I agree to a certain extent with this view, because Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein during the scientific revolution and therefore was influenced by many ideas and experiences of what science can do to you and how it can represent fear and bring about a change. Victor Frankenstein grabs hold of science and tests it boundaries as much as he can.
Yet there is an element that represents his inability to do this. He comes across as if he has no true idea of consequences or outcomes for what he is doing, bringing a true element of fear forward for the reader to deal with.He is our unreliable character that has refused to take responsibility for his misdeeds, bringing shame on all his family. Mary Shelley has chosen this character to be in charge of one of the most damaging ideas in this book, science. This alone sends shock and nerves through your body. In Frankenstein there is a strong element of Science, especially when Victor mentions to Walton his research into the scientists, Franklin, Ritter and Galvani.
By looking into these scientists there is a real element of supremacy to their work and excitement; however what they are doing is extremely dangerous and risky, some even putting their own lives at risk in the name of science. Therefore it is evident that science truly represents power and control over people, and by Shelley choosing to write about these scientists, that power and control is transferred over to the novel and Victor’s own story. I believe that scientific experiments themselves create a fear of the unknown and produce an uncanny feeling.It is unclear what the outcome will be, and results can only truly be guessed at.
Therefore when something as serious as creating life is being dealt with, and only by a student of science, the outcome comes across more like a risk, bringing fear about the outcome. However we have to ask whether or not it is the science in this case that brings fear or the Gothic element of the uncanny, which is known to bring about unease and upset. The creature is not given an identity, a species or simply a name, making us believe he is inhuman and scary.Although for me that does not necessary represent a fear of the power of science but more a fear of Victor and his irresponsibility for looking after the creature and what comes about from his cowardice. Is Victor Frankenstein truly the monster? A scary man, who does not understand fatherhood and lets people die in his place.
Is he who we truly fear, because he is the one killing off the innocent women in this novel? Is it Shelley’s powers in characterization rather than science that scare us?Our magnificent creature that tries to be good, is intelligent enough to learn languages and just yearns for a soul mate is not scary for the reader at all. Yet this is the product of the science and the outcome of the research Frankenstein spent years doing. Science brought to life this creature, which has immense power in speed and strength but not in fear. We have to remember that the creature’s representation is through Victor, and therefore Walton with have a clouded view of the creature.
However Frankenstein’s writing and storytelling technique changes Walton, and helps him to not be controlled by science and obsession.However the need for Walton to have Frankenstein show him this change perhaps means that Walton is afraid of the power of science and the grip it can gain on you. By creating a creature and raising bodies from the dead, Victor can be portrayed with a similar power to that of God. Therefore there is a toss between religion and science throughout the novel, and it is unclear which has further power. One true Gothic element that is portrayed in this novel is the idea of the doppelganger, and although Victor Frankenstein and the Creature look nothing alike, the Creature truly is the evil side of Frankenstein.
He brings out Victor’s irresponsibility and ugliness, just like Mr Hyde brings out Dr Jekyll ugly side. The creature takes away Frankenstein’s Super Ego and leaves him with his Id. Therefore it may be true that Frankenstein has a focus on the fear of the power of science but I do not believe it is a true illustration of only this. So many Gothic elements come into play that sometimes this idea of the power of science can be overshadowed.
