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Essay Outline- Ideas for the following Question: 'Compare the ways in which the writers of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and ‘Frankenstein’ present anxieties about scientific development'£7.49
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Essay Outline- Ideas for the following Question: 'Compare the ways in which the writers of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and ‘Frankenstein’ present anxieties about scientific development'
Essay Outline- Ideas for the following Question: Compare the ways in which the writers of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and ‘Frankenstein’ present anxieties about scientific development.
Compare the ways in which the writers of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and ‘Frankenstein’
present anxieties about scientific development.
● When Atwood was writing, there were widespread protests against abortion which
acted to demonise women that wanted to have control over their own bodies.
However, when Shelley was writing, there was a widespread fear towards scientific
experiments such as Galvanism; ‘I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless
thing’. Both writers present their anxieties towards scientific development by
addressing them within their texts, this draws attention to the negative consequences
that such developments may have- a didactic purpose.In ‘Frankenstein’ Mary Shelley
uses Victor Frankenstein’ voice as a mouthpiece in order to voice her concerns;
‘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
native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature
will allow’ (Chapter 4, Page 42).
● Both novels present science in a negative light. Gilead is regressive as the regime
makes it easier to control women (in a male dominated society). The pursuit of
knowledge threatens the foundations that the regime is built on, for this reason, what
used to be Cambridge University becomes The Wall- a place of knowledge and
education becomes tarnished by the cruelty of the totalitarian regime. An extreme
theocratic regime seems to replace science due to its biblical principles. Such a
regime paints science in a negative light, and those associated with science end up
dead. However, in Frankenstein’, it is Victor’s overstretch in scientific development
that leads to his inevitable downfall. Victor attempts to transgress his role, to then be
punished for it, similar to the Greek mythology of Prometheus- therefore harking back
to the subtitle as ‘The Modern Prometheus’.
● Both Shelley and Atwood suggest that science may create victims, they present this
idea through narrative voice. By using a framed narrative, Shelley is able to craft a
personal account of the victimisation of the creature by science. The creature retells
his own experiences to Victor as he ‘consented to listen’ which gives the Creature a
voice. The creature had admired the DeLacey family and ‘of whose favour he had
some hopes’, however, due to his otherworldly appearance (caused by Victor’s
overstretch in scientific development) he is struck ‘violently with a stick’ and
abandoned yet again, only then does he truly become monstrous in having become a
victim of science. However, Atwood makes use of a single narrative, which creates
an intimate view on the Republic of Gilead. The Handmaid’s are reduced to
animalistic traits and zoomorphic imagery throughout both pregnancy and the labor
process- this creates the idea of being a victim by the regime, which frowns upon
scientific development. Without the narrative forms of both novels, the stories of the
characters may remain unheard- those who abuse their power through scientific
development are unlikely to be held accountable.
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