Societal Dilemmas Of Frankenstein And Frankenstein

Jerrold E. Hogle claimed â€Å"the longevity and power of Gothic fiction unquestionably stem from the way it helps us address and disguise some of the most important desires, quandaries and sources of anxiety† implying that the relevance of Gothic novels to modern and contemporary subject matters allows them to be timeless classics and provoke different reactions from different eras. This is due to the substance of the Gothic novels, and how the authors were often not afraid to address societal dilemmas. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Dracula by Bram Stoker are two examples of this. Mary Shelly uses Frankenstein’s monster as a metaphorical figure to demonstrate the treatment of the marginalised. This is clarified through the Monster’s†¦show more content†¦However, Count Dracula is illustrated as a villain and the antagonist of Dracula, who the characters are terrified of, whereas Frankenstein’s monster is more of a ‘tortured soul’, meaning Shelley inflicts a moral dilemma on the readers due to the unclear idea of whether Frankenstein’s monster is the antagonist or protagonist. Due to this, the characters individual treatments as the ‘Other’ conflict each other. Dracula is treated far better due to his dominance over other characters and how his physical/mental abnormalities allow him to just be exceedingly powerful. The female characters in Dracula and Frankenstein illustrate the societal expectations of women during the Victorian era. The main culprit is Mina Harker, as she seems to be an incarnation of the quintessential woman during the Victorian era. After she marries Jonathan she becomes attentive to his every need. In one of Mina’s letters to Lucy, she proclaims â€Å"I must stop, for Jonathan is waking—I must attend to my husband!† The anaphoric repetition of the imperative ‘I must’ illustrates how Mina believes it is imperative to fit into societal norms for women – during the Victorian era, it is expected of women to be the ‘angel of the house’- someone that cooks and cleans but never is seen nor heard, and excessively polite. This included tending toShow MoreRelated Identity of Women in Shelleys Frankenstein, Brontes Jane Eyre, and Eliots The Mill on the Floss1471 Words   |  6 PagesWomen in Shelleys Frankenstein, Brontes Jane E yre, and Eliots The Mill on the Floss George Eliot is quoted as stating: A womans hopes are woven of sunbeams; a shadow annihilates them (Miner 473). To extend this notion, Jean Giraudoux in Tiger at the Gates, states I have been a woman for fifty years, and Ive never been able to discover precisely what it is I am (474). These two statements are related to each other because they express, in large part, the dilemma facing Mary ShelleyRead MoreIn What Ways Does Frankenstein Complicate the Romanticist Conceptions of Creativity and Individualism? Make Reference to Frankenstein and at Least One Other Romanticist Text.1884 Words   |  8 Pagesways does Frankenstein complicate the Romanticist conceptions of creativity and individualism? Make reference to Frankenstein and at least one other Romanticist text. Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, complies with all the fundamental principles associated with Romanticism; use of the supernatural and sublime, especially with regards for nature, thus leading to pantheism, compassion and a sense of morality towards humankind, individual freedom and rebellion against contextual societal constraintsRead MoreMary Shelley s Frankenstein, And The Modern Prometheus3901 Words   |  16 Pages â€Å"Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus†, by Mary Wollstonecraft (Godwin) Shelley Mary Shelley s novel Frankenstein is best known for its influence in popular culture through many film adaptations. It is in fact, however, one of the great novels of ideas. Write an essay that discusses in what sense you think it is a novel of ideas. What are its claims about human reason and human nature? Shelley explores some aspects of human nature, specifically human lust for power and the unfortunate way weRead MoreEssay on Creation and Alienation in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein3425 Words   |  14 PagesThroughout Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, also known as The Modern Prometheus, this notion of alienation, is an illuminating theme that is manifested throughout the story. Another theme is that of creation, in which Victor Frankenstein, a main character in the book, usurps the role of God by giving life to a creature in his laboratory, but by artificial means, rather than conceiving one legitimately. Furthermore, the underlying factors of creation, that are carried out by Frankenstein, as well as the alienationRead MoreMoral And Ethical Implications Of 3d Printing Technology1478 Words   |  6 Pagesstudy raises the specter of Frankenstein. Hopes run high on what the possibilities will include and how it will alter medicine as we know it. However, the fears run just as dee p, if not deeper, about what could be done if these technologies are successful. Many people make the leap of logic from organs to human clones and the debate over the moral implications runs well ahead of the technology. Just where do the body parts start and stop within the scope of the societal norms for morality? FortunatelyRead MoreHomosexuality in Victorian and Elizabethan Literature.6608 Words   |  27 Pagesand managed to reverse them, making men faint like women, and making women powerful like men, and called it Dracula. Mary Shelley created a a physical being out of a mans suppressed homosexuality due to his Victorian male upbringing; a man named Frankenstein. Robert Stevenson described what happens when a homosexual male attempts to live double lives to cover up his true feelings, and entitled it The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The Elizabethan era, like the Victorian era, had its own viewRead MoreThe Significance Of Tom s Occupation And Success1512 Words   |  7 Pageshe would have put his entire life at risk. Although black-owned businesses were being phased out in favor of white competition, many customers also preferred the â€Å"superior service† (Chesnutt 248) a black-owned barber shop could provide. These two dilemmas are what propel Chesnutt’s commentary on the complications of race relations to the forefront, creating a distinct perspective that redefines the inner workings of racism. Likewise, Tom views himself as a representative of his people and their communityRead MoreUlrich Beck World Risk Society3877 Words   |  16 Pagesnon-quantitative uncertainties, to risks that cannot be known. When I speak about risk society, it is in this latter sense of manufactured uncertainties. These true uncertainties, enforced by rapid technological innovations and accelerated societal responses, are creating a fundamentally new global risk landscape. In all these new uncertain risk technologies, we are separated from the possible end results by an ocean of not knowing. Can you give me an example? A few years ago, the U.S. CongressRead More THE IMPACT OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN IMPROVING STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES65118 Words   |  261 Pagesjobs more rewarding and work more effective, working groups of staff and educators from across departments are persuaded to come together as teams by common need and exchange information to address concerns of students, institutions, parents and societal expectations, etc. In this process, the teams also build relationships, trust, and expertise and create a shared repertoire of resources, tools, and artefacts that support future learning. In many organizations, these kinds of informal, selfsustaining