Mary Shelley set out to write a ghost story in 1818, but what she produced is one of the most famous gothic novels in English Literature, ‘Frankenstein’. Shelley read several literary classics with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and these influenced her novel. She references these works in the novel, such as Ovid's Metamorphoses and John Milton's Paradise Lost. In addition she was well educated due to having two radically linking parents, Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin, both political and social philosophers. Similarly, Huxley was born into an intellectual family and dreamed of becoming a scientist, however, because of being partially blind in one eye he decided to pursue a career in literature. In addition, Aldous Huxley’s concern with the developments of science and technology resulted in his brilliant satire, ‘Brave New World’. Both texts deal with different issues due to the increasing developments in science and technology.
In Mary Shelley’s classic, ‘Frankenstein’, ‘society unfairly associates physical abnormality with miscreation, reflecting the theme of appearance vs reality'[1] . Shelley portrays this through her subtle use of darkness and light throughout the novel ‘what may not be expected in a country of external light?’ This indicates a metaphorical meaning because it is conventionally associated with both the discovery of intelligence and ‘what may not be expected in a country of external light?’. Shelley’s novel is structured around her two main protagonists Victor Frankenstein and Capt Walton who both seek discovery in different ways, however, in both cases, light leads to darkness. ‘Frankenstein’ was written at a time of great changes in society for example, the emergence of Darwinism which was an advocate of science. The novel deals with an array of problems central to the development of Britain in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. During this period there were significant advancements in science and technology and both of Shelley’s protagonists try to push the boundaries of human endeavour. In Victor Frankenstein’s understanding of science, he recognises what is acceptable however he still decides to dabble in things only God could do. ‘Natural philosophy is the genius that has regulated my fate; I desire, therefore, in this narration, to state those facts which led to my predilection for that science.’ Shelley’s application of the noun ‘predilection’ meaning a preference or special liking for something exhibits his passion for science and the unknown. This also shows how his character has an almost unnatural interest in that area of science. Frankenstein is said to be the ‘Godlike science’ of language, it is the potential breakdown of power which is faced with prejudice and insensitivity of society. Moreover, Capt Walton opens and closes the novel ‘Frankenstein’, internally both characters want to explore the unknown. ‘In his character and ambitions, Walton anticipates or foreshadows Victor Frankenstein'[1] Capt Walton states that what he is doing will have an ‘inestimable benefit… on all mankind’ The adjective ‘inestimable’ has connotations of being too great to calculate and ‘all’ emphasises the vast majority of lifes he believes he will ‘benefit’. Victor later speaks in a similar manner. As readers, we seek to find out the underlying drive for their actions.
Whereas, in Huxley’s Dystopian novel, society is a displayed as a bleak, dark world as stated by Doctor Charles Higgins ‘In such a world, uniqueness is uselessness and uniformity is bliss as social stability is everything’ this is further represented, in chapter 1 as D.H.C proudly explains his production of virtually identical humans. Furthermore, in Huxley’s world where he has decided to eradicate conflict but ultimately takes away the ability to be humanly free, the drug ‘soma’ arranges to keep individuals from facing emotions and situations which in reality could not be avoided. They solve their issues by swallowing tablets which masks negative feelings. In Huxley’s society this is in order to cut out the possibility that actions might have revolutionary or socially disruptive results. Additionally, science is not used as a means of discovery but as a weapon of control ‘The overalls of the workers were white, their hands gloved with a pale corpse-coloured rubber. The light was frozen, dead, a ghost. Only from the yellow barrels of the microscopes did it borrow a certain rich and living substance, lying along the polished tubes like butter, streak after luscious streak in long recession down the work tables’ this is representative of how science has sterilised what should have been natural human life. Even the ‘light was frozen’, another product of the natural world which has been deadened and made artificial by this extremely constrained environment. Furthermore, the adjective ‘dead’ expresses how the normality of life is still in the picture as the life cycle leads to death. Therefore showing how although Huxley attempts to change all aspects of the world some can not be avoided. To some critics, this is seen as a world where ‘people are capable of work but not of independent thought’ To Huxley this was his idea of a ‘perfect’ world.
Frankenstein very much wants to help mankind with his belief being that he is able to create life without any negative consequences is the chain reaction of his progressively self-absorbed personality[2]. ‘I cannot describe to you the agony that these reflections inflicted upon me; I tried to dispel them, but sorrow only increased with knowledge.’ As the novel progresses Victor focuses the majority of his attention into his work to the point where he becomes disconnected from the outside world and all natural sources of love and support. Victor has an obsessive desire to achieve something that nobody has yet discovered, ‘And what was I? Of my creation and creator I was absolutely ignorant, but I knew that I possessed no money, no friends, no kind of property.’ Shelley’s use of a rhetorical question subtly influences the reader and gets the reader thinking, this makes us as readers doubt our recent thoughts and feelings on Victor in attempt to change our opinion. Eventually, the monster destroys everyone close to Frankenstein including William, Justine, Clerval, Elizabeth and his father. Critics such as Donna Heiland argues that ‘Gothic plots are not merely plots of transgression, but also plots of gender anxiety. The transgressive acts at the heart of gothic fiction generally focus on corruption in, or resistance to, the patriarchal structures that shaped the country's political life and its family life'[1] This explains the way Shelley has structured Frankenstein’s life. In this novel the innocent suffer towards Frankenstein’s hubris arrogance. Shelley writes accounts of the deaths of young, innocent, loving individuals which is one of the novel’s utmost condemnations of the deteriorating and destructive nature of Victor – the scientist. Ultimately, his scientific work pushes aside and replaces regular familial and sexual relationships which are an important part of life for ‘normal’ human beings. As stated by Punter ‘Frankenstein is searching after forbidden knowledge, one of those over reachers who refuse to accept limitations and are subsequently punished’.
Similarly Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’ brings about the question – ‘genetic engineering: dream or nightmare?’. In this futuristic world science is used to control the way people are bred, breeding is taken out of a loving relationship and is placed in a test tube, which is nowadays, in the modern world known as IVF (in vitro fertilization). IVF started in 1978, whereas Huxley’s novel was written in 1931, this could therefore be seen to readers in the present day as a prediction or influence of scientific developments ‘We are still a long way from bottled babies’ is written in the foreword, revealing how the process of IVF was an unforeseeable discovery, there way no way it could be anticipated. This furthermore depicts how technology can cause prevalent amounts of damage to mankind and the natural way of human life.
‘…a bokanovskified egg will bud, will proliferate, will divide. From eight to ninety-six buds, and every bud will grow into a perfectly formed embryo, and every embryo into a full sized adult’ this exposes how this process not only saves time, but saves effort. It is representative of how science can overcome nature to become more ‘perfect’. However, this has a negative impact on relationships and families are destroyed. As a reader this could potentially remind people of how birds are raised in incubators, the animalistic connotations illustrate how humanity and the purpose of human life is completely lost. The word ‘perfect’ in humanity is impossible, perfection takes away from uniqueness and personality, furthermore displaying Huxley’s dystopian future. Lenina uses the phrase ‘Everyone belongs to everyone else’ this hypnopaedic suggestion exclusively discourages friendships and love, family upbringing is an important factor in the forming of the personality. Parents become the first people, who meet a child in this world and they give them basic knowledge about the external world and show them the model of human relations, devalues social structure and family but also social relations in general. Therefore the value of human life loses importance.
‘Victor Frankenstein, much like the monster he created, is an isolated individual’ [3]. Throughout the novel isolation is a recurring motif and we learn that it is destructive ‘Every night I was oppressed by a slow fever, and I became nervous to a most painful degree; the fall of a leaf startled me, and I shunned my fellow creatures as if I had been guilty of a crime.’ This represents how he is not only physically but is psychologically scarred, the adjective ‘oppressed’ suggests that he is controlled by his desire to discover, because of this Frankenstein becomes ill, malnourished and deprived of sleep, his obsessiveness has driven him to this, this trait reinforces the idea of imperfection, Frankenstein attempted to eradicate what he thought was a human imperfection. This opposes the idea of perfection in ‘Brave New World’. Moreover, his alienation is self imposed, however he contrasts the monster he creates who longs for love and familial relationships by rejecting all of his family and friends. Shelley pushes the romantic figure of the creative imagination to its extremes and demonstrates the dangers associated with solitude and inversion which are properties he believes are vital for his secret way of life. Victor rebels against all human ties and all relationships that could potentially interfere with the pursuit of his own needs and desires. The character of Victor Frankenstein is metaphorically presented by Shelley as a Promethean Overreacher who refuses to accept his limitations, this raises question to the reader such as: ‘is he really driven by the desire to help humankind or is he driven by a desire of human glory?’ Personally, I believe that he is driven by human glory but attempts to make it seem as though he is driven by the desire the help mankind in hope to make it socially acceptable.
Similarly to Victor Frankenstein, John (the Savage) is isolated in Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’, he is the only character in the novel who has been birthday naturally by a mother. He is unique due to having an identity and familial relationships. Interestingly, he is disconnected and plays out his own society in his imagination – much like Shakespeare’s ‘imaginative world’ that he was able to create in his head. He associates sex with humiliation and pain ‘"It was base," he said indignantly, "it was ignoble.”’ ‘Ignoble’ has connotations of being not honourable in character or in purpose which is representative of the society in which he lives. He also associates character with suffering further representing the society that he lives in as uniqueness was not accepted. ‘Instead of drivelling away about knots and vacuum cleaners and lions, and making me miserable for weeks and weeks’ This is an important moment in the sex-violence connection. Lenina’s passion for John, hurts him physically—similar the scene at the end of the novel. Moreover, destructive views gain further power in John’s response to Shakespeare’s poem ‘O’ brave new world’ from Act 4 Scene 1 of ‘The Tempest’ said by Miranda – ‘If thou dost break her virgin knot before all sanctimonious ceremonies may with full and holy rite…’ this has connotations of innocence, chastity and honour. The idea of decency and cleanness is the morals which Huxley has based John’s character around. John is a ‘lone wolf’, the person that Bernard imagines himself to be at times, his life is filled with confusion and hurt ‘“In fact', said Mustapha Mond, 'you're claiming the right to be unhappy.' 'All right then,' said the Savage defiantly, 'I'm claiming the right to be unhappy.’ The word ‘unhappy’ is repeated in order to reinforce and emphasize this feeling and idea. Many readers would say that John is the most complex character in the novel, he rejects society's values and acts boldly in calling the Deltas to rebellion and in throwing out the soma ‘he began to throw the little pill-boxes of soma tablets in handfuls out into the area’ John moves rather quickly to anger and rage. ‘Passion, the text seems to argue, is a part of the human experience with passion, man can be an individual, can have an opinion, and can disagree, fight, a way which is not conventional in this new world'[4]. He takes back the right of individuality. Not unlike Frankenstein, John sets out to create life for himself which ends in tragedy, he attempts to challenge and bring down the ‘Brave New World’ but he is much to his disappointment, held back by his own destructive tendencies towards violence and self endorsement. Taming his limits and ability to act freely is difficult to him due to this he could be potential hero but he is extremely flawed. Finally, his death is a result of his own ‘imperfect’ understanding in what is said to be a ‘perfect’ world as he is unable to come to terms with understanding of the new forces in ‘Brave New World’.
Shelley’s message to the readers throughout Frankenstein are that science and advancements in and around this field are extremely valuable in spite of everything being in moderation. The novel expresses two main warnings, first, one should be careful of Forbidden Knowledge and the lengths to which one may pursue scientific advancement[8]. Second, the novel serves as a warning about the power of nature and the dangers of dabbling with creation which to many people, especially at this time when religion was important should be left to God. Shelley reinforces her warning through characters when Victor implores for Walton not to follow in his example but to learn from his mistakes, warning ‘“Learn from me . . . 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”’. Here, Shelley discusses how ignorance is seen as bliss. The word ‘dangerous’ has connotations of being threatening or alarming, therefore emphasising the dangers of science and the seriousness of what it can potentially change.
When thinking of progress, many people think of advances in science and technology as being beneficial to society[5] these developments can be twice as good as well as twice as bad and in Huxley’s ‘Brave new World’, he warns society of scientific developments could be a threat to them. For example, only a few years later, scientists in America led ‘Operation Manhattan’ (splitting of the atom) which although led to the production of nuclear weaponry but also provides a source of energy. According to Huxley himself ‘The theme of Brave New World is not the advancement of science as such; it is the advancement of science as it affects the human individual'[6] therefore the characters play an extremely vital role to the subtle meaning of the story. In addition R.T. Oerton points out that, ‘Present knowledge indicates, for instance, that a child cannot be deprived of parents or parent figures, as were the children in Brave New World, without suffering lasting pathological damage to his personality.'[7] In conjunction, Huxley also alerts us against the idea of mechanization ‘the machine dehumanizes men by demanding mechanical efficiency of them’ ‘men's’ morals and values, which are normally developed through the process of growing up and making mistakes is totally destroyed and they are brainwashed into society’s minds taking away all decisions and choices.
Ultimately, ‘Brave New World’ is a book about the future but ‘whatever it’s artistic and philosophical qualities, a book about the future can interest us only if its prophecies look as though they might conceivably come true.'[1] This quote summarizes the novel and reinforces the ideas that science fiction literature could potentially inspire or predict future scientific discoveries. The predictions which have been taken from a ‘Brave New World’ have been shown by IVF which is now a regularly used treatment. Correspondingly, ‘Frankenstein’ is a book about artificial intelligence that shows signs of developments which have not yet happened in the real world, however, as shown in ‘Brave New World’ these developments and discoveries are possible and could happen anytime in the near or distant future. Both novels display the idea of playing God and creating a life which was seen as inconceivable but science achieved this, therefore these novels are examples of zeitgeists. But at the heart of both novels is the idea that faith in science leads to it being able to solve society's problems.