Destruction, Salvation, And Harmonization

Frankenstein, a masterpiece of Mary Shelley, is regarded by western scholars as one of the most remarkable gothic novels, as well as the forerunner of science fiction. There are71film versions since its first presentation on screen in the year1910. Since the1970s, this popular fiction has received extensive critical discussion, ranging from feminism to Marxism and to culture criticism. As for the perspective of ecocriticism, Mary Shelley’s magnificent portrayal of the natural world in Frankenstein has already attracted some consideration, yet it seems there are relatively few reviews which put this topic as their main priority. This thesis, however, is an attempt to create a new understanding of Frankenstein by applying the ecological ethics to the novel, in order to reveal Mary Shelley’s ecological awareness.Introduction concludes a brief literary review of Mary Shelley and her works Frankenstein; the related theory—ecocriticism; and the purpose, meaning and the structures of this thesis.The main body of this thesis consists of three chapters. Chapter One inquires into the destructive catastrophe of the blind pursuit and excessive misuse of science and technology. Frankenstein is definitely not a simple human-creating story, and by no means creating horror only for horror’s sake. On the contrary, it investigates the relationship between technological development and the law of nature, as well as the issues of eco-ethics and social ethics, etc. The novel, through the representation of human being’s violation of the law of nature, criticizes human’s ideology of scientism, repudiates their actions of conquering nature and refutes the industrial civilization.Chapter Two mainly reveals nature’s remarkable power for the salvation of mankind. The abundant eulogy of nature in Frankenstein, fully demonstrates Mary Shelley’s love and respect to nature, as well as her deep appreciation of nature’s great power. For her, nature performs as a profound source of spiritual inspiration which provides human beings with the highest pleasure; nature functions as human being’s ultimate refuge which generates the power of consolation, protection and healing; nature also holds the ability to nurture human’s character and to guide human’s activities. Chapter Three mainly discusses Mary Shelley’s internal desire of pursuing harmonization and explains it from aspects of natural ecology, social ecology and spiritual ecology. Since human is a part of nature, and nature includes not only external nature but also internal nature, it is not enough for mankind to keep a harmonious relationship only with external nature. It also requires human beings to keep their internal nature balanced, and thus to rescue themselves from a situation of alienation, therefore truly to achieve the harmonization among individuals.The last part is the conclusion. Although ecological ethics, as well as eco-literature, is a new phenomenon of the late20th century, yet the ideology of ecology remains an eternal theme from the very beginning of human history. As early as the19th century when Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, she has foreseen consciously or unconsciously the possible result of destruction in case of violating the law of nature. The merciless criticism on misuse of science, the heartfelt eulogy of nature and the desirous pursuit of harmonization represented in Frankenstein fully illustrate Mary Shelley’s farseeing ecological consciousness. The destructive result of the novel casts a far-reaching significance of foreseeing and warning for human beings in the clone century. It reminds us that development of technology should not violate the law of nature. Nature is a final refuge of mankind, which has the ability to generate pleasure, to comfort the disturbed people’s psychology and to guide man’s behaviors. Human beings should control their desires and return to both external nature and internal nature, and finally achieve the harmony of the world.