Preview

Who Was More of a 'Monster', Frankenstein or His Creation?

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
3698 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Who Was More of a 'Monster', Frankenstein or His Creation?
One approach to this question would be to say that the creature in 'Frankentein' was himself the only monster. However, as we soon realise, the creature is benevolent at heart and only becomes monstrous due to the unjust way in which society treats him. The bleak, miserable world which Shelley portrays, full of hypocrisy, oppression and prejudice gains exposure through the depiction of the monsters 'fall from grace'. It is through the monsters suffering that he becomes truly monstrous. Shelley is suggesting that the creature's misdeeds are caused by the enormity of his suffering; at heart, he is essentially good. And, more importantly, essentially human. If he is monstrous, no one but Frankenstein is to blame. When the outraged creature demands of his creator, 'How dare you sport thus with life?' the question succinctly represents the sentiments of the reader, and perhaps even of the author as well. Frankenstein, in his hypocrisy, longs to murder a being who owes its life to him. If the creature is, paradoxically, both inherently good and capable of evil, then his creator is as well. The main cause of the monster's suffering rests with none other than Victor Frankenstein himself, whose actions at the monster's birth were surely monstrous also. To desert a newborn child is to defy one of the most fundamental elements of human nature. This shows Victor to be inhumane, and hence, monstrous. It is this inner monstrosity that is reflected in the creature's hideous visage. This exposes one of the novels key themes; Frankenstein is the monster's double. It becomes clear at this point that Shelley is making use both meanings of the word monster. In modern usage, the term 'monster' has come to mean 'something frighteningly unnatural of huge dimensions'. However at the time of 'Frankenstein's' writing its meaning was quite different. In earlier usage a monster is 'someone or something to be shown' Shelley uses both definitions in order to blur the fine line between what is

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Best Essays

    Mary Shelley’s ability to create such multidimensional characters in Frankenstein proves that writing is a powerful tool that has the ability to provoke vastly different opinions amongst readers. Even though each individual reading the story is reading the exact same words, their interpretation of those words often leads to opposing views in regards to the fate of the characters. The creature, in particular, has been a popular topic of discussion when conducting a close read of the novel due to his arguable versatility as a victim and villain. The concept of the villain has evolved over the years, however its basis still rests upon the simple fact that as a character in the story, their actions are a result of malicious intentions ultimately negatively impacting the other characters in the story; that is they are the antagonist. Whether it is Tybalt from Romeo and Juliet, the wicked witch of the west from The Wizard of Oz, Lord Voldemort from Harry Potter, or Victor Frankenstein in Frankenstein, all villains possess certain traits that classify them in this category as the “evil-doers”. Villains are usually selfish, lack remorse, unbelievably obsessed with achieving their goals regardless of the repercussions of their actions, and solely concerned with attaining power. Conversely, the victims of these stories: Romeo and Juliet, Dorothy, Harry Potter and the creature, respectively, become a part of the collateral damage that results from the actions of the villains. This holds true for Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in the sense that the creature is a victim of circumstances, always having to react to the selfish actions of his creator Victor Frankenstein. The creature’s journey and fate render him a victim in this story based on the following criteria: he is essentially an orphan abandoned by his creator; his “evil” actions are driven by his yearning for love, not revenge; his actions are not malevolent as there are a reaction to the evil acts of Victor; and he feels…

    • 3240 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Frankentein, the monster’s actions are driven by emotions. This is evident when the story is told from the monster’s perspective. When first created, the being was abandoned by his creator, Victor. This hurts the monster emotionally because he cared for his creator and yet he was abandoned. When tries to integrate himself into society but is shunned and outcasted, this adds to the monster’s hurt and loneliness. The monster did not intend to hurt anyone, but a boy who was mocking him revealed himself to be William Frankenstein which is Victor’s younger brother. Due to the rage at his creator’s indifference, the monster killed the boy. The monster wants Victor to feel remorse for his actions and does this by hurting his loved ones. When he finds Victor’s body on the ship, he cries and then leaves to build a funeral pyre and die.…

    • 392 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    As humans, we have certain distinct traits that allow us to differentiate amongst others. While all humans have different attributes, they all share a common trait, and in this case, it is considered to be ‘revenge’. Revenge is “the action of hurting or harming someone in return for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands.” Throughout the course of the novel, Shelley showed us that revenge comes from one’s core; it is a trait found mostly within people who have faced some sort of betrayal from a loved one, in this case, a ‘parent’ or its ‘child’. Both parties, Frankenstein and the creature, have betrayed one another severely; and both persons were obsessed with the concept of avenging the other.…

    • 550 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the book Frankenstein, the Monster adopted a crime and hate filled life mainly because of his interactions with humans. This is a reflection of Mary Shelley's views on human nature. While Mary Shelley was writing the book, she believed that humans are mutable, and that what they become is based off of events that occur in their lives, and decisions they make during their lifetime, and the Monster is a perfect example of this; he starts out innocent, but the abandonment from Victor Frankenstein, and the harsh treatment from people turned the Monster into an angry being.…

    • 627 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The monster, although it has acquired the name Frankenstein in popular culture, remains nameless throughout the novel, signifying its lack of acceptance in a human society. The monster’s rejection stems significantly from its appearance, ranging from its "yellow skin" (Shelley 42) and "dim-white sockets" (42) to its "straight black lips” (42) and a "shriveled complexion” (42). Shelley has clearly distinguished the monster, marking the first divide between monster and human. She has also established the initial trickling of the monster’s inability to associate with humans. In fact, the monster’s own creator, Victor Frankenstein, rejects it due to its appearance and refuses to interact with the hideous beast. The monster’s appearance prevents other characters from seriously interacting with the monster, as they form a prejudice against a non-human being. The fear of that which is non-human lingers throughout Shelley’s…

    • 1844 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Shelley wants the reader to feel compassion for creature as well as for Frankenstein. She writes as though she is trying to distinguish the idea of a good or bad in a person. In her biography, written and research by the European Graduate School Program, that she is atheist and you can really tell that by reading the novel. Things such as morals and ethics can be easily leaned not only by attending the church but merely social interactions and self-education. I think that this is shown through the creature in how he is so neglected but continues to persevere and gain his own knowledge and wisdom through his sensations and passions. Mary Shelley created something more than just a…

    • 1460 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Victor Frankenstein was so caught up in if he could give a creature life that he never thought if he should. Monsters are created to keep the borders of the unknown rigid. They are a warning for people like Victor and prevent them from becoming more than they are capable of. Shelley uses Victor’s creation and immediate hatred of his monster to represent Cohens fifth thesis, and shows that the monster is there to punish his overstep of the possible.…

    • 1997 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Isolation In Frankenstein

    • 395 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Throughout the novel Frankenstein, many people view the creation as the monster, which on the surface is what we are seeing by reading this text. However, as pointed out by writer Josh Traynelis, by reading into the text and digging out the small details provided in the reading, people begin to believe that maybe the creator is in fact the one that deserves to be called the monster. As pointed out in “Who’s the Real Monster?” by Traynelis, “Instead it was the extreme misconceptions of humans, resulting in extreme isolation of the creature, that caused him to become a monster,” where the isolation of the creature mainly draws back to the rejection of the creator and mankind (Traynelis, 1). The creator seemed to be disappointed with his creation,…

    • 395 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein, the main character Victor Frankenstein, becomes obsessed with the notion of bringing a human being to life. The result is the creation of a monster only known to us as 'the monster'. The monster is hideous, and is therefore rejected by Victor and by society to fend for himself. He soon commits many murders, as a result of his dejection, including Frankenstein's younger brother, best friend and newly wed wife. He also set up the killing of Justine. Frankenstein created the monster and then rejected him, but it was the monster who actually did the killings, who was to blame.…

    • 1311 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the gothic novel Frankenstein written by Mary Shelly Victor Frankenstein creates a monster. At first glance this gothic tale is about this creature's terrible action against society in the late 1700's. Many people who read this novel, would believe that the monster to be the novels villain, however the events that occurred are that repercussions of one man's irresponsible and reckless behavior. Although this man was not the one who killed his beloved family and friends. Victor Frankenstein is indeed the sole cause of this deathly catastrophe and is the one to blame; by creating the monster, not taking responsibility for it , and then isolating himself from the world causing his creation to roam as it pleased, leaving his creation unattended and neglected. Victor Frankenstein ultimately caused the ruin of his closest friends and family, his human-like creation, and eventually his own life.…

    • 1263 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In many instances the hero and the villain are easy to decipher, but in the novel Frankenstein these two identities tend to mend together to create confusion among readers. Many can debate that because Frankenstein’s creation viciously slaughtered so many people he is the perceptible “bad guy” in the story but, what those individuals must take into account are all of the variables in the creations life that caused him to behave as he did. Imagine being one of the hideous and repulsive beings on earth, not knowing where you came from, and with nobody to love you as the creations life consisted of. the creation did not begin to turn violent until his creator left him to venture the world alone and be rejected by all he came across. His complete disregard for human kind, obsession with playing God, and his selfishness throughout the novel are all evidence as to why Victor Frankenstein plays as the villain in the story.…

    • 794 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Is Frankenstein the true creator of the monster or is it society that shapes him?…

    • 1195 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Empathy in Frankenstein

    • 1074 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The sympathy of the reader in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” should be towards the monster, and not towards that of Victor Frankenstein. The creature could be considered just a lost puppy, confused with life as he is... reborn.. recreated.. reanimated.. whatever the word is of which i am looking for. The creature didnt ask to be born, he didnt control what vagina he flew out of, even tho technically he was made up of many different pieces of people which flew out of presumably many different vaginas. So i guess the right saying would be the creature could not control what mad scientist created him from a crazy and sick apperception. Even if he did have a choice, i highly doubt he would have chosen such a pussy. “Oh looketh i just created this monster i shall runneth away and hopeth all my problems disappeareth” When the creature was scaring people the moment they laid eyes upon his hideous and foul object which defined his head that could barley be described as a face, more like a doll that edward scissorhands used to own, he was so confused and disorientated with not just feelings but sights, sounds, and pain. In the end, the disgusting creature only wanted a mate of equal or greater disgust (lets face it, if he requested something even slightly better i dont even think that monster would take him).…

    • 1074 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout the book, the creature is portrayed as an unbearably gruesome fiend, and the author never lets us forget its horror, always stressing on its physical defects. The argument that gruesome is a subjective term cannot be put across because every person to pick up the book is revolted by its description. “his yellow skin barely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriance’s only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes that seemed almost the same color as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shriveled complexion, his straight black lips” was the way in which Mary Shelly first introduced us to the creature with imagery. Even its birth story, how it was made, is nauseating in itself. Victor Frankenstein was an…

    • 1030 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Mary Shelley makes us question who really the “monster” is. Is it the creature or Victor? While the creature does commit murder, he does not understand the consequences of his actions. He is like an infant who is unfortunately left to learn about the workings of society, and his place in it, on his own. He has no companions and feels a great sense of loneliness and abandonment. The creature voices his frustration and anger and seems to try to project his feelings of guilt onto Victor, as if to show him that he is the ultimate cause of the creature’s misery while he is simply the victim of Victor’s manic impulse. Shelley utilizes words, phrases, and specific tones when the creature vents his misery to Victor and this evokes, amongst the readers, a feeling of empathy towards the creature and makes us call into question our definitions of what monstrosity really is.…

    • 811 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays