Rousseau'S Philosophy In Mary Shelley'S Frankenstein

In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the titular character states that "If [man's] impulses were confined to hunger, thirst and desire, [he] might nearly be free" (Shelley, 97). With this assertion, Victor imparts his belief that man is most content in the state of nature; a state where only his most primal needs must be fulfilled in order to be satisfied. Man in his natural state is the central topic in Jean-Jacques Rousseau's philosophic essay A Discourse on Inequality, an academic work that had tremendous influence on Shelley. Shelley uses three of Rousseau's major beliefs as fundamental elements of Frankenstein; man is most content in the state of nature, society is what corrupts him and once corrupted, he can never return to his natural state. These concepts are exemplified by the monster in nature, the monster in society and Frankenstein on his retreat in the Chamounix valley. Shelley applies Rousseau's philosophy as a method of commentary on the adverse effects that modern society has on humanity.

The monster begins his existence as Rousseau's 'Natural Man, living according to his basic needs and as a result is contented. Rousseau states that natural man is blessed with an enviable total freedom because he is not a slave to the artificial needs that civilized man has created for himself, such as companionship and the quest for greater knowledge (Edwards). As Frankenstein's nascent creation ventures out into the countryside, he is not lonesome- though he wanders through the wilderness unaccompanied- because natural man's few dealings with other humans are solely for reproductive purposes (Edwards). According to the philosopher, "Food (...) and rest are the only good things for natural man; the only evils are pain and hunger" (Edwards). As such, at the start of his journey the monster's only concerns are his "fatigue, (...) hunger and thirst" (Shelley, 103). Hardships endured by the creature as natural man are due to innate weaknesses, and are easily overcome by detecting nourishment or shelter. Berries and roots satiate the monster's appetite, and once he finds fire, he has a source of warmth and is "overcome with delight" (Shelley, 104). He is oblivious to the fact that his appearance is horrific and has no knowledge of the concept of evil because he has had no exposure to society (Edwards). The monster does not know that civilized man views his ugly exterior as representative of evil within, so he is baffled when the occupant of a hut he stumbles upon produces a terrified shriek and runs away (Shelley, 105). The monster later comes to know good and evil; virtue and vice; due to the fact that he possesses the faculty of "perfectibility - man's inexhaustible ability to improve himself (...) and be shaped by his environment" (Edwards). This quality of adaptability allows for enlightenment to occur, but is ultimately the source of all of man's misery.

The monster becomes malignant through his exposure to society, a phenomenon that is congruent with Rousseau's doctrine. The monster as natural man is nomadic; he roams from place to place, eating and resting where he can. When he finds adequate shelter in the hovel attached to the De Lacey's cottage it becomes convenient for him to stay there. According to Rousseau's discourse, "new conveniences [weaken] bodies and minds, and [eventually turn] into needs" (Edwards). The monster's newfound kennel is directly adjacent to a familial society; one that - due to his perfectibility - transforms him irrevocably by producing a need for assimilation. Rousseau writes that "without language or the ability to reason, it simply never occurs to the savage to be evil" (Edwards). Language- deemed by the monster to be a "godlike science [that he] ardently desire[s] to become acquainted with" (Shelley, 112) - is the societal construct that speeds him toward corruption. Once he masters the art of communication, he is exposed to the history of civilized man and literature. Through interpretation of those media he learns to hate and resent Victor (Shelley, 128, 131), to identify with Satan (Shelley, 129) and most regrettably why a man would murder his fellow (Shelley, 119). The event that seals the monster's conversion from benign to malignant occurs when he finally physically enters the familial society he has been observing. The De Laceys' reaction of horror, consternation and violence upon witnessing him (Shelley, 135), fills his mind with thoughts of "rage and revenge" (Shelley, 136); "injury and death" (Shelley, 138). From that point in his life onward, he "glut[s] himself with the shrieks and misery" (Shelley, 136) of those whom Frankenstein - his "accursed creator" (Shelley,