The Cost of Playing God in Frankenstein In today’s age, advances of in the fields of science, technology, and medicine are being made every day. From the invention of the computer to stem cell research, the human race is becoming more and more aware of ways in which it can improve its way of life and make living easier. As a species, the goal is to move forward, to keep making discoveries. However, this is the same drive that prompted a young Victor Frankenstein to attempt to create life in Mary Shelley’s novel with disastrous results. Shelley’s novel was more than likely not meant as encouragement to any would be scientists of her time. Rather, Shelley’s novel explores the dangers that come with extreme ambition and the act playing God while …show more content…
Although Victor claims he wishes to be worshiped by his new creation, he immediately flees at the site of the creator’s horrendous features (Shelley). MacWilliams poses an interesting point when she says that it is not Victor’s scientific meddling with nature that caused his problems, but that he was not properly prepared with what he had to deal with (MacWilliams 86). On the other hand, Shelley takes the time to point out just how prepared Walton was for his journey through his letters to his sister. Walton accompanied whale-fishers to the North Sea to brace himself for the cold he would meet on his own journey, he familiarized himself with his crew in an attempt to build morale and start to trust those with whom he would be sailing in case the worst were to happen (Shelley). The argument could even be made that the letters themselves are an act of preparation, as Walton uses them to say goodbye to his sister should she never see him again (Shelley). All of these are precautions that Victor did not take when attempting to create life. He did study extensively, but he admits to taking short cuts just to make his own life easier (Shelley). Also, unlike Walton, Victor did not warning given to those he claimed to love. Even on his wedding night, he kept Elizabeth in the dark as to the horror that had been stalking him