The Concepts Of Knowledge And Happiness In Mary Shelleys Frankenstein

Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his primordial town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow (Shelley 60). In Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, she expresses her beliefs regarding the danger of pursuing happiness finished the attainment of knowledge, because true happiness is found in the emotional connections established between people. The pursuit of knowledge is not necessarily an evil thing, but it tush cause destruction when it is pursued beyond natural limits. Victor Frankenstein becomes a slave to his passion for learning in more than one way setoff his life is controlled by his obsession to create life, and later he becomes a slave to the monster he has created. Frankenstein describes the beginning of his life as a ingenious time with his family. During his childhood, Frankenstein was passionate about learning, but his emotional connection with Elizabeth kept him from completely engrossing himself in his studies (Shelley 38). When Frankenstein left home to study at the university of Ingolstadt, he became intent on his quest to uncover the mystery of life. He tells of working in the laboratory until sunrise and being indifferent to the beauty of the world roughly him (Shelley 56-63). These changes in Frankensteins way of life represent Shelleys belief that ones passions must be controlled or the passions wi...