the Cathedral, The Cocktail Party, and others). While Wordsworth poetry is full of romanticism and lyricity inherent to English romantic poetry of the 19th century, and Kipling's verses reflect the empire thinking of Britain, the main themes of Eliot's poetry are: the absence of religion; the decay of urban society; people's ambitions being restricted by the mundane; repetitive nature of life and the human condition in general; the idea of lost humanity1. Alice Munro, one of the most interesting short story writers in modern literature, is famous for her ironical, quiet and realistic writing style: "It is a mark of her style for characters to experience a revelation that sheds light on, and gives meaning to, an event" (Alice Munro) So, in this sense, her writings differ from those of Wilde and Kipling. Her works can be determined as the genre known as Southern Ontario Gothic. So, the British literature has been greatly changed from the Romantic Movement. Wordsworth and Coleridge were the most significant poets of the epoch of Romanticism. Mary Shelley continued the romantic tradition of the British literature and contributed her own new themes and images in it. The works of Rudiard Kipling and Oscar Wilde reflected political and social traditions of British society that became a certain phase of British literature. The works of Eliot and Munro are the bright examples of different genres of modern poetry of the 20th century. Sources Alice Munro. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Munro) Burns A. Frankenstein of the Future. (October 2002). (http://www.wsu.edu/delahoyd/frank.comment4.html) Duncan G. Frankenstein: The Historical Context. (http://www.wsu.edu/delahoyd/frank.comment1.html) Frankenstein. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein) Hastings W., Dr. The Man Who Would Be King by Rudyard Kipling. Northern State University. (September 11, 2003). (http://www.northern.edu/hastingw/MW2BK.HTM) The Man Who Would Be King. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Would_Be_King) The Man Who Would Be King. ReadBookOnline.net. (http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/296/) Oscar Wilde. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Wilde) Storment S. Frankenstein: The Man and the Monster. (October 2002). (http://www.wsu.edu/delahoyd/frank.comment3.html) T.S. Eliot. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T.S._Elliot) The Verse of Rudyard Kipling. (http://zeitcom.com/majgen/09kipling.html) Read More