"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."
This quote from Victor Frankenstein is I believe, another way of interpreting "ignorance is bliss." He means that wouldn't a man who lives in seclusion be much happier, compared to having the knowledge of all the problems, misery and chaos of the outside world? Another example of this saying is expressed in the death of a friend or family member. Before you are ever notified of your friend dying you lead a normal content life, until you are told of the horrible news and suddenly your life is turned upside down and you drown in your own miseries. Frankensteins mad persuit of knowledge ultimately lead to his creation of life and the destruction of all close to him. The destruction didn't start from his experiment, it started from the moment he moved to Ingolstadt and began to research and aquire every piece of science knowledge that existed. The motivation to unlock the secret to life led to his death.
Similarily Robert Walton attempts to surpass a record to travel to the North Pole. When he finds himself trapped in ice, he recalls how Victors thirst for knowledge led to his death, and wisely quits his mission.
Frankenstein completely ignores the moral responsibility associated with his work and is blinded by his emotions and ambition. Only when his creation awakens and he sees he has created a monster that threatens innocent lives of the community, does he realize as a scientist and experimentalist there are boundaries that he must respect.
Likewise for Walton when he understands there are such things as limits in exploring and the descovery of the unseen is not worth the lives of himself and his comrades.
I believe a lust for knowledge is a good thing until it consumes your life and isolates you from the rest of the world. As what happened to Victor, no passion should be allowed to come between you and the gift of socializing with others, nor should it deny you the ability to recognize beauty in nature. As for moral responsibility, every person should recognize their limitations and realize "he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow" must be prepared for the result, whether they be rewarded or reprimanded.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
where did u find tht great quote i want to use it for a school project
Post a Comment