Preview

The Hours

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1226 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Hours
Essay Two
In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, one of the major themes is the idea that the monster is a representation of the monster within all of us. Also, that the romantic age, which was prominent during the time in which Shelley was writing, was one of the conflicting mindsets that led to Victor Frankenstein’s manipulating and controlling nature, which throws him out of his mind and down a destructive path towards the creation of the monster. In The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein, Peter Ackroyd takes the metaphors and themes present in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and makes them more literal in his reimagined work. In Ackroyd’s novel, he sets out to inform the reader that the horrors shown in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein are more real than we would like to believe due to the effects of Romanticism, the Enlightenment, and Atheism.
Peter Ackroyd’s intent when writing The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein was depict the metaphor present in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in a more realistic manner. One of the main themes that Ackroyd reimagines form Shelley’s book is the theme that the monster exists within all of us. In Shelley’s version, the monster and Victor feel as though they are “two sides of the same soul.” Although they are two separate things, they both feel as though there is some sort of connection between them. In Ackroyd’s reimagining, instead of having Victor and the monster as two separate people, he depicts them as just a split personality of Victor. As Victor tries to flee the city, he claims, “I had the most curious notion that someone else was running beside me.”1 Victor also feels as though he “might have been fleeing from someone.”2 As he is running, Victor “was about to fall upon the ground when, to [his] astonishment and fear, something seemed to lift [him] up and save [him] from falling.”3 Even early on it is apparent that his split personality has begun, and we see the monster beginning to take shape. He has the unknowing urge to be one with

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Although both works offer an entertaining read, the moral ambiguity in Frankenstein, owing itself to the compassion and capacity for evil that coexist within Victor, enables those who read the novel to question whether similar tendencies exist within themselves. Primarily, however, analyzing two protagonists who address the same moral quandary demonstrates the evolutionary nature of literature. Because the introspective personality of Victor in Frankenstein so well reflects the Romantic period during which Shelley wrote the novel, comparing it to Doctor Faustus, an earlier work of fiction that discusses a similar topic, offers insight into the development of English literature over…

    • 1788 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    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…

    • 1464 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    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.…

    • 1034 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Frankenstein Essay

    • 2201 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, is arguably one of the most controversial novels of the 19th Century. It discusses the concept of science verses human conscience in a technological world. The Gothic atmosphere of the novel reflects the dark feelings of society at the time, and Shelley utilised pathetic fallacy, her chosen form and imagery to suggest a twist on the real monster of her story. Shelley uses poetical language and perspective to emphasise how the monster is a model Romaticist, and to express the importance of belonging and communication to a judgemental society. Symbols, contrasts and ‘heavenly’ adjectives are used to portray Victor Frankenstein as a God-like figure; expressing how we must never interfere with nature’s course and take on God’s role to the knowledge-greedy culture of the 1800’s, which was consumed with the Industrial Revolution. Shelley has manipulated her writing to convey her personal ideologies, and to reflect her concern for a loss of ethics in a society fixated on the pursuit for answers.…

    • 2201 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    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.…

    • 689 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Frankenstein Comparative

    • 1148 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, is considered one of the greatest literary works of the Romantic period. It is a tale of a man creating a monster, who then rejects it. Frankenstein, for decades, has been viewed as a horrific monster, but now, having studied both film and novel by Mary Shelley, and the author herself, I can see that the creature is not a monster, but is almost childlike. Having taken an immediate interest to the particular scene of “The Creation” of the creature, I have decided to focus solely on that chapter for my comparative.…

    • 1148 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cultural, religious and scientific influences are deeply intertwined in Frankenstein. The novel’s cultural aspect is introduced at the beginning of the novel when Victor’s drive for knowledge is introduced, which leads to the introduction of the science aspect, in which Victor animates lifeless matter. The birth of his monster establishes the religious aspect the nature of evil becomes questionable. In this essay, Shelley’s manipulation of the religion, scientific, and cultural aspects of the novel will be analyzed. Throughout the novel Frankenstein, Shelley manipulates…

    • 312 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Frankenstein as a novel would not be nearly as emotion evoking—and thus not nearly as successful of a tragedy—if the suffering had only been Victor’s. Although not completely fair, the guilt is assigned to him along with the monster for the many deaths and sadness. Henry’s dreams of future work, Elizabeth’s dreams of a happy marriage, and William’s childhood were all taken…

    • 367 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the novel “Frankenstein” plot deals with the conflict that is inside Victor Frankenstein, who produces a monstrous creature. Victor is disgusted at the site of the creature he has created. "I had gazed on him while unfinished; he was ugly then, but when those muscles and joints were rendered capable of motion, it became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived"(43). After Victor rejects the monster, he meets a family that brings out his sensitive side. When these people reject him, the creature destroys everything in sight. "I was like a wild beast that had broken the toils, destroying the objects that obstructed me and ranging through the wood with a stag like swiftness"(121). The innocent Justine is accused of a murder, committed by the creature, and dies, therefore increasing Victor's feelings of guilt and his need for revenge. Victor makes it his mission to destroy the monster, who has been ruining his life. The monster threatens to be there with Victor on his wedding night. Victor interprets this as a threat against his own life, but instead finds his wife, Elizabeth, murdered. "She was there, lifeless and inanimate, thrown across the bed, her head hanging down and her pale and distorted features half covered by her hair"(179). The next paragraph discusses how loss of innocence was portrayed through setting.…

    • 833 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein explores the concepts of knowledge and science and the dangers involved with the pursuit and investigation of these ideas. The novel conveys Shelley’s attitudes towards science by portraying it as having the capability to exceed the bounds of human restraint. Through the development of her protagonist Victor Frankenstein, the romantic and gothic aspects of her novel, the period of 1818 and the influences of the world she was living in that are evident in the novel and the exploration of the human need for love and relationships.…

    • 1491 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    A Monster Misunderstood

    • 787 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Shelley's Frankenstein is a novel that was published in 1831. The story seems to center around Victor Frankenstein. As a reader, however, one does not appreciate the creature's perspective until the climax of the book. The monster is abandoned by his creator and is left to fend for himself in world that does not understand him. This paper will focus solely on the opposing side of the story. The creature's path is examined from his creation, outcast, learning process, voyage to locate Victor, request for a mate, and the subsequent revenge against Victor for not upholding his promise.…

    • 787 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Over the past few centuries, the intellectuals of society have made countless advances in science and the development of technology, which, to different degrees, have all benefitted mankind. These scientific discoveries are a result of man’s thirst for and dedication to acquiring knowledge, information, and power. The innate curiosity and desire for understanding in an individual can grow so immense that his or her moral and ethical boundaries erode, which results in disastrous consequences for all who are involved. The novel Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, is both a warning and a plea about the dangers of misusing academic prowess and the consequences that result because of the reckless pursuit of scientific progress. Victor Frankenstein is a scientist that, after becoming obsessed with discovering the secret to life, abandons his moral code and tries to play God by attempting to create life where there is none. The potential rewards of this endeavor cause Victor to forgo all prudence when considering the consequences of his actions, which allows the experiment to progress till completion. The novel can be read as a criticism of the perusal of enlightenment science and philosophy. Victor’s failure of allowing his ambitions to blind him is highlighted by the mistakes of the monster.…

    • 1552 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    There are many different readings of ‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley, first published in 1818. The traditional reading sees the novel being about a man getting punished by God for crossing his domain. Many different Gothic themes are used in the novel to create a sense of fear in the audience, not just in the fear of science but the fear of the power of science and the influence this power has on Victor’s character.…

    • 1084 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Most of us have read the novel Frankenstein. There are many themes that come along with one of the first gothic, romantic science fiction novels of the 17th century. Mary Shelly used her background life to create this horror book. She influenced future horror films for decades to come, Halloween costume ideas and quote upon quotes. Although this book carried the obvious Halloween-feel themes Shelly had a greater meaning for the book. Shelly believed in the need of human connections and the importance for a person’s actions and for a person’s relationship with others. This novel held dangerous knowledge and how knowledge can affect a community, sublime nature and the soothing affects it has when a person can be upset, monstrosity, secrecy, passive women and their role in a community, and abortion (Randy, Messerli). Victor Frankenstein soon becomes obsessed with the thought of reanimation after taking many science classes with his professor. After reanimating a soul from many different body parts, Victor soon regrets his decision thus abandoning his creature and creating an abortion theme.…

    • 1565 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    the hours

    • 274 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In Michael Cunningham’s novel “The Hours”, all three of the main female characters- Clarissa, Virginia and Laura- feels caught in familial, social and public roles. Using examples from the book, discuss what these ‘performances’ suggest about how normalcy and sanity are aligned with the ability to act out social roles. Which of the characters refuse to play a role, and what price does he/she play for refusal? Drawing on your first essay, discuss how Cunningham’s portrayal of those characters mirror the commentary of ‘illness’ that Woolf makes through Septimus Warren Smith.…

    • 274 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays