Importance Of Othering In Frankenstein
The concept of the ‘other’ is used by society to separate people into groups using slanted and/or biased standards. In literature, such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the act of ‘othering’ is used to explore ideas of class, gender roles, politics, self and social separation. In the novel, Victor Frankenstein’s creation suffers the greatest othering, but this condition can be applied to almost all the characters since they live outside the norm due to familial or societal problems. The monster and the other characters experience similar dilemmas and are forced to live in less-than-ideal worlds of good and evil on the margins of society – some by choice and some by circumstance. Even in their social isolation, they pursue answers to the shared
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Robert Walton, who sets up the main narrative with his own tale, is also ‘outside’ of society. He is an explorer traveling to the North Pole, lamenting the lack of real friendship while seeking the “country of eternal light” (Shelley 51). His othering is by choice because he is the one that makes the decision to explore the world that is significantly separated from society, thereby reducing any real chances of finding friendship. And there is also Victor Frankenstein, an outsider in his own right. Like the character of Walton, Victor is responsible to a great extent for having placed himself outside of society, having estranged himself from his loving family. His choice to study “the change from life to death, and death to life” and his subsequent quest in “bestowing animation upon lifeless matter” also makes him an outsider within scientific circles as well (Shelly 79). There are many different female characters in the novel, but they are all outside the central story and strangers to the reader. From Justine Moritz, the household servant/quasi-sister that Victor Frankenstein allows to be sacrificed due to his inaction, to Margaret Saville, the sister of Robert Walden, whose voice is never heard and exists only in
Robert Walton, who sets up the main narrative with his own tale, is also ‘outside’ of society. He is an explorer traveling to the North Pole, lamenting the lack of real friendship while seeking the “country of eternal light” (Shelley 51). His othering is by choice because he is the one that makes the decision to explore the world that is significantly separated from society, thereby reducing any real chances of finding friendship. And there is also Victor Frankenstein, an outsider in his own right. Like the character of Walton, Victor is responsible to a great extent for having placed himself outside of society, having estranged himself from his loving family. His choice to study “the change from life to death, and death to life” and his subsequent quest in “bestowing animation upon lifeless matter” also makes him an outsider within scientific circles as well (Shelly 79). There are many different female characters in the novel, but they are all outside the central story and strangers to the reader. From Justine Moritz, the household servant/quasi-sister that Victor Frankenstein allows to be sacrificed due to his inaction, to Margaret Saville, the sister of Robert Walden, whose voice is never heard and exists only in