The Creature Is a Victim in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

886 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Literary critique of Frankenstein

The creature from Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein" displays many different human qualities. Some of these qualities include: the creature's ability to learn, his capability to feel pain, his desire to be accepted, and his need for affection and sympathy. The need for affection and sympathy is something which the creature is unable to attain. This unrequited desire to be accepted causes the creature to be the victim of the novel. The creature is never given affection by human society because of his physical deformities, Dr. Frankenstein's denial to create him a mate, and the creature's violent behaviour.

The creature's violent behaviour causes him to never achieve the sympathy he desires and therefore never achieve mutual affection. Despite the fact that the creature is driven to violent acts, his violence cause Doctor Frankenstein and Walton to believe he is untrustworthy. Dr. Frankenstein decides that he will not make the creature a mate and states: "have you not already shewn a degree of malice that should reasonably make me distrust you?" (121). Sympathy is almost aroused in Walton: "I was at first touched by the expression of his misery; yet when I called to mind what Frankenstein had said of his powers...indignation was rekindled within me" (188). However, the creature's evilness does not dismiss the creature as a victim because, as the creature states, "Satan had his companions, fellow-devils, to admire and encourage him; but I am solitary and detested" (105). Therefore, although the creature commits evil acts, he is still a victim. In addition, it is as a direct result of the creature "finding myself unsympathesized with, wished to tear up the trees, spread havoc and destruction around me" (111). This p...

... middle of paper ...

... the closest resemblance of a family he has. The creature believed that the family would welcome him since his "intentions were affectionate, although his manners were rude, deserved better treatment than blows and execration" (92). Unfortunately, the creature's assumptions were incorrect and the DeLacy's could not see past his physical repulsiveness. Resolutely, since neither his creator, a village of strangers, nor the creature's mentors accept him, the creature could not find affection or sympathy.

The creature's acknowledgement for his need of affection is present throughout the entirety of the novel. By acknowledging that he lacks affection, he discovers he needs to search for it since affection was not given to him from his creator. It is because affection is unachievable for the creature, despite his efforts, which make him the victim of this novel.

Show More
Related

  • The Destructive Power of Revenge: An Analysis

    1373 Words  | 3 Pages

    Skipping ahead of the monsters causes quite a bit of trouble and strangles a lot of people, and this is all caused by him not being provided with a connection with anyone. Now before he really starts his strangulation spree he spies on a family (the Delacy’s) that teaches him unknowingly how to speak, read, and of general human connection and relationships. This moment of distant watching and learning has left him wanting things even more, he then reveals himself the Father who is blind and he is kind to the monster when the children arrive they terrified and reject the monster. Throughout the tale of the monster is reminded of his indifference by others resulting in him stating: Humans thrive off of connection with other beings, this allows them to indeed grow and exceed happiness most of the time. Within our species and even outside, we are all searching for one thing; this is indeed a sense of purpose and pursuing happiness.

    Read More

  • The Influence Of Creature In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    840 Words  | 2 Pages

    The creature was created with the intention of goodness and purity but because of this, he wasn’t equipped to deal with the rejection of his creator. After Victor Frankenstein’s death, Robert Walton walks in to see the creature standing over his friend’s lifeless body.

    Read More

  • Popular Groups In Society By Mary Shelley Rejected By Society

    1300 Words  | 3 Pages

    The creature displays his hatred toward Frankenstein for leaving him immediately and not providing guidance and protection in this harsh, new world by murdering his family and friends. While seeking his creator, the creature first murders Victor Frankenstein’s youngest brother William and exclaims, “I too can create desolation; my enemy is not invulnerable; this death will carry despair to him, and a thousand other miseries shall torment and destroy him” (Shelley 144). The creature wishes for Victor Frankenstein to suffer taking his own companions away, forcing him to be miserable as well by destroying his personal relationships with others by murdering loved ones. Through the rejection of the creature because of his physical appearance, he learns what is accepted as well as how you can treat another being as he succumbs to his anger and proceeds with his crimes. The creature tells Frankenstein, “your hours will pass in dread and misery, and soon the bolt will fall which must ravish your happiness forever.

    Read More

  • Sympathy In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    829 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Creature was born capable of thing such as love and sympathy though he lost these capabilities as a result of how he was treated. The creature’s heart was ‘fashioned to be susceptible of love and sympathy’ but wrenched with misery to ‘vice and hatred’. On a cold night in November, Victor Frankenstein brought his creation to life. This creation has thin black lips, inhuman eyes, and

    Read More

  • Loss Of Humanity In Frankenstein

    1101 Words  | 3 Pages

    The creature who has been leading a solitary existence by observing the Delacey family, exclaims “The more I saw of them, the greater my desire to claim their protection and kindness; my heart yearned to be known and loved by these amiable creatures” (Shelley 112). Being isolated from most of society, the creature’s only contact with mankind is through observing the Delaceys. Unlike any base monster, the creature has “yearning” that originates in his heart. Because the creature relates with the Delaceys as “amiable creatures” his desire for companionship with them is brought forth, further distinguishing him as distinctly human. Miserable and lonely, the creature desires to also “claim their protection and kindness” which demonstrates how the creature desires even more than just mere companionship but also to be loved. Most importantly, the creature desires acceptance into their family as one of their own. Although he observed the family, the creature took a radical and somewhat desperate choice to abduct Victor’s younger brother: “If I could therefore seize him, and educate him as my companion and friend, I should not be so desolate”. (Shelley 121). Such extremes show to what lengths the creature was willing to go to gain companionship and acceptance. Without companionship, the creature cannot survive in happiness, but he yearns for it and cannot do without it. Once again, the human need for companionship comes to the forefront of the creature’s purpose and endeavors and he is not fulfilled without it. Far from being an emotionless, brutish monster, the creature need for a friend aligns it to mankind’s basic

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Humanity In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    1502 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, scientist Victor Frankenstein discovers the secret of life and avidly works to carry out his discovery by building his own creature. His feverish experimentation, though successful, results in a disappointment; after the Creature opens its eyes, Frankenstein’s revulsion causes him to abandon this mockery of his original imagination to society’s brutality. Though made of human parts, the Creature is unable to present himself so, initially lacking both the verbal communication skills and aesthetically uniform appearance of humanity. The Creature’s desires for companionship, emotional needs, and capacity for empathy are consistent with human beings, but his outward appearance is inherently unnatural.

    Read More

  • The Real Monster In Frankenstein, By Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    947 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the beginning of the story, we are under the impression that the creature was left on this earth without a person to connect with, yet has outstanding qualities and has admiration for man. Even though, the monster is not at fault, he

    Read More

  • The Real Monster In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    1515 Words  | 4 Pages

    When the creature was brought back to life, it was like an infant. It only has the basic sensations, “I felt light, hunger, and thirst, and darkness” (74). The creature is not born evil. It was called monster simply because it has an awful appearance. Although the creature is monster outside, it has a benevolent heart inside. As the creature learns language from the cottagers, it starts to read. After it absorbs knowledge from the books, it despises killing. “When I heard details of vice and bloodshed, my wonder ceased and I turned away with disgust and loathing” (84). The creature’s attitude shows readers that it is not a slayer at the beginning. Also, the creature says, “I admired virtue and good feelings and loved the gentle manners and amiable quantities of my cottagers” (84). It is obvious that the books and kind cottagers shape the creature into a humanized being. Besides, the act of saving a drowning girl from a precipitous river indicates that the creature is actually a good being. However, people never try to look under its ugly appearance. When the creature proceeds to a village, where people attack it. Felix, one of the kind cottagers, drives the creature away immediately at the first sight of it. The man who plays with the drowning girl shoot the creature when it approaches to them. After all these rejections, the creature’s world falls

    Read More

  • Viewing Frankenstein’s Monster as a Human

    904 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...luding intelligence, compassion, and emotions. The monster attempts to make friends with his peer humans, despite his continuous rejection. His efforts show that even the monster experiences vulnerability and desire for companionship. The monster proves his intelligence as he devises a plan to learn the English language by observing his neighbors. Meanwhile, Doctor Frankenstein lacks the human quality of intelligence as he fails to foresee the effects of taking creation of life into his own hands. The doctor also lacks compassion when he abandons his creation, the equivalent of a parent leaving his child. Frankenstein flees from his monster because he actually fears the monster as much as the rest of society due to its frightening stature. Doctor Frankenstein and his creation exemplify the qualities people should exude to consider themselves members of the human race.

    Read More

  • The True Monster in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    1051 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mellor, Anne. Abandonment and Lack of Proper Nurture Shape the Monster's Nature. N.p.: Copyright Methuen, Inc., 1988.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Compassion In Frankenstein

    1122 Words  | 3 Pages

    His time watching the cottagers taught him what true kindness is. His benevolent actions of helping the cottagers without them knowing proves that he did not need to learn compassion from a creator. The monster is horrified to learn that his good nature does not show on his physical appearance, and he was “...unable to believe that it was indeed [the monster] who was reflected in the mirror; and when [he] became fully convinced that [he] was in reality the monster [he] was filled with the bitterest sensations of despondence and mortification. ”(Shelley 417). He is kind to the blind cottager in hopes of getting the compassion back that he always craved; however when he is rejected by even his ‘cottage friends’ he realizes how unjust it is that “no entreaties cause [them] to turn a favorable eye upon thy creature, who implores thy goodness and compassion,” (Shelley 360).

    Read More

  • The Tempest And Frankenstein Essay

    1867 Words  | 4 Pages

    Mary Shelley experienced a difficult upbringing, emotionally watching her parents pass; she uses these feelings in the creature to express social isolation throughout. For example the creature says

    Read More

  • Appearance And Perception In Frankenstein

    857 Words  | 2 Pages

    to reassure and respect him. The beast also confesses that he is lonely and disliked (Shelley 105). The creature’s confession indicates the impact prejudice can have on a victim. Though he

    Read More

  • A Monstrosity in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

    808 Words  | 2 Pages

    However repugnant he was on the outside, when Frankenstein’s creature begins to tell his tale of sorrow and rejection the creature does not seem to be monstrous. Although rejected multiple times by the humans around him when he finds a family in poverty and “suffering the pangs ...

    Read More

  • Character Analysis Of The Monster In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    1029 Words  | 3 Pages

    He knows he could be good and that he was meant to be good, but instead like Satan he was thrown out of his own society and into his own personal hell. The creature wants to be like Adam and he kind of relates to him, but due to how he has been treated he says, “Like Adam, I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence; but his state was far different from mine in every other respect. He had come forth from the hands of God a perfect creature, happy and prosperous, guarded by the especial care of his Creator; he was allowed to converse with, and acquire knowledge from, beings of a superior nature: but I was wretched, helpless, and alone. Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition; for often, like him, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me” (chapter 15) .The creature wants to be a part of society and contribute, but “Everywhere [he sees] bliss, from which [he is] alone irrevocably excluded” (69). The creature does not understand why he is so hated he says, “All men hate the wretched; how, then, must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things! Yet you, my creator, detest and spurn me, thy creature, to whom thou are bound by ties only dissoluble by the annihilation of one of us” (68). He is alone but he does not want to be he wants to be included; he wants to be normal like everyone else. He goes as far as helping old man De Lacey, Felix and Agatha. De Lacey the blind man is the only person who treats the creature with respect and treats him as if he was human. This occurs because he is blind he doesn’t see the horrific face he judges the creature solely on personality. This shows us how judgmental and how wrong individuals can be about a person if they form and opinion based on looks

    Read More

More about The Creature Is a Victim in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Open Document