Frankenstein as an Inverse Creation Story
Tamara Rosendall
Mr. VanderKolk
AP Literature
19 April 2013
Who is God: The Creator or the Created? Many find the popular TV show, Toddlers in Tiaras, to be entertaining. Some like the show for the drama while some like watching it to see all the little girls dressed up in frilly dresses and costumes. However, when analyzing the content of the show, one may see that the parents aren’t really the ones in charge—their prima donna daughter is. The reversed order of authority also plays a part in the gothic novel Frankenstein. Mary Shelley uses the characters of Victor Frankenstein and the monster to display a contradiction to the creation story in the Bible through her novel Frankenstein. Their relationship inverts the account of creation in the Bible through the creator’s view of his creation, the duties of the creator to his creation, and who plays the role of God. In Genesis 1, God sees His creation and acknowledges it as very good. Contrastingly, Victor sees his creation as wretched and evil. In the event of creating an immortal being, Frankenstein believes that it will turn out beautiful and flawless. However, upon seeing the creature open its yellow eyes, Victor was “unable to endure the aspect of the being [he] had created, [so he] rushed out of the room,” (Shelley, p. 35). He could not bear to observe the unsightly being he made, whereas in the Bible, God made man perfect and was pleased. Years after fleeing from the hateful creature, Victor stumbles into the path of the monster, whom he addresses as devil. The monster rebukes him, “you, my creator, detest and spurn me, thy creature…you purpose to kill me,” (Shelley, p. 68). This reaction is in opposition to God’s reaction of love to Adam and His gift of eternal life to man. In a later encounter, the creature inquires of Frankenstein why he made him in the way that he did. He pries, “why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust? God, in pity, made man beautiful and
Mr. VanderKolk
AP Literature
19 April 2013
Who is God: The Creator or the Created? Many find the popular TV show, Toddlers in Tiaras, to be entertaining. Some like the show for the drama while some like watching it to see all the little girls dressed up in frilly dresses and costumes. However, when analyzing the content of the show, one may see that the parents aren’t really the ones in charge—their prima donna daughter is. The reversed order of authority also plays a part in the gothic novel Frankenstein. Mary Shelley uses the characters of Victor Frankenstein and the monster to display a contradiction to the creation story in the Bible through her novel Frankenstein. Their relationship inverts the account of creation in the Bible through the creator’s view of his creation, the duties of the creator to his creation, and who plays the role of God. In Genesis 1, God sees His creation and acknowledges it as very good. Contrastingly, Victor sees his creation as wretched and evil. In the event of creating an immortal being, Frankenstein believes that it will turn out beautiful and flawless. However, upon seeing the creature open its yellow eyes, Victor was “unable to endure the aspect of the being [he] had created, [so he] rushed out of the room,” (Shelley, p. 35). He could not bear to observe the unsightly being he made, whereas in the Bible, God made man perfect and was pleased. Years after fleeing from the hateful creature, Victor stumbles into the path of the monster, whom he addresses as devil. The monster rebukes him, “you, my creator, detest and spurn me, thy creature…you purpose to kill me,” (Shelley, p. 68). This reaction is in opposition to God’s reaction of love to Adam and His gift of eternal life to man. In a later encounter, the creature inquires of Frankenstein why he made him in the way that he did. He pries, “why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust? God, in pity, made man beautiful and
Cited: Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. 3rdrd ed. London: Colburn and Bentley, 1831. N. pag. Print.