Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus in The Alternative Worlds

Oct 23, 2009 Danielle The Book Huntress rated it really liked it

Shelves: antihero, winter-cold-setting, gothic-fiction, owned-copy, epistolary-narrative, angsty-read, zombie, all-things-autumn-challenge, 2011-reading, classic

Mary W. Shelley explored themes that still resonate today in her proto-science fiction work, Frankenstein. Themes of the relentless drive and search for ultimate (even forbidden) knowledge; intellectual arrogance; the desire to create something enduring; the need for love and recognition; and a study in how bitterness, hatred and rage can destroy a person. What separates men from God? What separates man from monster? Can a so-called monster have the heart (the humanity) and the accompanying need Mary W. Shelley explored themes that still resonate today in her proto-science fiction work, Frankenstein. Themes of the relentless drive and search for ultimate (even forbidden) knowledge; intellectual arrogance; the desire to create something enduring; the need for love and recognition; and a study in how bitterness, hatred and rage can destroy a person. What separates men from God? What separates man from monster? Can a so-called monster have the heart (the humanity) and the accompanying needs and desires of a man? Does beauty or ugliness penetrate deeper than the skin? Can one expect good to come from an act of utter selfishness?

Frankenstein is very much a philosophical work. Although there are some primordial science fiction elements, they are merely the impetus--the laying of the groundwork for this story. For it is not about how Frankenstein makes his creation. It’s about the aftermath of that act. This is a moving work of fiction that skirts the edges of horror, but the horror is more of a psychological sort. The horror is that a man would take knowledge to create a man from unliving flesh. A man so hideous in visage that people turn away in horror. This man chases after his creator, demands his love and tender regard, to merely be noticed and acknowledged by his creator; and if not that, at least the right to have a companion in his lonely life. Many times, I was deeply affected emotionally by this story. I felt so much sympathy for the creature. To be brought to life and abandoned by his creator seemed so cruel. He couldn’t help that his external appearance was ugly and a constant reminder of the unspeakable act his maker had perpetrated. He had not been given the opportunity to prove that he was something more, something worthwhile; that he was capable of deep emotions, an ability to appreciate beauty in life, to love and to give to others. This made me so very sad. There were times when I truly felt disdain towards Frankenstein. For his arrogance, for his selfishness. Although Shelley couldn’t have known about the capabilities of science now, the caution about science and its ethical considerations couldn’t be more timely. Should we create something just because we have the knowledge and skill to do so? And how often do we truly count the cost of such an action before it’s too late? Although I felt great enmity towards Frankenstein at times, I certainly didn’t condone the creature’s actions. I felt a profound sense of horror when the created man committed acts of violence to innocents around him in vengeance against his creator. I was still angry at Frankenstein for bringing it on himself, but I also felt sad for him to lose everyone he valued in his life. Surely, he couldn’t have known how horrible the results his creation act would result in. When he is given the ultimatum to create a mate for the creature, I could understand his terrible dilemma, and I still question whether his final actions were the right ones. Finally, I was back to feeling pity for the creature, deeply empathizing with him in his loneliness, how his desire for love and understanding turned into selfish rage that he truly regretted and repented for in the end.

Mary Shelley doesn’t give the answers to these moral dilemmas. She merely presents these profound queries in this narrative. Where does it place the reader in the end? Deeply entrenched within this tumultuous, roiling cauldron of emotions—fear, love, rage, regret, hope, and despair. One simply cannot be detached when reading this book.

I found this to be very readable despite the fact that it was written about two hundred years ago. I only found my interest wavering in the moments of the somewhat excessive travelogues of the natural surroundings. In my opinion, this took up too prominent a role in the narrative, and it was distracting. Despite that small shortcoming, this was powerful reading, not comfortable, but deeply involving. No easy answers, but lots of questions for each reader to process and come up with their own conclusions. I won’t forget this book.

4.5 stars.
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Apr 16, 2009 Simon rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, sf

The story of Victor Frankenstein, his obsession to create life, his regret, anguish and then eventual descent into bitter wretchedness.

What seemed strange to me on reading this book is that Victor is so loved by his friends and family, thought so highly of by most people he meets, is that he comes across as so self-obsessed and thoroughly unlikeable to the reader. I found it very hard to sympathise with this character attall, mainly because the calamaties that befall him are generally of his own ...more

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Sep 21, 2007 Jackie "the Librarian" rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, horror

Too much philosophy, not enough monster story. I prefer Dracula. At least, when you're talking books. With the movies, it's the other way around. ...more

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Jun 04, 2008 Nicky rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: speculative-fiction, classics, horror

Easy and quick enough to read, a bit wordy. Interesting concept.

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Jul 03, 2011 John Montagne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

It is hard to write a review of such a classic... it is a classic for a reason. Frankenstein popularized the golem/automaton myths which frequently appear in science fiction and fantasy today. The descriptive prose is second to none in this book, and her characterization is what authors strive for in my opinion. And then there's the underlying birth-myth (tragedy) that Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley herself experienced, and not to mention the ultimate question which frequently rears its head in sci ...more

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May 04, 2008 This Is Not The Michael You're Looking For rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, fiction, horror, classics

I read this once before when I was in my early teens, but didn't remember it very well and wanted to see how it grabbed me as an adult. There are both good and bad things about this classic. For those who've never read the original, there is very little in common between the original book and the majority of movie adaptations which we are familiar with, beyond "Scientist creates life and something goes wrong." The basic concept and story are quite decent, but the book fails for me on two basic l ...more

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Dec 02, 2009 Julie S. rated it it was amazing

Shelves: pre2010-pregr, sci-fi-dystopian-fantasy, favorites, books-matthew-should-read, might-reread

I loved the Russian doll story technique of a story within a story within a story, and it definitely impressed me that this horror book was written by a teenage girl. Someone who has not read this book would be surprised by how much the Hollywood versions change, but this original book is a solid story.

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