In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley warns that with the advent of science, natural philosophical questioning is not only futile, but dangerous. In attempting to uncover the mysteries of life, Frankenstein assumes that he can act like God. It disrupts the natural order and chaos ensues. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Mary Shelley goes to great lengths to emphasize the beauty and order of life when man engages in natural activities. She idealizes Frankenstein's family life: I experience exquisite pleasure in dwelling on the memories of my childhood, before misfortune came to taint my mind. His family is orderly and wonderful. Clerval's presence reminded me of my father, Elisabeth, and all those house scenes so dear to my memory. I suddenly felt, and for the first time in several months, calm and serene. Shelley also emphasizes that man should feel in harmony with nature, not in contradiction with it: “When happy, inanimate nature had the power to give me the most delicious sensations. Certain professions allow man to become one with nature and his fellow human beings. Shelley believes that science should be useful and beneficial to humanity. Clerval, a clearly pure and benevolent character, studies languages. He likes poetry. These disciplines allow man to help others and glorify nature without questioning it. In my childhood, Frankenstein's studies contained brilliant visions of usefulness: I looked to mathematics and the branches of study belonging to that science, as being built on secure foundations and therefore worthy of consideration. But Frankenstein's interests soon turned away from mathematics; he talks about his change of heart as if an evil spirit had taken control of his brain. He begins to thirst for higher knowledge, hoping to discover nature's deepest mysteries: "I had contemplated the fortifications and obstacles which seemed to prevent human beings from entering the citadel of nature, and, recklessly and out of ignorance, I cried. Frankenstein immerses himself in these studies, hoping to reveal to the world the deepest mysteries of creation. Life and death seemed to me ideal boundaries, which I must first cross and pour a torrent of light into our dark world. Frankenstein succeeds in discovering the secrets of life and death and becomes capable of giving animation to lifeless matter. While Frankenstein is involved in this quest, Shelley describes his life as grotesque and unnatural. Compared to his childhood, he abandons everything that clearly made his life natural and good: The dissecting room and the slaughterhouse provided many of my materials; and often my human nature has transformed into disgust for my profession (53). Frankenstein cuts off all contact with his family and no longer appreciates the glory of nature. He confines himself to a room whose occupation is unnatural: who will conceive the horrors of my secret labor as I splashed among the unholy damps of the grave and disturbed, with profane fingers, the terrible secrets of the human structure (53). With these descriptions, Shelley tells the reader that Frankenstein walks on forbidden ground, he does not discover secrets, but disrupts them. When Frankenstein completes his creation, he finally realizes the horror of what he has done. He immediately sees that his aspiration to create a new species that would bless me as creator and source was far from fulfilled. Instead, the beauty of the dream has disappeared, and the horror andBreathtaking disgust filled his heart (56). His actions, carried out in isolation, did nothing to improve humanity, being so far removed from human nature. He realizes the full horror of what he has done in his dream, which foreshadows the chaos and destruction to come. He sees how horrible it is to meddle in superhuman affairs and attempt to alter natural processes. In his dream he sees his beloved Elizabeth and kisses her. But to her horror, she transformed into her dead mother, a shroud enveloped her form, and I saw the grave worms crawling in the folds of the flannel (57). With this image, Shelley illustrates the evil of man who attempts to venture into God's domain. Frankenstein succeeds in creating life, but this creation only results in death and destruction. He desecrates his mother's death and turns a vibrant life into decaying nothingness. His attempts to change the natural boundaries of life can only lead to chaos. As a mortal, he cannot do what God does. He can create life, but he cannot create order. A man who leaves his natural place can only cause disorder. Shelley further describes Frankenstein as an evil God through references to Adam and Eve. The monster complains that he was created by such an imperfect God. He said: How dare you play like this with life? I should be your Adam (97). Frankenstein, however, is not God. The monster eventually realizes this and reproaches Frankenstein: Like Adam, I was apparently not united by any connection with any other existing being; but his condition was very different from mine in all other respects. There had come from the hands of God a perfect, happy and prosperous creature, guarded by the special care of its Creator; he was allowed to converse and acquire knowledge from beings of higher nature: but I was miserable, helpless and alone (126). Frankenstein is no better than his monster, being governed by the same human passions. He is not a superior being and cannot support the creation of a new species. The humility that Frankenstein should have before his own creator is demonstrated through Shelley's powerful descriptions of nature. Frankenstein feels small in the face of the roar of the surrounding waterfalls, which speak of a power as powerful as Omnipotence (91). He can never truly penetrate these secrets, the pine forests and the ragged, bare ravines, the eagle soaring among the clouds, they all gathered around me and told me to be at peace (93) . He also notices the perfection with which his creator trained humans, and marvels at Clerval's qualities. To his mind, so full of ideas whose existence depended on the life of its creator, this mind perished. No, it is not so; your divinely fashioned form has decayed, but your spirit still visits and consoles your unfortunate friend. » With this statement, Frankenstein realizes that life and death are not really the ideal boundaries. There is so much more to life and death than humans can comprehend. Biology is not necessarily the answer to the secrets of life and death. Thus, humans should live within their limits and not fight against forces beyond their reach. Frankenstein regrets his foray into natural philosophy. He wishes for the light cheerfulness of childhood (92), when man did not seek to know these secrets. He laments: Alas! Why does man boast of sensitivities superior to those apparent in the brute; it only makes them more necessary beings. If our impulses were limited to hunger, thirst and desire, we would be almost free (94). Shelley equates man's struggle with questions.