弗兰肯斯坦书评

Mary Shelley’s 1818 masterpiece Frankenstein is hailed as the birth of science fiction, yet its enduring appeal lies in its exploration of timeless themes. Through Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s obsession with creating life, Shelley raises profound questions about the ethics of playing god and the human capacity for empathy.The novel’s central tragedy unfolds in the creature’s quest for acceptance. Rejected by his creator and society due to his terrifying appearance, the initially innocent being descends into bitterness and vengeance. Shelley humanizes the monster through his eloquent narration, forcing readers to confront their own prejudices – a mirror to modern discrimination based on race, appearance, or difference.Beyond its Gothic horror, Frankenstein is a philosophical meditation on isolation, revenge, and the blurred lines between creator and creation. Victor’s ambition leads to his own destruction, while the creature’s suffering reveals the cruelty of societal abandonment. Shelley’s writing, characterized by vivid nature imagery and psychological depth, intensifies the emotional impact of their intertwined fates. Ultimately, Frankenstein warns against the dangers of unchecked ambition and the moral imperative to embrace compassion. Its themes of scientific ethics, identity, and otherness remain relevant in an age of genetic engineering and AI. This chilling classic is a reminder that monstrosity is not born, but made – by fear, ignorance, and the failure to see humanity in the other.