The Tree of Knowledge
by Sara Granovetter
May 25, 2002
In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley warns that with the advent of science, natural philosophical questioning is not only futile, but dangerous. In attempting to discover the mysteries of life, Frankenstein assumes that he can act as God. He disrupts the natural order, and chaos ensues.
Mary Shelley goes to great lengths to emphasize the beauty and order of life when man engages in ìnaturalî pursuits. She idealizes Frankenstein's home life: ìI feel exquisite pleasure in dwelling on the recollections of childhood, before misfortune had tainted my mindî (38). His family is orderly and wonderful. Clerval's ìpresence brought back to my thoughts my father, Elizabeth, and all those scenes of home so dear to my recollectionÖI felt suddenly, and for the first time during many months, calm and serene joyî (58). Shelley also stresses that man should feel at one with nature, not at odds with it: ìWhen happy, inanimate nature had the power of bestowing on me the most delightful sensationsî (68).
Certain occupations allow man to be at one with nature and his fellow creatures. Shelley feels that science should be useful and beneficial to mankind. Clerval, a clearly pure and benevolent character, studies languages. He loves poetry. These disciplines allow man to help others and glorify nature without questioning it. In childhood, Frankenstein's studies contained ìbright visions of usefulnessî (38): ìI betook myself to the mathematics, and the branches of study appertaining to that science, as being built upon secure foundations, and so worthy of considerationî (41).
But Frankenstein's interests soon turned away from mathematics; he speaks of his change of mind as if an evil spirit had taken control of his brain. He begins to thirst after higher knowledge, hoping to discover the deepest mysteries of nature: ìI had gazed upon the fortifications and impediments that seemed to keep human beings from entering the citadel of nature, and rashly and ignorantly I had repinedî (39). Frankenstein delves into these studies, hoping to ìunfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creationî (47). ìLife and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark worldî (52) Frankenstein succeeds in discovering the secrets of life and death, and becomes able to bestow ìanimation upon lifeless matterî (51). While Frankenstein is involved in this pursuit, Shelley portrays his life as grotesque and unnatural in comparison to his childhoodóhe abandons everything that clearly made his life natural and good: ìThe dissecting room and the slaughter-house furnished many of my materials; and often did my human nature turn with loathing from my occupationî (53). Frankenstein cuts off contact with his family, and no longer appreciates the glory of nature. He confines himself to a roomóhis occupation is unnatural: ìWho shall conceive the horrors of my secret toil as I dabbled among the unhallowed damps of the graveÖand disturbed, with profane fingers, the tremendous secrets of the human frameî (53). With these descriptions, Shelley tells the reader that Frankenstein treads on forbidden groundóhe does not discover secrets, but ìdisturbsî them.