Mad Scientists In Frankenstein And The Island Of Doctor Moreau

Although Mary Shelley and Herbert George Wells lived a century apart from each other,the two literary prophets seemed to be connected in the exploration of mad scientists theme inFrankenstein and The Island of Doctor Moreau. Both reveal what might happen whenscientists tamper with creations of man and laws of nature. In these two science writings, madscientists Victor Frankenstein and Doctor Moreau overreach God as the Creator, expropriatenature, and trespass on human ethics. As a consequence, both are destroyed by the monster andthe beast folk they have created. Apart from almost the same topic, the texts have much incommon in the characterization of mad scientists and the representation of their birth myths.The mere readings of the two works trigger unbounded imagination and comprehension. Thisthesis, based on close reading, attempts to connect the two works for broader literary andaesthetic value. Hopefully it will excavate the apocalyptic vision of two great writers to themodern world which witnesses an unprecedentedly rapid growth of science as well as theabuse of technological power.The thesis will be divided into five parts. The introduction covers briefly the stories andtheir authors, reviews what has been done by previous critics, and asserts the methodologyemployed. The main body, composed of three parts, approaches the mad scientists theme indetail. Chapter one discusses the thematic representation in the interactions of mad scientistswith nature, morality and religion, which pins down their essential similarity. Chapter twoprobes into ways mad scientists are delineated to show their mutual artistic techniques. Duringthe elaboration, multiple characters in the novels find association with each other whereShelley and Wells display their expert application of symbols and allusions. The third chapter,on the basis of former analysis, unveils how the birth myths are produced in different timesand cultural contexts. Finally the thesis concludes that a study of Frankenstein and The Islandof Doctor Moreau creates larger space for active interpretations and discloses their everlastingimpact on science, ecology, humanity and morality, etc. Mary Shelley and H. G. Wellseventually have a chance to “talk” with each other through their mad scientists.