Frankenstein's Ambition

Ambition, the desire to succeed and achieve in different areas of life, can be found in almost each individual person, driving them to pursue their dreams and reap the rewards, though not without various consequences. This idea of ambition, in addition to its risk and benefits, is discussed within Mary Shelley’s Romantic era science-fiction novel Frankenstein, in which scientist and protagonist Victor Frankenstein exhibits severe ambitious tendencies involving pushing the bounds of science, with lethal consequences, in addition to being expressed within an excerpt from William Shakespeare’s Renaissance era play King Henry VIII, in which clergyman Cardinal Wolsey is dismissed from his position in court and recalls the circumstances which brought

Both Shelley and Shakespeare discuss the benefits of one’s ambition within their individual texts, with Frankenstein’s extreme ambition possibly leading to the progression of a scientific community and humanity itself, while Wolsey’s ambition results in glory and greatness for himself, in addition to a noble and prestigious position. As Frankenstein has begun his work on his project, in which he is incredibly driven and plans to give new life to a previously inanimate creation, pushing the boundaries of science, he thinks of how he “will pioneer a new way...and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation” (Shelley 48). Frankenstein’s ambition and desire to forge a new path in the scientific community, which he believes will progress science further than ever before, making the lives of many better, drives him to work endlessly on his creation. Thus, his intense ambition towards his project and its finished product is beneficial as Frankenstein truly believes that by completing his project and discovering the secret of reanimation, he will improve society and push the scientific community and the world towards a new, brighter future. Benefits of

As Frankenstein delves deeper and deeper into his project, his ambition to progress science and society concludes in him becoming entirely obsessed with the prospect of completing his creation, causing him to “neglect the scenes around [him and] also to forget those friends who were so many miles absent” (Shelley 55). Frankenstein’s intense ambition turned obsession causes him to lose touch with those he loves, in addition to losing focus of what once brought him happiness, eventually resulting in his downfall, as his finished creature ends up being the leading cause of his extreme pain, horror and eventual death. Hence, his ambition leads to his destruction as he becomes too ambitious and near obsessed with the further exploration of science, creating the monster that lead to the death of his loved ones and himself. In addition Victor Frankenstein’s utter demise as a result of his ambition, within the excerpt from King Henry VIII, Wolsey’s own ambition turns to into immense pride, which in turn leads