In the novel Frankenstein, author Marry Shelley depicts character Victor Frankenstein as a scientist with a strong passion for forbidden knowledge and finding the answers to life through science. Though his intentions are good this leads him to the creation of a monster. Throughout the novel Frankenstein is constantly encountered by obstacles that test his passions for science and responsibility for his creation. For Victor it seems that the choice to abandon the monster is the easier path, rather than taking care of his creation. In the beginning of the book, right after the creation of the monster, Victor fled his home to get away from the creature, only to return and find that it had escaped.
However, the creation of the monster did not have to result in such horrific acts. Victor was mortified by his creation, and immediately rejected and abandoned it to face the world of judgmental people alone. “Was I, then, a monster, a blot upon the earth, from which all men fled and whom all men disowned?” (Shelly, 108) It is believed that this irrepressible feeling of abandonment and the continuous rejection angered the monster so intensely that he sought to soothe his revengeful soul by murdering those closest to the one whom he felt responsible for
Victor waves his fist around and threatens to attack the monster, but is able to avoid Victor with his speed. The monster claimed to be a virtuous creature, until the actions of humans made him miserable. “All men hate the wretched; how then, must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things! Yet you, my creator, detest and spurn me, thy creature, to whom thou art bound by ties only dissoluble by the annihilation of one of us.” (Vol. II Chapter II, Page 117).
The movie version tried to make it seem more dramatic by having the monster (played by Robert De Nero) rip Elizabeth’s heart out of her chest. The idea of using Justine’s body for the monster’s wife was very important to the plot of the movie because it allowed for the sequence of bringing Elizabeth back to live. However, this idea varied from the book. The original idea had Victor in the Orkney’s to create the monster. Victor became worried that, “she might become ten thousand times
Secrecy plays a major role in the story of Frankenstein. Without secrecy, the monster would have never learned how to speak, read, or conjure up feelings. The monster learns of how to read by skimming through the Frankenstein’s journal he had secretly taken while finding clothes to use to conceal his identity when he ran away from the laboratory, as well as learning how to speak and read by observing the De Lacey family, hidden inside the family’s property. He also learns how to love by watching the De Lacey family, while hidden, which allows the story to continue on how and why the monster desired to come out of secrecy to persuade his creator to make him a partner for his own. Physically speaking, the monster’s character is built by combining raw materials from dead and useless body parts; although, secrecy is how the monster’s mental character is built in both the film and book.
Primarily it is not Frankenstein who has to suffer the consequences of his creating life, it is the Creature. But for this suffering he makes Frankenstein notice the pain he has caused the Creature by taking revenge and killing the people Frankenstein most cares about. In Frankenstein, the neglect of duty never leads to anything good. Having abandoned his duty of care towards the Creature, Frankenstein then has to learn from his mistakes by suffering the consequences of this
The decisions the creature makes out of his suffering, or his characterization, show that one may not overcome suffering. The creature is also turned away without being taught a thing and suffers from the confusion over the world. The conflicts with Victor continue on multiple occasions in Frankenstein. Once the creature learns that it is his appearance that causes people to flee and reject him, he despises himself, but even more Victor. His suffering over his rejection in society had fueled his angry making him hostile.
This could cause conflict between the creator and the created as Victor is repeatedly insulting the monster. In addition, Victor rejects the Monster immediately after its creation; he calls it a 'wretch' and leaves it to fend for itself. This shows how irresponsible Victor is as he abandons his responsibilities. It is also another example of him neglecting his family, since the Monster sees him as its father. This creates conflict between the monster and Victor as the monster soon begins to hate him for abandoning him.
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.
In both cases, the person without power ended up feeling isolated and lonely. Another similarity between the two is that the person who was isolated and lonely was dehumanized by a "monster" and the affected person then went on to be a monster. In Grendel, the humans treated Grendel inhumanely, which lead him to become cruel and wicked towards others. The humans would not listen and did not bother to try and understand what he was saying. Instead, they attacked him for no reason.