In Percy Shelly's Alastor the main character is described as being in complete awe of the universe, much like the main characters in Frankenstein and Manfred. The entire poem appears to be a worship of nature. The first few lines of the poem read, "Earth, Ocean, Air, beloved brotherhood! If our great Mother has imbued my soul, With aught of natural pretty to feel, Your love, and recompense the loon with mine." The poet seems to feel connected to nature and was to learn more about it. However, he seemed to be unable to satisfy his thirst and as long as there was more knowledge of nature for him to acquire he w

Not only is this on going obsession with the manipulation of nature evident in Alastor but it can also be seen in Mary Shelly's Frankenstein as well. After the death of the main characters mother, he is left with a "void of the soul" so deeply intense that he looks to nature to fill it (Frankenstein 24). In order to do this Victor realizes that he must discover what is necessary to sustain life, so he creates Frankenstein and in doing so attempts to transcend into the feminine arena of childbirth. Victor transgresses the Natural order in moving into the feminine sphere in a physical capacity. "He creates around him a 'work-shop of filthy creation" (Frankenstein 50); this is the male womb of creation. This process is describe to the reader in the language of pregnancy, "After so much time spent in painful labour, to arrive at once at the summit of my desires, was the most gratifying consummation of my toils. But this discovery was so great and so overwhelming, that all the steps by which I had been progressively led to it were obliterated, and I beheld only the result"(Frankenstein 47). Thus, Victor, the main character, set out to defy nature and discover the secret of life in hopes that eventually he would be able to renew life within his mother. Although Victor ultimately succeeds in his quest to create life, the consequences that result cause him to regret his accomplishment. Once again the main character, in his attempt to alter or tamper with nature illustrates man's constant attempt to reach beyond him means. Victor seeks the ability to understand and control nature and is shown in a dream that it is impossible for him to do so. Victor explains, "I thought I saw Elizabeth in the bloom of health, walking in the streets of Ingolstadt. Delighted and surprised, I embraced her, but as I imprinted the first kiss on her lips, they became livid with the hue of death; her features appeared

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Approximate Word count = 1286
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)