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Examples Of Monstrosity In Frankenstein

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Examples Of Monstrosity In Frankenstein
How does Mary Shelley shape our response to ideas about monstrosity in Frankenstein?

Monstrosity is a key theme raised in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Our responses towards monstrosity include sympathy towards the creature, spite towards the creator, questioning of who actually is the real monster (whether it be the creature, or Frankenstein himself) and the consideration of the Rousseau's idea of human's being born innocent until corrupted (turned monstrous) by society's ideals. Mary Shelley has effectively shaped our responses towards monstrosity in this way by using several techniques. These techniques include the three level narrative structure, which is linked with the personalities and experiences of the characters, symbolism and imagery …show more content…
The use of imagery portrays ideas visually, which is ultimately more effective in causing the responder to respond in a certain way. For example, Shelley portrays the bleak, miserable world in which the creature is born into as full of hypocrisy, oppression and prejudice. He experiences immediate neglect and is left to fend for himself. "I was a poor, helpless, miserable wretch...feeling pain invade me on all sides. I sat down and wept... The whole village roused; some fled, some attacked me, until, grievously bruised by stones and many other kinds of missile weapons, I escaped to the open country and fearfully took refuge..." This powerful imagery causes us to visualise and place ourselves in the situation of the creature, thus feeling his pain and his suffering. This in turn causes us again to sympathise deeply with the creature, and also for us to consider and perhaps believe the Rousseau's idea of a child being born innocent until corrupted by society. The creature symbolises this innocence, while the neglect and suffering of the creature symbolises the process of corruption. It is through the creatures suffering that he eventually becomes 'monstrous'. Shelly suggests that the creature's destructive transgressions are an effect of the enormity of his suffering, and that at heart, he is essentially innocent, and more importantly, essentially human. This in turn causes us to consider who the real monster actually is, whether it be the creature because of his unsightly appearance, or whether it be Victor because of his heartlessness. Shelley cleverly uses the technique of imagery and symbolism to shape our responses towards monstrosity and the ideas surrounding
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