Mary Shelleys Frankenstein - The Individual and Society...

Frankenstein: The Individual and Society The creatures ambiguous humanity has long puzzled readers of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein. In this essay I will focus on how Frankenstein can be used to explore two philosophical topics, social contract theory, and gender roles, in light of ideas from Shelleys two philosophical parents, William Godwin, and Mary Wollstonecraft. What Does it Mean to be Human? Individual and Society One historically important tradition in social and political philosophy is called Social Contract Theory. It gives a way of thinking about what it means to be human, raising fundamental questions such as: what is human nature, in itself, apart from society? Are people fundamentally†¦show more content†¦Mary Shelleys father, William Godwin (1756-1836), was a well-known political anarchist. In Enquiry Concerning Political Justice (1793), Godwin argued that government is fundamentally unjust, and functions primarily to uphold economic inequality between rich and poor. Godwin was highly critical of social contract theory; the conversation between Victor and the creature regarding a mate exemplifies several of Godwins criticisms (pp. 97-100). We could read this passage as a social contract between Victor and the creature: if Victor makes a mate, the creature promises never to return. Godwin asked why parties to the social contract should trust each other to keep their promises; V ictor agrees to the bargain, but didnt trust the creature to keep his promise, predicting he would return in revenge. Their bargain sounds more like blackmail than a contractual arrangement. Godwin also worried about future generations who were not parties to the original agreement, and had never promised to abide by a governments laws. Victor was concerned about this; realizing that even if the creature kept his end of the agreement, the female had made no such promise. He had sworn to quit the neighborhood of man, and hide himself in deserts; but she had not; and she, who in all probability was to become a thinking and reasoning animal, might refuse to comply with a compact made before her creation (114). European writers during the Enlightenment and RomanticShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Historical Perspective in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein1040 Words   |  5 PagesPerspective in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Mary Shelleys Frankenstein is an early product of the modern Western world. Written during the Romantic movement of the early 19th century, the book provides insight into issues that are pertinent today. Similar to Johann Wolfgang von Goethes Faust, Shelleys Frankenstein concerns individuals aspirations and what results when those aspirations are attained irresponsibly. 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