TWINAGERS NEWS 
                                                                                                                                                                         02/11/07

Science : beyond the limits
 

        Science has got enormous possibilities: it can solve lots of problems and improve our life conditions. Nowadays, with staminal cells, nuclear energy and much more, somebody highly wonder if  it is fair to limit science. But did this question exist also in the past? After reading the novels “Frankenstein or the modern Prometheus” by M. Shelley and “The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by R. L. Stevenson, we can say that also during the early and mid 19^th century this question was debated. In fact in these two novels we can find the figure of the “Overreacher”, the scientist who wants to go over the traditional limits. On one hand,  we have Victor Frankenstein, who executes dreadful experiments with dead bodies and, using galvanism, succeeds in giving life to his “creature”. Here there is a strong opposition between Dr. Frankenstein and the traditional scientist, Monsieur Krempe.

        In “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” Jekyll is the overreacher; he wants to extend his scientific studies to the field of the double nature of our soul. It is this interest to so ominously and mysterious  matters that causes the break of the friendship between Jekyll and Lanyon (the traditional scientist of this novel).

The novel “Frankenstein” is also called “The modern Prometheus”. In the Greek myth, Prometheus was a titan who stole fire from the Gods to give it to men; “Frankenstein” is a modern transposition of this myth: the scientist Victor Frankenstein is similar to the titan, because he discovers the secret of life (the “fire”), that belongs to God.  

        Moreover, in Frankenstein the theme of the relationship between science and ethics is also relevant, while it is marginal in “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. In fact from the first novel it emerges that science is not damaging, but it is our use of it that can make science useful or dangerous: the creature becomes a killer only after “he” enters society.

        So, according to Mary Shelley’s thought, scientists have the duty to be careful and aware about their actions. And , in our opinion, this thought is still modern, although it is about 200 years old.  
                                                                                                                                        Andrea M.,Marco M. Sara A. Valentino C. Liceo Alessi  
                                                                                                                                                    con la partecipazione del liceo Lurçat