English Literature - Pearson Edexcel - Prose
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Essay Plan - Theme: Knowledge
AO1, AO2 &A03
Writing Points, Language Analysis (Quotes) & Context
Essay Plan: Knowledge
Knowledge is mostly considered to be facts, information, and skills acquired through experience or
education or otherwise the theoretical or practical understanding of any subject. However, in
Frankenstein knowledge is a curse to all who pursue it and even more so to the people (Victor) who
use their knowledge to fuel their ambition and transgress the laws and boundaries of the world.
Walton as a character is on the path of seeking knowledge. His purpose in the novel is to reflect a
young Frankenstein, one who has unlimited ambition and a deep desire for the acquirement of
knowledge for the reasons of power, authority and recognition. Walton is a continuous reminder
that Frankenstein is a cautionary tale.
Walton is naïve in his belief that the polar regions will be some sort of paradise, his almost
childish glee and ambition paired with his desire to seek knowledge no other man knows is
concerning.
‘country of eternal light’ – Walton believes that the polar region where he is heading will be
magnificent and wonderful and with the use of the adjective ‘eternal’ it seems as though he believes
that it will be some sort of paradise.
‘I try in vain to be persuaded that the pole is the seat of frost and desolation’ - he has been told
by many that the place that he is headed for is nothing but ice and yet he still clings to the idea that
it will be like Paradise.
‘What can stop the determined heart and resolved will of man?’ – he believes that nothing can stop
him in his journey to acquire knowledge.
‘I preferred glory’ – he isn’t seeking knowledge for personal gratification, rather he wants
recognition and glory, which makes the knowledge the seeks dangerous and cursed.
Walton believes that he is at a disadvantage due to his lack of a formal education but prides
in his vast knowledge which he taught to himself. Because of this he believes himself to be
different and above his colleagues consequently isolating himself.
‘read nothing but our uncle Thomas's books of voyages’ – he learns from books just like Victor does.
‘but then he is wholly uneducated…a kind of ignorant carelessness attends him’ – Walton believes
that the master cannot be his friend because he is ‘uneducated’. The adjective ‘careless’ shows that
Walton believes that good deeds are unfounded/useless unless you are educated.
Walton meets Frankenstein who recognises the deep-rooted urge to seek knowledge and
use it to change the world that he used to have in Walton and resolves to telling his tale to
Walton in hopes of saving him and his future.
‘Unhappy man! Do you share my madness? Have you drunk also of the intoxicating draught? Hear
me – let me reveal my tale, and you will dash the cup from your lips!’ & ‘You seek for knowledge and
wisdom, as I once did’ – immediately Victor recognises the passion for knowledge in Walton, the use
of the noun ‘madness’ shows that the urge to gain knowledge is dangerous and negative and the
verb ‘dash’ is quite abrupt and almost violent showing that once Walton has heard Victor's tale, he
will give up seeking knowledge.
, ‘Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of
knowledge’ – the novel is a cautionary tale, and the readers hope that by listening to Victor's tale
Walton will veer off the path of the acquirement of knowledge which will destroy him.
Context:
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is also of cautionary tale which shows the dangers of acquiring
knowledge and thinking oneself to be above others and nature like Walton and Frankenstein do.
Frankenstein was written in a time/period (the eighteenth century) of the pursuit of knowledge and
discovery - especially of the world. The 1700’s was a time for polar expeditions, and pioneers like
Captain Cook sailed the world discovering new places in the world.
At a young age Frankenstein constantly seeks knowledge, he desires to know all the secrets of the
world and people, and this continues into his adulthood. He prides himself in his privileged
education and knowledgeable mind and believes himself to be above others. His vast knowledge of
chemistry, magic and the occult led to the creation of the creature (the ultimate transgression
against nature and mankind).
When he is young, like all children Victor becomes interested in magic and the occult and
given his privileged position with regards to money and societal position, he has ample
sources from which he could learn. At one time he is softly rebuked by his father for putting
faith into the knowledge he had acquired and took it as a personal challenge to study further
into this topic.
‘It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn’ & ‘I have described myself as
always having been imbued with a fervent longing to penetrate the secrets of nature…I always
came from my studies discontented and unsatisfied’ – from a young age Victor wants to
penetrate nature and wants to know the ‘secrets’ of the world unlike the Romanticists of the
time.
‘I became their disciple’ – he reads the books of men like Cornelius Agrippa and learns of magic and
the occult. The noun ‘disciple’ has some religious connotations which is ironic considering his are of
studies.
When Victor goes to university he stops communicating with his family and focuses solely on
the acquirement of knowledge refusing to learn from those he believes to be lower/less
knowledgeable than him and when he has learnt all that he could from Waldman he isolates
himself completely to complete his education by doing something that no other man has
done.
‘One man’s life or death were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of the knowledge which I
sought’ – Victor is so desperate to acquire knowledge that he didn’t care if people lived or dies. This
is foreshadowing because people did in fact die due to his ambition and passion for knowledge.
Victor uses his combined knowledge of magic and chemistry to create the monster. By doing
so he transgressed many boundaries (nature, death, humanity) and this predictably has
negative consequences, and the creature does not turn out as he planned. Victor was
blinded by his knowledge and ambition that he could not see the end result of his creation.
‘nor could I consider the magnitude and complexity of my plan as any argument of its
impracticability’ – Victor doesn’t consider the consequences of his actions and believes that
everything will turn out perfect
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