In Frankenstein Is The Creature Victim Or Villian

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Is the Creature Victim or Villain? Mary Shelley throughout the book shows both sides of the argument that the creature can be both villain and victim. Through the creature that Frankenstein created she may have designed a way to show how easy it was in her period to fall victim to society. This question has been a long standing debate for literary reviewers and critics. It undertakes an individual stance to where the answer concludes itself. The Creature is seen and shown to be notorious and a criminal but is there another side to the argument where the creature falls victim to events that are not under his control. One of the ways that the creature is shown to be the victim within the novel is that he is abandoned at first glance. This is shown through the quote, “one hand stretched out, seemingly to detain me but I escaped and rushed downstairs. I took refuge in the courtyard” volume one chapter five. This has established that without gaining knowledge of the creature that the being is seen as evil and a fiend. By using the words “escaped”, “detain” and “rushed” it implies that the creature would destroy him instantly and quickly, although, the creature is innocent and vulnerable as a baby is when first born. The creature has a child-like nature about him that craves love, care and attention. This shows Victor to be prejudiced through the use of horrific language to describe his own creation. This creates the reader to feel compassion as we all crave love and understanding within our daily lives. The creature is a victim to events that are beyond his control for instance the way that he finds out about his creation which leads him to a murderous pathway. The creature shows distress and grief when he talks about Frankenstein’s journal as he sees that it “bears my cursed origin (…) series of disgusting circumstances” volume chapter seven and feels that the
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