The Monster In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

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The Monster in Frankenstein In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein states, “A human being in perfection ought always to preserve a calm and peaceful mind and never to allow passion or a transitory desire to disturb his tranquility. I do not think that the pursuit of knowledge is an exception to this rule. If the study to which you apply yourself has a tendency to weaken your affections and to destroy your taste for those simple pleasures in which no alloy can possibly mix, then that study is certainly unlawful, that is to say, not befitting the human mind.” This excerpt is foreshadowing of the events to come and truly shows that at one point Victor was not the monster he would later become. Victor Frankenstein became obsessed…show more content…
The creature takes complete responsibility for his actions, respects life more than he does, which is apparent by him robbing graves to create the creature, and the fact that he just abandons the creature to die, only for the creature to experience the hatred of mankind which in turn teaches the creature to become a vengeful being and thereby causing the deaths of William, Justine, Clerval, and Elizabeth. Another quality that exhibits the creature as more of a human than Victor is the creature’s desire for companionship and Victor’s preference for isolation. A longing for companionship and acceptance from others is fundamental trait of most humans, so consequently the creature is more like a human being than Frankenstein because he strives for friendship while Frankenstein hides himself away from it. For that reason, by showing that the creature’s happiness depends on others while Frankenstein is more independent, Shelley is arguing that the creature is similar to a human and that Frankenstein is more like an animal or a monster. Another example that in the creature exhibits more humanity is his empathy and compassion for others. The creature displays a great deal of empathy, compassion, and kindness towards the De Lacey family…show more content…
Even after hearing the creature’s tale of his hardship, loneliness, and rejection, Frankenstein still refuses to accept the creature’s request for a female companion, which is its one wish in life. Frankenstein displays selfishness and a lack of compassion, so consequently he does not display human qualities. Empathy and compassion towards others are key characteristics of human beings, so the creature’s exhibition of these traits and Frankenstein’s lack prove Victor Frankenstein may have been a brilliant scientist; his creation is more human than he ever is in the
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