Essay On Mary Shelley And H. G. Wells

While both authors write science fiction as a way to express their views on society and life within the 19th century, the two published their novels eighty years apart, have different views of religion, and execute expression of those views in very different ways. While these approaches may be more due to literary choices than then any other reason, Shelley and Wells’ time periods and standings in society may also dictate how they write societal issues in their novels. Wells is bolder with how he expresses his views, while Shelley is much more unstated in her approach. As previously said, Shelley may do this in order to make her novel more accessible of all belief systems. She may not have pushed her religious ideas very hard in order to allow
Wells successfully use their novels to comment on the societal and religious matters of their times. While many believe science and religion have a hard time fitting together, the two authors are able to use religion in order in enhance their novels and make commentary on real issues. H.G. Wells uses his character, the curate, to show his belief that science is superior, his contempt for religion, and comment on the human condition of the time period. The curate is of little use and goes mad when faced with the Martian invasion and his inflicting scientific views. However, he does say that God is punishing humanity for its treatment poor and the needy constantly, and therefore acts as a carrier of Wells’ message. As Wells has stated in his previous works, humans need to treat other humans with more equality and compassion. Shelley, on the other hand, uses the entirety of Frankenstein to comment on the importance of religion in the Industrial Revolution as well as caution scientists and proponents of science against “playing god”. Shelley believes that amount of power is dangerous and is a very real threat to humanity. Her readers see this in Victor’s creation of a vengeful monster and his inevitable demise. By choosing to make her novel an allegory of creationism, Shelley ties all of her ideas about society, religion, and science into one focal point. Through these mixtures of science and religion Shelley and Wells are