How Do You Respond to the View That the Monster Is Frankenstein's Double, Representing the Evil Side of His Character?

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How do you respond to the view that the Monster is Frankenstein’s double, representing the evil side of his character? The theme of the double is a particularly common feature in nineteenth century Gothic Literature. As an externalization of a part of the self it is often used to demonstrate the tension between the laws of society and the desires of the individual and to give voice to that which has been silenced by rational discourse. It can be argued that the Monster is Frankenstein’s double representing the evil side of his character as when Victor refers to the monster as ‘my own spirit’ he provides the clearest expression of the notion that he and the monster may be doubles, with the monster acting out Victor’s own aggressions. Victor says that the monster is ‘my own vampire, my own spirit let loose from the grave and forced to destroy all that was dear to me’. This could be alluding to the killing of William, and Victor’s rejection of the domestic sphere. On one hand, the monster could be seen as a personal threat directly to Victor, as some sort of punishment for his usurping of the role of God and then his abandonment of his creation. On the other, the killing of William could be seen as the revealing of Victor’s deepest darkest desire to be rid of the domestic sphere altogether, so that he can pursue his ambitions in the public sphere without any distractions or hindrances. By the monster killing William, the monster is representing Frankenstein’s evil side in the most malicious way. Victor’s fear of sex is also evident throughout the novel. Upon being told his mother’s last wishes for him to marry Elizabeth he exclaims ‘Alas! To me the idea of an immediate union with my Elizabeth was one of horror and dismay!’ revealing his innermost fears of an intimate sexual relationship. This is also evident in his nightmare in chapter five as he dreams ‘as I

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