Composed during the Industrial Revolution at a time of increased scientific experimentation, Shelley warns and forebodes her enlightened society of the consequences which come about from playing god. She uses Victor Frankenstein as her platform, whose self-exalting line “many excellent natures would owe their being to me” represents a society engrossed with reanimation. Recurring mythical allusions to Prometheus, “how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge” portray Victor as a tragic hero; a noble character whose “fatal flaw” of blind ambition ultimately results in his own downfall and dehumanization, “swallowed up every habit of my nature”. In addition, Victor’s impulsive rejection of his grotesque creation, leads to the Monster’s rebellion (“vowed eternal hated and vengeance to all mankind”).…
Shelley’s Gothic novel, Frankenstein, explores the complex nature of mankind by considering the consequences of an unrestricted pursuit of science. A rise in scientific experimentation with Galvanism during Shelley’s time is reflected through the protagonist Victor as he uses it to bestow life. Shelley portrays Victor and the Creature as complex beings, demonstrating both inhuman and human qualities. Despite this, the subsequent rejection by his creator and the De Lacy family drives the Creature to ‘eternal rejection and vengeance of mankind’. Victor’s initial response when meeting the creature, demonstrates his savage, cruel treatment and lack of responsibility towards his creation.…
By questioning the attributes of a human being and how one becomes integrated into society, Shelley has explored the nature of humanity through the complex characters of Frankenstein. After Victor Frankenstein, a revolutionary scientist for his time, created life using an amalgamation of body parts he rejects his grotesque Creature who becomes scarred by experiences of rejection by society and suffers from estrangement and loneliness. The Creature challenges the Romantic values of Shelley’s time, as his tendency for violence is contrasted with his yearning for returned compassion. Writers in the Romantic period explored the qualities that defined the human experience, such as compassion. The juxtaposition of the Creature’s acts of extreme violence such as the murders of Elizabeth and Clerval (Frankenstein’s wife and good friend), with the acts of kindness he hoped would integrate him into society, such as the gathering of wood for the migrant family. By juxtaposing…
After the monster found victor in his room he was filled with anger “You have destroyed the work which you began; what is it that you intend?” (120). In addition, the monster asked “endured incalculable fatigue, and cold, and hunger; do you dare destroy my hopes?” (120). Subsequent to the monster braking in to Victor’s room and escaping in his own boat, Victor was filled with rage. “The night passed away, and the sun rose from the ocean; my feelings became calmer, if it may be called calmness, when the violence of rage sinks into the depths of despair” (121). One main event that started the quench for the undying hatred and sorrow was the death of Victor’s son, William. The monster decided to give the humans one last chance. When he stumbled upon a child, “suddenly, as I gazed on him, an idea seized me, that this little creature was unprejudiced, and had lived too short of a time to have imbibed a horror of deformity” (100). Soon after his encounter with the child, the monster realized that the young boy was just like everyone else he has met. “Hideous monster! Let me go; my papa is a Syndic-he is M. Frankenstein-he would punish you. You dare not keep me” (100). The creature also learned that the child he gave one last chance to was the son of Victor Frankenstein. “Frankenstein! you belong then to my enemy-to him towards whom I have sworn…
The book “Frankenstein” by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley discusses Victor Frankenstein's life before the creation and after. The monster wasn’t made for mass destruction but godful life. Seeking revenge for rejection from mankind, the creature creates loneliness in Victor’s life. The question “Is man born evil or is evil created in man by society” is answered in the book because the creature wasn’t born evil. Over the years he grew a dark side because of no guidance, rejection, failure, and jealousy.…
Frankenstein, written in 1818 by Mary Shelley, is a novel written in a narrative structure and in the characters’ point of view which makes more easy and understandable for readers to know the characters’ feelings and thoughts. The story illustrates how the main character Victor Frankenstein, falls into a total destruction due to the usage of his superficial knowledge to play God by creating an abhorrent monster. As a result of his imprudent behavior, the monster undergoes a lot of hardships such as loneliness and ignorance which affect its life hugely. By the halfway of the novel, the monster tells Victor how lonely and sad it is compared to Adam who is the first creation of God. The monster’s speech manifests how appearance has a significant…
In her novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley portrays her idea that creatures are born with good intentions, but this innocence is soon snatched away by the gnarled hands of life. The monster, when he is first created, wanders until he finds a family which he observes intently. At first the monster would steal some of their food, but “when [he] found that in doing this [he] inflicted pain on the cottagers, [he] abstained” (Shelley 99). The monster has been alive for a very short period of time and knows little of social norms, yet he has an instinctive predisposition towards good actions. Victor was also innocent in his youth, and remembers fondly how he was raised by devoted parents. Victor recalls, “I was so guided by a silken cord that all seemed…
Frankenstein’s creation should be considered an anti-hero because although the monster does not portray pure morals, it has concealed intentions covered with emotional complexities. After Frankenstein abandons his own creation, the monster shows its genuine and noble side by attempting to create a friendship with the old man and his family. Although the monster was charged out of the house, it exemplifies the ideals of a “flawed hero” on the monster, showing its honest attempts to become apart of the human race even if he is shunned out of the rest of society.…
There is nothing worse than feeling detested and abhorred by society, especially if this hatred is caused solely by one's physical appearance. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley uses the Creature to show how people are inherently good, but compelled to become evil only when ostracized by their fellow man. Although the Creature is initially full of love and is surrounded by examples of human happiness, he finds himself excluded from this happiness, through no fault of his own. The creature turns to evil only after he is spurned by humanity. Two tragic events lead to his transformation: being rejected by his 'family' - the De Laceys, and being rejected by his creator - Victor Frankenstein.…
An American Singer, Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi’s song Up Up and Away lyrics state “in the end they'll judge me any way so whatever.” That “whatever” at the end is what society creates. People start acting the way that society perceives them to be because they are so irked of being criticized for actions they aren’t responsible of performing. In the book Frankenstein, the society had created an image for the Creature, calling him a monster, even though he wasn’t, but eventually he became what the society thought of him to be because “whatever.” Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, using the Creature and his tragic story, portrays the theme that society creates evil by encompassing the idea that society sets standards, then judges people…
The character of The Creature in Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, endures a life of denial, abandonment and isolation. Due to his unusual appearance, society and his creator, Victor Frankenstein, reject him. The creature was crafted into an innocent being with no evidence of any previous knowledge. He is developed into an actual monster due to his unstable upbringing as well as a life without companionship. It is deemed that the creature is an evil being, but in reality it is due unfortunate life of loneliness that lead him to perform unjust actions. The character of the creature should not be viewed as evil, but unloved as it is evident from the hatred his creator had for him, his desperation for a companion and society’s denial towards him that he was ultimately not an evil being.…
In Mary Shelley’s book Frankenstein, many themes are presented throughout the story. However, through the impact of historical events during the 19th century, Victor’s relationship with the monster, and the influence of Victor’s mother, causes both Victor and his monster to grow hatred between each other. Therefore, the idea of revenge is the most prominent theme in the book.…
In his attempts to make contact with people the monster first encounters the De Lacey family, he secretly examines the family and the way that they live. He learns how the family helps each other out when they are in need. Before encountering the De Lacey family, the monster had never witnessed hospitality and compassion since he was chased from everywhere else he had been. The monster realizes that the world is not as cruel of a place as he had previously assumed. Learning this new style of life, the monster obtains a motive to keep living. When confronting Mr. De Lacey he opens a conversation, not knowing his hideous appearance, other family members entered the house and were horrified. “Felix, Mr. De Lacey's son, dashed me to the ground and struck me violently with a stick” (Chp. 7) Felix's impulsive reaction to the monster's presence corrupted the monster's friendly view on life, and once again saw the harsh and cruel actions that he previously experienced. Along with the savage beating that the monster had suffered, the De Lacey family had again twisted the monster's feelings, allowing it to crawl back to loneliness and misery. Having such a horrible experience the monster turns vengeful not because it’s evil, but because its isolation fills it with crushing hate and anger. And what is the monster’s vengeance? To make Victor as isolated as himself. The De Lacey family had an enormous impact on the monster's life. They taught him that people can be civil and hospitable creatures. The family had also proved that many people do not easily accept those that are different from them. Unfortunately, for the monster, he had to find out the hard way, with a beating and with…
The creature created by Victor Frankenstein was very vicious and evil as described in the story. The book creates an image of the creature as a monster that murders people close to Victor. The monster is actually a victim of an injustice taking place. The creature understands that in his life there is no justice, he tries to make himself perfect in order to change his injustice, and the willingness of searching for fairness gives the story a sense of inspiration and life lessons.…
The monster continually calls out for sensibility from the romantic. The monster has a desire for companionship, and implores of his creator to make him a being of his own species. The monster also desires to be accepted by mankind. The final way the monster displays sensibility is through his desire to learn. He displays his capabilities of learning at the beginning of his creation, and continues to grow throughout the novel. Victor Frankenstein shows the individualistic, mystic, and love of nature side of romanticism. He displays individualism through his desire to be his own creator. He also rejects the help from others, and strives on selfish ambition. Victor shows the mysticism, through gaining power of being his own god. Finally, he shows a love for nature, through taking the time to breathe and admire the beautiful countryside around him. Romanticism is concluded in the comparison of the two characters, and how similar their situations are. Victor Frankenstein and the monster both have a strong desire for love from others around them. They also show great passion for sympathy from others, which they do not necessarily receive. Their situations are unrealistic, and portray the case of non-neoclassicism. Both Frankenstein and the monster experience deep sorrow throughout the entire novel. This experience is heightened when the monster is denied a companion and Victor loses all of his loved ones. In the end, both Victor and the creature share their desire for friendship, which neither fully obtain, due to the circumstances of the rejection and bitterness. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, displays the aspects of Romanticism through Frankenstein and his creature; they display sensibility, individualism, love of nature, non-neoclassicism, and…