Another aspect that is interesting is the turn in behavior for the monster. Perhaps the best quote to represent this idea comes from the actualization of the monster to himself in front of Victor’s dead body “My heart was fashioned to be susceptible of love...it did not endure the violence of change without torture” showing how evil nature overcomes the good nature in human beings (Shelly, 158). Initially the monster is very amicable, however, due to continuous rejection, he seeks revenge upon all human beings. Is Shelly saying that even though even nature is good, evil eventually overcomes this good nature? Or Is Shelly saying that human nature is bad and full of rejection and isolation?
Finally, the monster’s passage of narration is located in the ‘innermost circle’. By structuring her novel in this way, Mary Shelley portrays ‘the humans’ as the most monstrous; as they appear to hold the monster captive and restrict the opportunities he has to narrate and relay his point of view. However, by forming her novel using a ‘dual narrative’ Shelley allows both the humans and the monster the chance to give their viewpoints on the other. If anything, this dual narration makes the humans and the monster as monstrous as each other, as both of them use their piece of narration in order to plot revenge upon the other. In fact, one factor supporting the idea that the monster is more monstrous than the humans is the monster’s reaction to murdering William Frankenstein.
Thus each of the human societies shuns and despises these creatures for what they are. The significance of the alignment of the monsters with ourselves is how the monsters are the personification of our ontology. The unconscious human mind is the content of what these works attempt to personify in the monster. As Donna Haraway said in her "Cyborg Manifesto," "we are all chimeras." The curious thing is that the protagonists in some of the works actually portray monster-like characteristics--a role reversal between the monster and the hero of the work: "We have found the enemy and he is us."
Victor has not only treated the monster with heartless emotions but has repudiated Frankenstein, this helps express your sorrow. “I beheld the wretch- the miserable monster whom I had created.” Not only does it show Victors distaste but his abandonment towards the monster, which attract pity towards Frankenstein. The way Mary Shelley uses the term “monster” to address Frankenstein only adds to the feeling of neglect created by Mary Shelley. At the beginning of chapter 5 she describe the creation of Frankenstein, the way Victor discarded Frankenstein as if only a mere tool makes the reader feel a throbbing pain. The reaction of Victor changes the role between him and Frankenstein, making Victor the monster.
‘His jaws opened, and he muttered some inarticulate sounds, while a grin wrinkled his cheeks”. Psychologically, for the reader this becomes distressing as people have an aversion to children in distress and this causes the reader to feel for the monster and sympathize with him whilst an immediate dislike for Frankenstein also begins This hatred toward Frankenstein continues, Victor Frankenstein, the creatures own ‘father’, as such, the man who gave him life, describes him repeatedly as a ‘wretch’, a’ daemon’ and a ‘monster’, As readers we get the sense that Victor is unhappy and feels crestfallen at the fact his knowledge towards life and the anticipation of creating life, did not work out as he expected, we get the feeling that if he could, Frankenstein would change the timing and the way in which he created life, this is an example of the Sublime which is a key theme from the gothic genre within this section of the novel as Victor feels an overpowering sense of power over nature, as he has
This “monster” with grotesque features and actions ends up killing every one close to his maker out of hatred and vengeance. With extensive analysis of the novel I have encountered with sufficient evidence that led me into thinking otherwise. Such evidence will be presented throughout this essay. Victor Frankenstein, we may say that actually is the incarnation of all human evilness and misdeeds while the so-called "monster” is merely a victim of Victor's mad, selfish, and egocentric state of mind. First of all, I am going to state how Victor resembles more of a monster than the creation itself.
Evil can be expressed by whatever the Hero in those times was fighting. In Beowulf, the Geatish hero by the name of Beowulf is a strong and able warrior who is willing to fight or die for valor. His main purpous is to eradicate the evil Grendel by all means necessary. “The Valor of a hero can only be proved by their fighting against tremendous and terrifying adversaries, with the universe crashing about them, the sun darkened, the stars falling from their places, flames playing against the sky itself, the earth sinking into the sea” (Phillpotts). This gives an explanation of what evil was looked at upon in Anglo-Saxon times.
However the monster was brought into the world, isolated, unwanted and discarded; he deserved sympathy not cruelty. Modern day Frankenstein’s can be seen as people who play God, by making or taking away defenceless creatures lives. For example Cloning is creating another creature exactly like another; this is a type of modern day Frankenstein as the creatures know that the creature is going to have many health problems throughout its life. Terrorists can also be seen as modern day
The monster also always runs away from him leaving some traces for Frankenstein. The reason why the monster leaves some marks would be that he didn’t want to break the relationship with Frankenstein because he was the only person who knew and proved the existence of the creature himself in the world. And also the creature thought Frankenstein as a God or father even though he really cursed the Frankenstein who made him to live in the harsh world without any help. We can see this with the tears and ejaculation of creature at the moment of death of Frankenstein. I think this is the most sorrowful part in the whole story.
Cain related back to hell and all that is evil, so immediately one may think that Grendel is this evil character due to his heritage. However, he is a misunderstood character who was not given the benefit of the doubt. In the eyes of man, Grendel is an evil monster banished from man’s society, who is now forced to live and see the world in a different perspective. Grendel attempted to fit into man’s world. Though, man’s world is a harsh and judgmental society.