Ruins_of_the_Empires

=Ruins of the Empires=


 * __Constantin Francoise de Chasseboeuf Volney__**

French philosopher, historian, and politician. "His principal work, //Les Ruines; ou, Méditation sur les révolutions des empires// (1791), which popularized religious skepticism, was influential not only in France but also in England and the United States; it went through many translations and editions and stimulated much controversy."(encyclopedia)

In 1791, Constantin Francoise de Casseboeuf Volney created a work which influenced Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. This work was __The Ruins, or Meditation on the Revolution of Empires__, or simply __The Ruins of the Empires__. Volney's philosphophy, which in conjunction with his __Law of Nature__, went on to be a major influnence in __Frankenstein__. In order to fully develop connections between these two works, we must first learn about __The Ruins of the Empire__ and juxtapose these findings to Shelly's __Frankenstein__.

__**Ideas in Frankenstein Seen From Volney's Text**__

“Formed naked in body and in mind, man at first found himself thrown, as it were by chance, on a rough and savage land: an orphan, abandoned by the unknown power which had produced him, he saw not by his side beings descended from heaven to warn him of those wants which arise only from his senses, nor to instruct him in those duties which spring only from his wants.” (Ruins of the Empires, Chp VI)

Mary Shelley uses this idea in __Frankenstein__ to accentuate the fact that Victor abandoned his creation. Also religious allusion to Adam and Eve on both sides(Mary Shelley's and Volney's)

“Virtue, then, consists in dying! The wicked man is indefatigable in consummating his crime, and the just is discouraged from doing good at the first obstacle he encounters! But such is the human heart. A little success intoxicates man with confidence; a reverse overturns and confounds him. Always given up to the sensation of the moment, he seldom judges things from their nature, but from the impulse of his passion.” (Ruins of the Empires, Chp XIII)

Victor created his monster and as he made progress, he became so fixated on his work he detached himself from family and friends. However, when it was completed, he wished he had never created such a monstrosity. He felt disgust towards something that had the potential to act normally. Appearance dragged him away from his creation; he abandoned the creature.

“When, therefore, men could pass long days in leisure, and in communication of their thoughts, they began to contemplate the earth, the heavens, and their own existence as objects of curiosity and reflection; they remarked the course of the seasons, the action of the elements, the properties of fruits and plants; and applied their thoughts to the multiplication of their enjoyments.” (Chp VII)

Much of the initial events of the creature's existence seem to mimic Volney’s theories on the beginning of man. Volney believes that man’s creator left him in the world to fend for himself, much like Victor left his creature to do the same. Volney even provides a hypothetical quote from man's creator to man, which seems as if it could have been said to the creature by his creator as well:

"Feeble work of my hands, I owe thee nothing, and I give thee life; the world wherein I placed thee was not made for thee, yet I give thee the use of it; thou wilt find in it a mixture of good and evil; it is for thee to distinguish them; for thee to guide thy footsteps in a path containing thorns as well as roses. Be the arbiter of thine own fate; I put thy destiny into thine own hands!" (Ruins of the Empires, Ch. V)

Of course, Frankenstein was driven from his creation due more to disgust than the apathy the quote seems to imply, but the creature nonetheless finds himself in a similar situation early in his life. The creature, after being left on it's own, came to touch with it's senses. Curiosity of nature led him to develop his senses as well. For example, fire gave him touch and smell. His ability to observe the changing of the seasons and developing a feeling as to which season is most comfortable to him is another example of how the creature learns the properties of nature and it's beautifulness/ugliness. The creature describes the mastery of his senses and his learning about the world around him:

“Several changes of day and night passed, and the orb of night had greatly lessened, when I began to distinguish my sensations from each other. I gradually saw plainly the clear stream that supplied me with drink and the trees that shaded me with their foliage. I was delighted when I first discovered that a pleasant sound, which often saluted my ears, proceeded from the throats of the little winged animals who had often intercepted the light from my eyes. I began also to observe, with greater accuracy, the forms that surrounded me and to perceive the boundaries of the radiant roof of light which canopied me.” (Frankenstein, Ch. 11)

The creature uses his senses to learn more about nature, and, in turn, learns to distinguish and use them as well. Volney believed that man learned his first lessons about the world through his senses, and gained control of them with time, just as the creature did. For moral values, however, the creature needed to turn elsewhere for teaching:

“Children of nature, how long will you walk in the paths of ignorance? how long will you mistake the true principles of morality and religion? Come and learn its lessons from nations truly pious and learned, in civilized countries. ” (Chp XII)

The creature learns most of his morals and religious knowledge through listening to the inhabitants of a small house/cottage where he would reside somewhere close. However, the creature learns some 'bad' morals through listening to them. That, combined with the embarrassment he felt of their reaction towards him when he tried to talk to one, made him angry he couldn't assimilate into society with other people.

"The narrator meets a spirit whilst contemplating the ruins of a long lost civilization." (Ghost Stories) (Ghost Stories) //"Suddenly on my left, by the glimmering light of the moon, through the columns and ruins of a neighboring temple, I thought I saw an apparition, pale, clothes in large flowing robes, such as spectres are painted rising from their tombs.//" (Ruins of the Empires) (The picture and caption come from an 1890 American edition of the text). The ghost argues that it's the fault of humans which causes societies to decline. -When Victor sees the creature nearing towards him he gets frightened. However the creature shares with Victor his experiences and discoveries. The creature continues with his journey only to find that everyone is frightened of him. The creature becomes angry and starts to realized his creator destroyed his personal perception of human society (not to mention society's perception of the creature).


 * __Literal Introduction of Volney's Text In Frankenstein__**

Felix used Volney's Ruins of the Empires to teach Saphie to speak their language. From listening to Felix read to her, the creature also learns to speak their language and learns the goods and evils in history and society. He also learns a lot from listening to the cottagers alone. He learns human companionship/relationships, history, values and morals, etc. However, he knew he couldn't be like them or associate with anyone because he was different. He wanted to be normal but he decided to ask Victor to build him a female companion to allow him to cure his loneliness. (Chapter 13, Frankenstein)

__Works Cited__ http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Volney-C.html __[|__http://annourbis.com/Ruins-of -Empire/ruins10.html__]__ http://traumwerk.stanford.edu:3455/71/66