Scientific Experiment Breakdowns As A Response To The Science Ravenousness In Shelley's Frakenstein And Stevenson's DR Jekyll And MR Hyde

Abstract

This research examines the breakdowns of scientific experiments as a response to excessive scientific ambition in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Both novels portray scientists who attempt to explore the limits of human knowledge but eventually face destructive consequences. Victor Frankenstein seeks to overcome the boundary between life and death by creating a living creature, while Dr Henry Jekyll conducts an experiment intended to separate the conflicting aspects of human nature. Their scientific pursuits raise questions about ambition, responsibility, morality, and the limitations of scientific knowledge.

The objectives of this research are to identify the factors that lead to the failure of the scientific experiments in both novels, analyze the relationship between the scientists' excessive ambition and the consequences of their experiments, and compare the authors' representations of scientific responsibility. This research employs a qualitative descriptive method using a comparative literary approach. The primary data consist of words, sentences, dialogues, and narrative passages taken from both novels. The data are collected through close reading, note-taking, and classification, then analyzed using relevant concepts of characterization, scientific ambition, and moral responsibility.

The analysis is expected to reveal that the breakdowns of the experiments arise not simply from technical limitations but also from the scientists' failure to consider the ethical and personal consequences of their actions. Frankenstein neglects his creation and refuses to accept responsibility for its welfare, whereas Jekyll underestimates the destructive potential of separating his darker impulses from his identity. Although their experiments differ in purpose and outcome, both narratives illustrate the dangers of pursuing knowledge without sufficient ethical consideration. In conclusion, the novels present scientific ambition as potentially destructive when it is detached from responsibility, self-awareness, and concern for others.