Othello and Frankenstein Essay

From Man to Monster When monsters are thought of a very distinct picture comes to mind. An ugly creature that is out for blood, born into a life where causing misery is his driving force. Do these features really define what a monster is; works of literature like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Shakespeare’s Othello tell quite a different story. Monsters are not born but made just as people are not born evil but can sometimes end up there. Othello and the Monster start of as good men looking to be part of society but were pushed out because of what others perceived them to be. This caused them to mentally and physically isolate themselves from everyone allowing hatred to take over. Iago and Frankenstein also helped to instill thoughts and emotions in these characters that ultimately changed their path from good to evil. Both the characters of Othello and the Monster transform into monstrous beings due to their desire to be accepted, isolation, and relationship with their antagonists. Othello and the Monster were constantly ridiculed by other character based on their “other” persona. Othello as a black man with such a high military position was very rare if not unheard of. Even with position he was seen as the stereo typical black male, less than human and wicked. Iago made his thoughts on Othello known, though not as himself when telling Brabantio of Othello and Desdemona’s elopement, “Your daughter/And the moor are now making the beats with two backs” (Shakespeare, I, i, 116-117). Othello is made out to be an animal based on the colour of his skin and lies that others chose to believe. As he is subjected to these stereotypes he begins to become them. These ideas of a wicked, animalistic, less than human don’t seem so far off by the end of the play. Likewise stereotypes have a large impact on the Monster transformation from a harmless creation to what is society deems a monster. Based on his appearance the characters in the story see this creation as a “Devil”

Cited: Shakespeare, William, and Roma Gill. Othello. New ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009. Print. Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, and Marilyn Butler. Frankenstein, or, The modern Prometheus. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994. Print.