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.
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.
The creature is born 8ft tall and ugly to look at, but with the mind of a new born child. All he is looking for is acceptance and love but is instead rejected throughout the novel because of his outrageous physical appearance, turning him into an aggressive and villainous murderer. The monster’s violent actions play on Victor’s mind and manifest in the form of guilt. The novel is set mostly in Geneva, which was an influence of the travels of Mary Shelley. Most critics have received the novel as an amalgamation of the gothic novel with elements of the Romantic Movement.
Shelley portrays the desire of knowledge as lust which, if left unhindered, can drive a man to peril. Although Frankenstein's initial intentions were to exceed the boundaries of science the over ambitious nature led him to be 'hidden in darkness' and 'locked up from nature' leading the monster to Frankenstein's peril. A feature of the gothic genre is Victor's psychotic nature which emphasizes the dark side of the human psyche in emotional and physical form. Some critics such as Rebecca Wallis have argued that the 'dark Sid elf the human psyche' can be found within victor's sexuality. The point in the novel which this critic focuses on is the moment before intercourse between Victor and Elizabeth when Victor states ' this night is dreadful, very dreadful'.
Innocence to Monstrous People encounter various obstacles throughout life that may alter their behavior. In Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein and William Shakespeare’s Othello, The Monster and Othello experience a significant transformation from innocent to monstrous. Both grow negatively with the assistance of their antagonists, who are The Monster’s creator Victor Frankenstein, and Othello’s standard bearer Iago. Both The Monster and Othello undergo the transformation of being genuinely good-hearted characters looking out for what is best for themselves and other individuals, into unrestrained monsters through instability, both mentally and physically by being denied by others, and betrayal by important figures in their lives. This leads to morally
The monster starts to recount the story of his life once they are inside. In this chapter, it is shown that Frankenstein still feels guilty about the murder of his brother, and the execution of Justine. It is shown that he is deeply flawed, and feels isolated. The monster is shown to be more human in this chapter, as he engages in conversation with Victor, and portrays some form of emotion. He states that he was a virtuous and worthy creature until the disdain and ignorance of humans made
He is trying to avoid the sense of guilt, if anything goes wrong, and the couple had children, because he is responsible for Frankenstein, because he is the creator. Victor has every reason to feel guilty and to have bad conscience, because he is the one who created Frankenstein, and therefore is responsible for the murder of his family, best friend and his wife. These feelings appear in the text: ‘For this I had deprived myself of rest and health.’ And ‘…horror and disgust filled my heart. Unable to endure the aspect to the being I had created.’ Because he had created a monster he feels terrible, and he is afraid of him. Which you also can see in the last part of the story: ‘…My teeth chattered...
The Monster in the Lab Coat Many literary critics have long argued a question regarding Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: Who is the real monster? One can argue that, throughout the novel, it is Victor Frankenstein, the overly ambitious scientist, who is the true monster. Victor Frankenstein is depicted as a callous creator who shows no empathy to his own innocent creature. Frankenstein fails his responsibility as a creator and abandons his creation to a life full of abhorrence. The creature has infinite potential, but it is Frankenstein’s prideful nature and negligence that makes the creature become “monstrous”.
Innocence Loss Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein links vagueness and fortitude of a college student, named Victor Frankenstein, whose obsession of science drives him over the edge. Because of his thirst for knowledge, he goes too far and creates a monstrous creature, which he instantaneously rejects. This rejection plays a major role in the monster’s hatred for humans. As the story goes on, the constant dismissal of the wrench eventually turned him for a sweet, innocent creature, to a vile, insensitive abomination. Rejection is a horrible insult that can drive even the lovable of creatures to do unspeakable deeds.
First, Frankenstein is set in a male-dominated society, where the influence of women in the family is not present very often. The dream that Victor has before the monster is created, gives the reader an idea behind Victor’s motives. When he visions Elizabeth as his dead mother lying there, it represents the weakness of compassion in women. After he has this dream, he wants create a being that could act as his child and love him like one. So Victor does just that, but after it awakes, he is filled with disgust and hates his creation because in his eyes it is ugly.