Unbridled ambition and the pursuit of knowledge

Shelley’s constant allusions to light are used to signify the Enlightenment, and the pursuit of knowledge that accompanied this period. As mentioned on page 3, Frankenstein was written during a period of tension between Enlightened and Romantic belief systems. In an effort not so much to advocate against Enlightened thinking, but rather to encourage caution in the pursuit of knowledge, Shelley developed a number of story lines within the novel involving characters battling with the desire for more knowledge and in turn, personal glory: