FRANKENSTEIN:
Many events influence the main antagonist’s actions throughout Mary Shelly’s novel Frankenstein, but the creature is fundamentally driven by the absence of love. Victor neglected to provide the creature with this luxury, so he sought it from the De Lacy’s family affections. “They loved, and sympathized with one another; and their joys depending on each other, were not interrupted by the casualties that took place around them” (146). The creature became a victim of his desire, because he reasoned himself to be worthy of their admiration, but failed to expect any disappointment. Finding the courage to confront the old man, conflict arose and he once again received rejection. “Cursed, cursed creator! Why did I live?” Since the creature
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Confiding in a partner means you risk losing yourself if the love is lost; a heart is then vulnerable upon depending on another’s presence. The Raven provides us with a prime example of how Lenore’s death stirred up delusions during the hours of mourning. “Deep into the darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before.” Here he is challenging a forsaken dream, where he imagines the possibility of possessing it once again. I say he is “challenging” it because he lacks hope throughout the poem, but it is a necessity to dreaming. Without hope you cannot believe a dream should come true, and since he believes Lenore’s love isn’t tangible, fear overcomes him, becoming the jailor of his dream and the conductor of a nightmare. The Raven’s only spoken word “nevermore” is evidence of the divine’s existence, considering no one can meet Gods purely standards, he cannot expect to be granted his greatest desire, therefore he is left to despair. The speaker never claims to have committed any dirty deeds throughout the poem, so he is not entirely undeserving of his wish. Perhaps had his insecurity’s not have generated doubt in both himself and faith, he wouldn’t have perceived the natural force as revengeful of his doubt, but rather a reassurance of Lenore’s immortal …show more content…
The couple’s sexuality is portrayed as naturally bestial, predatory, aggressive and therefore monstrous. Everyone experiences physical transformations in their bodies and new, unfamiliar, sexual thoughts in their minds. The video expressed puberty in an accepting metaphoric manner, by relating werewolf’s and metamorphism to the highly avoided subject. Michael insists that he can protect her from night’s terror, but leaves the danger of their affair in the dark. “Now is the time for you and I to cuddle close together, all through the night I’ll save you from the terror on the screen.” Michael is technically what she should fear because he is her actual terroriser and not a cheesy horror film. He kept his true identity a secret, even proposing engagement before confessing his monstrous conditions. Victor in Mary Shelly’s novel Frankenstein proceeded in a similar manner, waiting for the wedding day before informing Elizabeth of the dangers their love awaits. Apart from the romantic story line, Thriller gave the audience a real chill when “the funk of forty thousand years” emerged from the grave and into an ancient parade of dancing zombies. The zombie is a revolutionising cultural figure, because it represents some of the deepest fears of the century, such as the question of consciousness. We know that Frankenstein’s creature was conscious because he
Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’ explores the relationship between creator and being in a very complex manner and allows the reader to delve deep into the psyche of the purpose of their individual journeys. Victor deals with the problems he encounters in his life by fleeing and seeking alternatives instead of confronting them. His avoidance creates further problems once the Creature he created begins to seek him out. The Creature on the other hand is left with nothing; he has to seek understanding and solace by himself. They each have a need to fulfill something inside of them that is constantly fleeting, an acceptance that cannot be found in others. They give themselves to their passions without much contemplation or thoughts of consequence.
In the beginning of the poem the narrator recognizes the raven only speaks the word “nevermore”, nevertheless he continues to ask the raven questions. The narrator knows hearing “nevermore” as the answer to his questions will cause his own demise, but it doesn't prevent him from doing so. The narrator asks “Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!” Quoth the Raven “Nevermore””( Poe 13). By this he asks if, he will ever forget the memories of Lenore that continue to run through his mind, the raven confirms he won't. He is angered by this response and questions the ravens true intention. As if the raven’s answer to his question didn't upset him enough he continues to ask deeper questions. With hope that he will receive a different answer he ponders “Is there- balm in Gilead?- tell me. I implore! Quoth the Raven “Nevermore”” (Poe 14). Here the narrator is asking if he will ever be joyful again, once again he is doing this knowing the raven respond the same answer everytime. He actually believes what the raven is saying, which is driving him insane for this reason he’s causing his own demise. To make matters worse the narrator asks if “within the distant Aidenn, It shall clasp Clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore” (Poe 15). He is inquiring if Lenore is in heaven, receiving no as an answer was his breaking point. Everyone definitely wants to hear the ones they love are in heaven, so why would the narrator ask the raven knowing the answer would be no? This proves the narrator is responsible for his own demise, not the
Frankenstein’s description about his feeling reflects the human nature of feeling revulsion on a humanoid object which appear almost, but not exactly, like real human beings. Using adjective such as “breathless” followed by a noun “horror” and “disgust” helps portray Frankenstein’s disgust upon the creature as it looks unnatural. As a result of Frankenstein’s revulsion, Frankenstein is lead to reject his creation. This creates a antithesis of his childhood as when Frankenstein was a young child, he was loved by his family rather than being hated or abandoned by his parents. Shelley could be exploring the rejection causing the Monster to spend the first part of his life searching desperately for companionship.
In Volume 2 of Frankenstein, the Creature’s repeated experiences of rejection unleash the “monster” in him and lead to the destruction of the De Laceys cottage. Through the portrayal of the “monster” inside the Creature, Shelley argues that loneliness caused by lack of human relationships will drive an individual to do harmful actions. Throughout volume 2, the Creature had been secretly living alongside the De Lacey family. He grew attached to them the more he spied. The creature finally decides to reveal himself to the De Laceys. As he does that, the family runs away in fear. After all that happens the creature says “My protectors had departed and had broken the only link that held me to the world. For the first time, the feeling of revenge
In Frankenstein, Victor’s monster suffers much loneliness and pain at the hands of every human he meets, as he tries to be human like them. First, he is abandoned by his creator, the one person that should have accepted, helped, and guided him through the confusing world he found himself in. Next, he is shunned wherever he goes, often attacked and injured. Still, throughout these trials, the creature remains hopeful that he can eventually be accepted, and entertains virtuous and moral thoughts. However, when the creature takes another crushing blow, as a family he had thought to be very noble and honorable abandons him as well, his hopes are dashed. The monster then takes revenge on Victor, killing many of his loved ones, and on the humans who have hurt him. While exacting his revenge, the monster often feels guilty for his actions and tries to be better, but is then angered and provoked into committing more wrongdoings, feeling self-pity all the while. Finally, after Victor’s death, the monster returns to mourn the death of his creator, a death he directly caused, and speaks about his misery and shame. During his soliloquy, the monster shows that he has become a human being because he suffers from an inner conflict, in his case, between guilt and a need for sympathy and pity, as all humans do.
In Frankenstein, Shelley writes about Victor Frankenstein running away from The Creation the second upon meeting him. This leaves Creation with no one that will show him love or will care for him. He is lost and alone. Shelley uses this abandonment to shape the monster into a being that does not understand love, emotions, and feelings. Bond writes, “The consistent complaint of the monster in his narrative is thus that he is excluded from receiving any human affection, and is, instead, in receipt only of human aggression” (Bond).
In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, she writes about a hopeless romantic man named Victor, who is on a journey to create a perfect human race, starting with a monster he created out of mortified body parts named, “The Creature”. The fact of the matter is, that Victor’s mind was not clear on the fact that he was creating another life, unnaturally at that. Throughout this story, Victor finds himself distraught, and displeased with his work on this being, so he decides to abandon the living creature. As time grows upon Victor, he realizes the damage he has done, not only to the angry, distraught Creature, but on society, and himself. The behaviors in this story range from positive and negative attitudes, and actions that display rage, from a sentimental
In Mary Shelley’s novel, “Frankenstein,” main character Victor Frankenstein creates a monster that would later on parallel many aspects of his own life. This creature had many shared characteristics with Victor such as their anger, wish to be reclusive, and their wish to help others in the beginning. Their shared quality of anger can be seen through the way Victor becomes mad at himself for creating another monster so he immediately tears it apart right in front of his original monster. This causes anger to arise in his original monster which is taken out on Victor’s best friend Henry. Henry is then found dead which devastated Victor and causes him to struggle with death himself.
From the moment Victor brought his creation to life, the creation’s life has been one of rejection and exile, not only from villagers, but also from his creator. Understanding of Frankenstein’s first experiences,
While Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein revolves around the quest for revealing new forms of knowledge and discovering innovative technology, another significant part of the book is the character's journey in trying to fulfill their innate desire for companionship. The novel features a crazed scientist named Victor Frankenstein who creates a living being from various dead human corpses in an attempt to become a god-like figure. Frankenstein’s creation presented a moral commitment of responsibility that a creator has over its creation. Frankenstein’s ignorance towards his responsibility as a creator left the disfigured creature alone to be ravaged by the evilness of humanity. The life of suffering that the creature faced due to his lack of emotional
An idea becomes a vision, the vision develops a plan, and this plan becomes an ambition. Unfortunately for Victor Frankenstein, his ambitions and accomplishments drowned him in sorrow from the result of many unfortunate events. These events caused Victors family and his creation to suffer. Rejection and isolation are two of the most vital themes in which many dreadful consequences derive from. Victor isolates himself from his family, friends, and meant-to-be wife. His ambitions are what isolate him and brought to life a creature whose suffering was unfairly conveyed into his life. The creature is isolated by everyone including his creator. He had no choice, unlike Victor. Finally, as the story starts to change, the creature begins to take control of the situation. It is now Victor being isolated by the creature as a form of revenge. All the events and misfortunes encountered in Frankenstein have been linked to one another as a chain of actions and reactions. Of course the first action and link in the chain is started by Victor Frankenstein.
Locked in a perpetual struggle for dominance, both struggle to gain internal peace. Victor Frankenstein feels obligated to destroy his creation for the good of society, and the Monster wishes to come to terms with his abandonment – both are unable to find happiness. Here there is a contrast of power: Frankenstein’s intellectual power contrary to the Monster’s physical power (this is however, not to say the Monster lacked intellectual power, only that Frankenstein possesses greater fear of the physical aspects of the Monster). The first instance of this battle for power can be seen when the Monster demands of Frankenstein to “create a female…with whom [he] can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for [his] being.” (p174) – here Frankenstein is in control. He is the only one that has the knowledge to create another being like the Monster, and thus, when the Monster asks this favour of Frankenstein he places his happiness in the hands of another. The Monster is dependent on the actions of another. However, there is a power reversal when Frankenstein denies the monster his ‘female’ (p174). Frankenstein dashes the Monster’s last hope at happiness, so the Monster threatens the life of his loved ones. Here, Frankenstein is at the mercy of his creation. For though “[Frankenstein is the] creator… [the Monster is his master” (p205) – here the Monster establishes his dominance over Frankenstein by outwardly stating his power over his creator. This power struggle is most effectively culminated in the chase around the globe. Yet it must be seen that neither Frankenstein and his Monster are in control. The Monster leaves clues for Frankenstein, demonstrating his need for Frankenstein to follow him, for without Frankenstein the Monster has no purpose in life. On the other hand, Frankenstein is following his creation all over the world, through desert, sea, and cold. Thus, it is clear that as a
“But when I discovered that he, the author at once of my existence and of its unspeakable torments, dared to hope for happiness, that while he accumulated wretchedness and despair upon me he sought his own enjoyment in feelings and passions from the indulgence of which I was forever barred, then impotent envy and bitter indignation filled me with an insatiable thirst for vengeance” (Shelley 212). It makes sense that the monster would not be happy in this world, he never even asked to be here. He holds Frankenstein responsible for his sorrow as he is the one who created him. To only be seen as a monster despite your attempts at compassion and thoughtfulness can get to someone. Once again, the insight into what the monster is feeling here, envy and rage, makes him more and more human to the reader. The murder the monster partakes in becomes his inclination, “Evil thenceforth became my good. Urged thus far, I had no choice but to adapt my nature to an element which I had willingly chosen. The completion of my demoniacal design became an insatiable passion. And now it is ended; there is my last victim!” (Shelley 212). With his creator also dead, he finds his vengeance at an end. The monster does not murder Victor however. He wants him to suffer as much as he has since his creation. The isolation and abandonment inflicted from Victor is the catalyst for the Monster to murder members of his family. Despite this hatred for this man, the monster still views him as a father figure. This is why he weeps and pleas to Walton, the regretful words of a son who has lost his father. Walton is witness to the creature’s deep depression, he wishes he could take back all the pain and suffering caused by both parties. His sense of longing and remorse in his words are
In Frankenstein the monster remarks, “There is love in me the likes of which you've never seen. There is rage in me the likes of which should never escape. If I am not satisfied in the one, I will indulge the other” (154). The duality presented by the monster showcases the complexity of its nature, and the human nature inside of him. Although established over one hundred years after her death, Shelley develops Frankenstein’s monster, though not inherently human, parallel to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This suggests that monster developed psychologically similar to how modern research suggests humans develop, with human nature supplying his needs and Victor’s rejection nurturing his violence. Shelley also portrays the monster as a conscious
In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the creature is portrayed as the antagonist of the story; a murderous scientific experiment gone wrong. At the moment of his creation, he does not posses any negative personality traits, it is only the hideousness of the creature that causes Victor Frankenstein to abandon him. Frankenstein is unable to accept the creature as it is different from himself. The abandonment of the creature by Victor Frankenstein causes the creature to venture out into the world without any knowledge or nurturing to protect him and set him on a righteous path. Frankenstein’s monster encounters many unpleasant and emotionally damaging interactions with society which harden him. The creature craved love and acceptance from a creature