The Themes of Nature and Civilization in Frankenstein

In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley uses two themes: nature and civilization. She uses her text to describe the differences between nature and civilization and uses text to explain how civilization comes from nature. Nature and civilization are a huge part of everybody’s day to day lives. Civilization has ultimately developed from nature. Many aspects of civilization including food, hunting, shelter, water, competition and family relations have evolved from nature. In early civilization prior to the civilization of mankind, nature exhibited many of the same traits and priorities of living as we do now. Nature is one of the most important things that we as humans need to survive. Civilization is the advanced stage of social and cultural development and nature is everything around us from the landscape to the people in the world around us. Early inhabitants of the earth including dinosaurs and cavemen had the same basic needs. All living things require food, water, sun, and in some form shelter. After reading the novel we find out that the author wrote this book to show what happens when you overstep the boundaries of nature and civilization.

In Frankenstein, the author Mary Shelley sets nature and civilization against each other and symbolizes nature as women-like and civilization as man-like. I personally feel there are positives and negatives of this to both species. Nature exhibits more feeling and compassion as civilization exhibits more business-like, organized production of the human race. I feel women and men personify all characteristics and therefore could represent nature and civilization.

Nature was used a lot over the course of the book to help show the difference between man and civilization. The author Mary Shelley really brings out how nature is a beautiful thing. With nature being a beautiful thing that can lead to many dangerous and bad things as well. Nature was one of the themes found within the novel. Usually people think of nature in ways such as animals, trees, and plants. In Frankenstein nature is used as the base of the novel in ways such as mother nature and how it played a role in civilized culture. Another way that nature is being used as the base is by human nature which is mainly focused towards education and civilization. Nature was something that the romantics felt a close proximity and seemed natural to them.

Civilization and the networks within it really play a huge role for the characters. Victor wants to be a part of civilization and he wants to be a successful scientist. Even though his years in isolation kept him distant from civilization and society. His monster felt rejected and disliked from civilization. How society views Victor and how society views Frankenstein differs from how they view themselves. This is very true in modern life as well. Often individuals view themselves or think of themselves very differently from how society views them. This can be done in both a positive and negative way. An individual can be insecure and think others view them in an unfavorable way but in reality others are not thinking this way. On the other side an individual can think others are viewing them in a favorable way but society is not. Prejudices can be formed on the basis of one’s looks or upbringing. True understanding of an individual and opinion of the individual needs to be done after getting to know the individual on a deep basis.

Shelley uses the role of humankind and the use of science to affect the way Frankenstein develops. Just think if Frankenstein would have been loved, nurtured, and cared for like an individual needs maybe he would have grown into a different being. Often civilization gets greedy and wants to build the perfect being instead of accepting characteristics of others that make them individuals. The use of science on nature can and has altered many things resulting in both positive and negative results. For example science has been used to alter crops such as corn and soybeans resulting in a higher yield and more profitable product. But science has also forced many weeds to be tolerant to many herbicides which decrease the yields and thus the profitability of the crops. I realize this is a completely different subject but it is what came to my mind when I think about how science altered Frankenstein and forced him into being labeled a monster.

Nature and Civilization are two very important components of this novel. After reading the novel we now know what can happen if the boundaries of nature and civilization are over stepped. Nature and civilization play a big role in this novel. Mary Shelley did a very good job expressing nature and civilization and how she used those two themes to be the base of the novel.  

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