William Carlos Williams was not the first writer to explore the theme of scientific discovery and practise in literature, but he was one of the first American writers to do so in a positive manner. Works of European gothic literature had cemented the archetype of the mad scientist with figures such as Dr Frankenstein and Dr Moreau; while the birth and subsequent success of Science Fiction in the U.S with the short stories of Edgar Allen Poe show us that the American people also had anxieties regarding the potential of science. It seems expected that Williams, a man who spent most of his professional life practising as a Doctor, would be instrumental in breaking this taboo. In this essay, I shall be examining the way in which Williams and those who followed him chose to depict the scientific world, and how the practices of that world influence the style and structure of their work.
In poems such as ‘The Poor’ Williams explores the relationship between the working classes and the presence of science in the community, questioning the necessity of the mistrust often associated with it. ‘The Poor’ shows a community’s gradual acceptance of their school physician, who they initially loathe for the ‘reminders of the lice in/their children's hair’ – the community seem to be intent upon projecting their anger at their own medical ailments on the physician’s medical knowledge making them visible. Thus knowledge itself becomes diseased. The trigger for the physician’s acceptance is not, as one might hope, a sudden realisation of his value to the community, or an abandonment of their prejudices - but merely the passing of time making them accustomed to their hatred, ‘But by this familiarity/they grew used to him, and so,/at last,/took...
... middle of paper ...
...ghs characterises language as a physical disorder, but there is also an argumentum ad metum in the daunting use of medical terms to describe psychological phenomena. However optimistic Williams might be about the place of science in the arts, it seems that our fear surrounding certain aspects of science and medicine is not yet distinguished.
The innovative use of scientific themes and techniques Williams’ poetry were evidently instrumental in creating his unique - and frequently emulated - poetic voice. His influence on Ginsberg is intriguing, but somewhat expected; while Burroughs rebels against the acceptance that Williams attained by choosing to analyse the darker side of the scientific world in literature. However, all three writers share an analogous intrigue with the scientific world which, in my opinion, is applied effectively in their creative work.
Frederic is very much alienated from the science of his day. He finds it obscure and frightening, involved in inhuman and ritualistic experiments, and motivated by goals that are fully detached from the needs of ordinary people. His dread and loathing of the coldness and ruthlessness of the aloof scientist come from the Gothic horror of writers like Edgar Allen Poe and Mary Shelley.
John Burroughs was an American naturalist whose essays contributed to ...Burroughs was the seventh child born to Chauncy and Amy Burrough’s on April 3,1837. He grew up along with nine other brothers and sisters on his family's farm in the Catskill Mountains. While he worked on the family’s farm as a young boy he was always captivated by the birds, wildlife, and frogs who returned each spring. Burrough loved to learn as a child and was frequently reading, but his dad did no support Johns interest in attending college. So, at the young age of seventeen John left home in hopes of raising enough money to pay for college. To earn his money for school he mainly taught at a school in Olive, New York. Burroughs eventually attended Cooperstown Seminary. While there he read the works of Ralph Waldo Emerson and William Wordsworth who became two of his lifelong influences.
Shelley, Mary. "From Frankenstein." The Example of Science. Ed. Robert E Lynch and Thomas B. Swanzey. New York: Pearson Publishing, 2000. 152-156.
In this novel, Shelley focuses on the debate between scientific discoveries, religion and the moral ethics of how far man should pursue his desire for knowledge, which reflects the society of the 19th century’s concern of where the scientific advancements were going similarly to the present day debate on whether stem cell research is valid.
What symptoms classify a person to be diagnosed as sick? A cough, a sore throat, or maybe a fever. Often times when individuals refer to the word ‘sick’, they neglect to mention a common disorder, one which takes a tremendous amount of personal determination, courage and strength in order to overcome. Mental illness took the author, Joanne Greenberg, down a path complete with obstacles, forcing her to battle against schizophrenia, a chronic brain disorder resulting in delusions, hallucinations, trouble with thinking and concentration as well as a lack of motivation. This complex piece of literature was originally composed to fight against the prejudice accusations associated with mental illness, while providing the semi-autobiographical novelist
film music. On the one side there are the purists, who cry foul at the piecing together of
H. G. Wells had rather extreme views in every respect. He was a prominent Fabian for some time and upheld many socialistic ideas that many still have a problem with. His views on human nature were pessimistic, the future was an eventual disappointment, but his writing is the kind that can capture the attention of many people from all ages and walks of life and draw attention to his ideas—which he did to great effect. What makes these books so fascinating? To answer questions such as these, it is imperative to know about the life of the man behind the books. Herbert George Wells was born on September 21, 1866 into a lower middle class family. He worked hard as both a student and assistant to multiple jobs before moving to London with a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Science. It was here that he was introduced to “Darwin’s Bulldog”, the eminent biologist T. H. Huxley, a man whose opinions helped shape Wells’ own for the rest of his life. Instead of becoming a biologist as recommended by Huxley, he became instead a teacher, and overworked himself until he fell into very bad health. On the doctor’s orders, he went to the south coast of England to rest until he ran out of money and returned to London. It was around this time that he met Frank Harris, editor of the “Saturday Review” newspaper, and began his careers as both a novelist and a journalist. Throughout the rest of his life he wrote steadily, averaging a little more than a book per year. In following his writing, one can see four distinct styles emerging throughout it all. At the beginning he went through a science-fiction phase containing books such as The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, and the Invisible Man. The second phase contained his “humorous Dickensian novel...
The 19th century gave way to some of the most innovative and revolutionary scientific advancements that humanity hasd ever witnessed. These advancements lead to machinery and mechanization that dramatically changed how people in the western civilizations lived. Yet, in light of the improvements, science stirred controversy as it challenged religion and the ideal that humans were fundamentally different from their animal counterparts. Many thought the scientists were overstepping human barriers and researching what should be left to the divine. H.G. Wells observed this dilemma and represented it in his book, The Island of Doctor Moreau. The Island of Doctor Moreau symbolizes the dangers of
In Frankenstein, Shelley chronicles radical scientist Victor Frankenstein’s journey from the birth of his creation to his protracted destruction. Upon further analysis, this “horror story” forebodes the dangers of attaining unknowable knowledge. After listening to Victor’s message, Walton abandons his goal to explore the uncharted and returns to England with unaccomplished dreams. With a surplus of information, at what point do the facts replace the human connection? At what point must science consider the ethical consequences of future innovations. Who is to blame for accidental ramifications: the scientist or the science? In an era of genetic engineering and bionics, the story’s message could not be more relevant.
Mary Shelley’s Sci-Fi horror known as Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus has become a classic novel in history. This dark tale touches on every subject of humanity. One of Shelley’s biggest themes is a big question in the science world we live in, nearly 200 years after publication of the book. That question being can science go too far, is there a line that shouldn’t be crossed? Shelley uses the plot of her story to serve as a warning to readers to be careful when dealing with this imaginary line. Shelley’s tale of a mad scientist and the repercussions he suffers from his experiment is a timeless story. As technology is being pushed to the brink of morality in the modern day, this question has become a huge part of the modern world of science we are living in.
Taking place during the diphtheria pandemic, "Use of Force" by William Carlos Williams demonstrates how pride and fear can distort one's sense of rationality which is displayed in the actions of the strong-willed doctor and patient and emphasized by the use of descriptive sensory imagery, lack of punctuation, and an abrasive tone.
The creation of a stressful psychological state of mind is prevalent in the story “The Yellow Wall-Paper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, as well as, Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart”, Ophelia’s struggles in William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”, and the self-inflicted sickness seen in William Blake’s “Mad Song”. All the characters, in these stories and poems, are subjected to external forces that plant the seed of irrationality into their minds; thus, creating an adverse intellectual reaction, that from an outsider’s point of view, could be misconstrued as being in an altered state due to the introduction of a drug, prescribed or otherwise, furthering the percep...
...vocal statement about the ?organic? possibilities of poetry than optimistic readers might have expected. ?Mayflies? forces us to complicate Randall Jarrell?s neat formulation. Here Wilbur has not just seen and shown ?the bright underside of? a ?dark thing.? In a poem where the speaker stands in darkness looking at what ?animate[s] a ragged patch of glow? (l.4), we are left finally in a kind of grayness. We look from darkness into light and entertain an enchanting faith that we belong over there, in the immortal dance, but we aren?t there now. We are in the machine-shop of poetry. Its own fiat will not let us out completely.
Marcus, Steven. "Frankenstein: myths of scientific and medical knowledge and stories of human relations." The Southern Review 38.1 (2002): 188+. Literature Resource Center. Web. 9 Jan. 2015.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are two horrific tales of science gone terribly wrong. Shelley?s novel eloquently tells the story of a scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who creates a living monster out of decomposed body parts, while Stevenson?s novel describes the account of one, Henry Jekyll, who creates a potion to bring out the pure evil side to himself. Although the two scientists differ in their initial response and action to their creations, there are strong similarities between their raging curiosity to surpass human limitation, as well as their lack of responsibility concerning their actions. These similarities raise an awareness of human limitation in the realm of science: the further the two scientists go in their experiments, the more trouble and pain they cause to themselves and to others.