Monsters By: Robert K. Van Fossen April 26, 2012 Van Fossen Monsters are our doubles they share the same character flaws that we, humans, have. Monsters come from our mind they are, for the larger part, just a figment of our imagination. When you think of Hollywood or movie monsters you think of large, grotesque, and suffering from some kind of mental illness. Have you ever looked at the definition of “monster”? The Oxford Dictionary of English states that “monster” is an inhumane, cruel, or wicked person; or a thing or animal that is excessively or dauntingly large; how about to criticize or reprimand severely; or the Latin word “monstrum” meaning portent, omen, or well monster.
Gothic horror was a common genre of use in the time Frankenstein was written. This was a time of great novels such as Dracula and Hound of the Baskervilles. Gothic horror is traditionally set in dark castles and countryside with eerie moaning music and bad weather Written in 1818 Frankenstein is the deeply disturbing tale of a monstrous unnamed creation that was created in the name of science. Huge and strong, the creature created by Victor Frankenstein kills and murders many throughout the tale, but considering his tragic beginnings I must ask, who is the real monster in this gothic tale of horror? Frankenstein is cleverly written in two parts.
Mary Shelley uses many language devices to portray conflict in the novel Frankenstein. In chapter 5, Mary Shelley uses alliteration to convey to the reader the emotional conflict the monster is forced to face. Victor finally finishes his creation and observes its appearance: “I beheld the wretch -- the miserable monster who I created”. This suggests to the reader that Victor is not pleased with his creation as he calls him a “monster”; the word “monster” makes the reader visualize a horrendous, spine-chilling, eerie creation creating a dark ambience. Furthermore, the author uses feelings to describe the monster.
What was I? Whence did I come? What was my destination? These questions continually recurred but I was unable to solve them.” Readers may also find it easy to sympathise with The Monster as Shelley is very critical of Frankenstein. For example, in Chapter 15 when the Monster is talking about Frankenstein’s journal that documented his creation, the Monster says ““Everything is related in them which bares reference to my accursed origin; the whole detail of that series of disgusting circumstances which produced it is set in view; the minutest description of my odious and loathsome person is given, in language which painted your own horrors and rendered mine indelible.
He is nothing without Victor. He is as much a part of Frankenstein as he is his own being. So we might as well call him "Frankenstein." This starts to get at the sob-fest at the end of the text. We, like every other reader, react something like this: "What?
In the original Frankenstein the monster is sensitive and intelligent being but due to a sense of abandonment becomes biter and murderous. Many adaptations strip away his human qualities and made him appear as a terrifying killing machine such as the 1931 movie “Frankenstein” directed by James Whale. The first film adaptation was brought to the silver screen in 1910, however the most well known image of the monster from the 1931 film adaptation. Boris Karloff played the monster and his version has forever been the image we now know today. Multiple sequels and adaptations were made and many parodies such as “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”, “Bride of Frankenstein”, and “Kyofu Densetsu: Furankenshutain (The Monster of Frankenstein).” Even people who have never seen or read an adaptation of Frankenstein would still likely share the general assumption of who Frankenstein is and what he looks like.
Frankenstein Essay The book Frankenstein is a gothic science fiction novel written by Mary Shelly. In it, a man named Victor Frankenstein attempts to create new life. However, when he finally does bring his creation to life, he finds it grotesque and horrible. The monster then escapes into the world, and while attempting to integrate with the world, he realizes that all others find him disgusting as well, as they insult him, beat him, and abuse him. This horrid social environment causes the monster to feel rejected, and influenced his actions and behavior greatly.
This then upsets the monster and makes him furious and goes to meet Frankenstein. The monster is also emotional as he is pleading for justice and asking for a relationship from Frankenstein. He also shows him that he is literate and cultured as he had read the classic novels, unlike Frankenstein who only read scientific journals. Once Frankenstein refuses to accept the monster he is asked to create a second female monster just like the first. Frankenstein agrees to create the monster but then once he is practically accomplished he rips up his creation.
Frankenstein wanted to recreate his mother, but instead he made a creature comprised of the socially repressed elements of Frankenstein (the monster) and his wish for his mother. Frankenstein's creature comprises all of the unacceptable traits of humans, those we usually suppress. These traits may actually be a representation of those traits that Frankenstein wishes he had. Mary Shelley tries to humanize the position of the impossible monster to imagine what it would be like for a monster to sustain personhood when everybody around him treats him as an utterly outcast to society. Shelley is trying to show that the creature is not inherently monstrous, but
Domestic affection is the sense of belonging and love one feels when people are accepted by family and friends. Shelly believes that when people loses this affection they begin to make immoral decisions and lose their sense of humanity, and this is when they become truly monstrous. When Frankenstein is read from this perspective, the creature isn’t the only monster in the story. Robert Walton, captain of the ship, also has the potential to be monstrous, and so too do victor, the general population, and the social institutions within the world of Frankenstien. Through the actions committed in the play, Victor Frankenstein becomes one of the most monstrous characters in the story.