Examples Of Prejudice In Frankenstein

Regardless of one’s personality, there is a significant amount of prejudice that is based off of physical appearance and this is a prominent issue. For example, many people can make an opinion on someone based on whether or not one is thin, fat, short, or tall. This problem is displayed in Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein with the scientist Victor Frankenstein’s creation of his monster. The Monster cannot escape from the prejudice society has on his physical appearance no matter his intentions.
The society that in Mary Shelley’s novel shows the social acceptance is largely influenced off of one’s physical appearance. For example, when Victor firsts creates the Monster, he describes the undesirable features of the monster, “ his teeth of

a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes ” (Page 47). Obviously, the Monster is ugly, however the way that Victor goes in depth about the Monster’s appearance implies that it is significant. A little later, Victor describes his feelings towards the Monster, “I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created” (Page 48). This is before the Monster has even spoken a single word, yet, Victor makes such a harsh judgment about him. When the Monster reveals himself to some cottagers in the woods, he receives a very interesting reaction, “At that instance the cottage door was opened, and Felix, Safie and Agatha entered. Who can describe their horror and consternation on beholding me? Agatha fainted...he dashed me and struck me violently with a stick" (112). Delacey, one of the cottagers, was blind and therefore could not judge the Monster by his hideous appearance. However, when the other cottagers walk in they hate and fear him based on his looks and end up attacking him.
Clearly, the the society in Frankenstein views the Monster as evil, however the Monster has very good intentions that are disregarded.

The Monster finds a girl playing in the woods and she ends up slipping and started to drown, “I rushed from my hiding-place and with extreme labour, from the force of the current, saved her and dragged her to shore” (138). The Monster obviously means well for going out of his way to save a girl in which the Monster has never met. The Monster deserves praise for this heroic action, however that is not what he gets, “I was suddenly interrupted by the approach of a rustic, who was probably the person from whom she had playfully fled. On seeing me, he darted towards me, and tearing the girl from my arms . . . the man saw me draw near, he aimed a gun, which he carried, at my body and fired. I sank to the ground, and my injurer, with increased swiftness, escaped into the wood” (139). The man who shot the Monster perjured the Monster based off of physical appearance not based off of the actions the Monster took. No matter what the Monster does, he will still be judged solely based on his looks. Another example of the Monster having good intentions is when the Monster tries to convince Victor to make another monster, “ I demand a creature of another sex, but as hideous as myself . . . we shall be monsters, cut off from all the world; but on that account we shall be more attached to one another” (125). The Monster has been shunned from society

because of social prejudice and wants to have someone that will accept him for who he is rather than what he looks like. The Monster wants his mate to be just as ugly has himself so they can bond over being rejected from society.
The nice intentions of the Monster in Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein was not enough to overcome the strong prejudice that was in place. It is human nature to have preconceived opinions on someone based off of physical appearance and this novel was a perfect example of this.