With roughly 7 billion humans on Earth, every human is born different physically, but internally possess the qualities that form the foundation of humanity, compassion and sympathy. However, the corruption of an individual’s morals and character is brought about as a result of the way in which they were fostered and the situations in which they were placed. In Frankenstein, Victor endlessly pursued the acquisition of knowledge. He created a creature abundantly filled with tenderness and kindness, but one constantly alone and repeatedly abhorred by all mankind. Although the creature was repeatedly placed into situations that eventually brought about his physical destruction, his innate foundation consistently reverted back to the search for …show more content…
belonging and acceptance. These human desires reveal that in comparison to Victor, the creature displayed human qualities profusely more. Although the creature was seen and treated as a monster by all humans he came into contact with, he desired to fit into society more than anything, which is a profoundly human characteristic.
He never originally intended to harm any of mankind. “If any being felt emotions of benevolence towards me, I should return them an hundred and an hundredfold; for that one creature’s sake, I would make peace with the whole kind!” (Shelley 105). However, he was consistently rewarded for his benevolence and kindness with universal fear and hatred. The creature realizes his position in society when he stated, “Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind?” (Shelley 104). The lack of connection with humanity forced him to retaliate. When questioned about the reason for his actions the creature replied “I am malicious because I am miserable” (Shelley 104). The creature repeatedly tried to become one with the society in which he found himself, but ultimately realized that it was hopeless and that he would never truly be …show more content…
accepted. Rejection by society caused the once humane creature to become a literal monster.
Repeatedly, the creature tried to fit in and become “human” according to the standards of those around him. For instance, the creature patterned himself to become like the DeLacey family by watching every move they made and replicating it himself. He also assisted in their labours when he “brought home firing sufficient for the consumption of several days” (Shelley 78). The creature strived and went to great lengths to become ultimately a part of the family. When he gathered enough courage to introduce himself to the DeLacey’s, the old blind man showed the creature the only kindness he ever received because he was unable to see his hideous outward features but could see his pure character. However, when the blind man’s family returned they were horrified at the sight of the creature. “Who can describe their horror and consternation on beholding me?” Immediately at the sight of him, he was struck violently with a stick and drove out of the house. The creature was aware that he “could have torn him limb from limb,” but refrained because of an overwhelming sense of despair. Another instance in which the creature showed compassion for mankind was when he saved a drowning girl from a rapid stream and tried to resuscitate her. His bravery and kindness was once again rewarded by a man who “aimed a gun, which he carried, at my body and fired” (Shelley 101). As can be seen, the creature was
consistently rejected, persecuted, and abhorred by all the men he encountered regardless of his benevolent deeds. On the other hand, Victor displayed humanity at its worst. He neglected and despised his own creation as soon as life was brought into it because of his hideous outward appearance. Victor stated that “I had gazed on him while unfinished; he was ugly then; but when those muscles and joints were rendered capable of motion, it became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived” (Shelley 36). As the creature’s creator, Victor had a responsibility to foster his well-being and acceptance, but abandoned that duty immediately at the sight of him. When Victor discovered that the creature had left his bedroom, he realized that he “was also freed from its hideous guest,” and “became assured that my enemy had fled,” and “clapped my hands for joy.” (Shelley 38). In addition to his failure to fulfill his role, Victor displayed selfishness and irresponsibility throughout the novel. He was the ultimate example of self-absorption, allowing other innocent lives to be taken due to his cowardly character and refusal to accept personal responsibility for the terror he had created. As a result of his inaction, most of his friends and family suffered and died at the hands of his own creation. Victor was given multiple chances to make well with the creature and right his wrong doings, but ultimately preferred to save himself over others. Victor hated and rejected the creature from the day of his creation and never tried to help the creature in any way. He was self-absorbed and distant and his only worry was being discovered. The creature, on the other hand, tried relentlessly to become part of mankind by copying the lives of others and doing kind deeds for which he was repeatedly shunned and persecuted. He only committed violent acts as he eventually lashed out at his creator. Unfortunately, it appears that the creature possessed more of the better characteristics of humans than Victor, his creator.
Shortly after becoming cognizant of his abilities to hurt humans, the Creature says the following, “‘I too can create desolation; my enemy is not vulnerable; this death will carry despair to him, and a thousand other miseries shall torment and destroy him’” (Shelley 122). Evidently, these spoken words are enlaced with rages of fury but as the plot progresses into its resolution it becomes notable that his evil intentions are overshadowed by his heartfelt regret. Unfortunately, the
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.
The Controversial Issues of ‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley ‘Frankenstein’ is a Gothic Horror novel written by Mary Shelley. An ambitious scientist, Victor Frankenstein, creates a creature from Human body parts in secret. Instead of taking responsibility for the creature he abandons it. The creature spends its life learning about Humans, learning to read and trying to find Frankenstein.
When he first awakens with a smile towards his creator, the creature is abandoned and learns by himself about how the world works. Despite his rough start in his new life, the creature experiences nature with no harsh emotions. “[The creature]... could distinguish, nothing; but feeling pain... Soon a gentle light and gave [the creature] a sensation of pleasure. [He] started and beheld a radiant form rise from among the trees. [He] gazed with a kind wonder” (Shelley 100). When the creature was a sobbing mess, he could have taken the chance to only let in anger and hate for the life he has been thrown into. But the creatures is distracted and in awe of the sunrise, a symbol of new hope and new start. Because of his hideous appearance, the creature receives negative reactions. “[The creature] entered... the children shrieked and... the women fainted. The whole village was roused: some fled, some attacked [him], until, grievously bruised by stones and many other kinds of missile weapons [the creature] escaped... [the creature]... miserable from the inclemency of the season, and still more from the barbarity of man” (Shelley 103). If the creature was a true monster, he would have fought back against the villagers. Because a true evil being would attack without hesitation. Because of his deformity, people automatical...
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
...ime, such as reading, speaking, and how to find shelter. More importantly however, he learns something that affects his entirety of his short life: how humans truly are. Frankenstein learns that humans can be kind and moral, but more often are cruel, brutish, unfair, and unsympathetic. He learns that he will never be accepted, and learning this drives him to do rather evil human-ish acts. Even as he does these bad things though, he still experiences regret, longing for companionship, and the drive to do good things and be a good person. This inner conflict is present in all humans, as we struggle to do the right thing and avoid temptations and violence. This struggle is what causes the creature to truly be human, encompassing all of humanity’s aspects, including both the good and bad.
The question “What makes us who we are?” has perplexed many scholars, scientists, and theorists over the years. This is a question that we still may have not found an answer to. There are theories that people are born “good”, “evil”, and as “blank slates”, but it is hard to prove any of these theories consistently. There have been countless cases of people who have grown up in “good” homes with loving parents, yet their destiny was to inflict destruction on others. On the other hand, there have been just as many cases of people who grew up on the streets without the guidance of a parental figure, but they chose to make a bad situation into a good one by growing up to do something worthwhile for mankind. For this reason, it is nearly impossible to determine what makes a human being choose the way he/she behaves. Mary Shelley (1797-1851) published a novel in 1818 to voice her opinions about determining personality and the consequences and repercussions of alienation. Shelley uses the ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau to make her point. Rousseau proposed the idea that man is essentially "good" in the beginning of life, but civilization and education can corrupt and warp a human mind and soul. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (hereafter referred to as Frankenstein), Victor Frankenstein’s creature with human characteristics shows us that people are born with loving, caring, and moral feelings, but the creature demonstrates how the influence of society can change one’s outlook of others and life itself by his reactions to adversity at “birth”, and his actions after being alienated and rejected by humans several times.
Frankenstein defied human boundaries when he created the monster and because of this not only his life, but the lives of others have also shifted, this has caused their lives to spiral into an unjustified conclusion. Curiosity was the main cause of him learning how to create such a thing, his lack of caring for the thing that he created led to his undoing. His motivation for creating life, comes from the fact that he lost someone dear to him. Although Victor was young when his mother died, it had serious effects on the way he viewed life and maybe even himself. Once you take on the father role you have to stick to it, otherwise creating life
“Frankenstein” by Mary Shelly explores the concept of the body, life, ‘the self’ and most of importantly humanity, which is repeatedly questioned throughout the novel. The definition of humanity is the quality of being humane or in other words someone that can feel or possess compassion. Despite all the facts against the “monster” in “Frankenstein” he is indeed what one would consider being human. Humanity isn’t just about ones physical appearance but also includes intellect and emotion. Some people argue that the “monster” is not a human for he was not a creature that was born from “God” or from a human body. That being said, the “monster” is not only able to speak different languages, he can also show empathy - one of many distinct traits that set humans apart from the animals. Both the “monster” and his creator, Victor, hold anger and feel a sense of suffering throughout the novel. Victor is a good person with good intentions just like most individuals, but makes the mistake of getting swept up into his passion of science and without thinking of the consequences he creates a “monster”. After completing his science project, he attempts to move forward with his life, however his past – i.e., the “monster” continues to follow and someone haunt him. While one shouldn’t fault or place blame on Frankenstein for his mistakes, you also can’t help but feel somewhat sympathetic for the creature. Frankenstein just wants to feel accepted and loved, he can’t help the way he treats people for he’s only mimicking how people have treated him, which in most cases solely based on his appearance. Unlike most of the monsters we are exposed to in films past and present, the character of the “monster” ...
There was no one left to provide the creature with companionship and was forced to isolate himself from society once again. When the family moved out of their cottage, the creature decided to go on his own adventure and seek out his creator. Upon doing so, the creature encountered a young girl who was about to drown near a lake. When the creature successfully saved the little girl, an older man confronted the creature and shot him in the shoulder. Because of what happened, the creature explained to Frankenstein that his, “...daily vows rose for revenge-a deep deadly revenge, such as would alone compensate for the outrages and anguish [he] had endured.” (Shelley 61). With this burning rage, the creature decided to take his revenge out on his creator, Frankenstein. One by one, Frankenstein’s relatives and closest friends were murdered by the creature, but his father’s death, was the final push. Frankenstein believed that he was the cause for all the murders and that he had to destroy what he created. He told Walton that, “...as [he] awakened to reason, at the same time awakened to revenge.” (Shelley 88). The only way to stop future deaths, was to hunt down the creature and kill him. Fueled with hatred, Frankenstein traveled for months in hopes of finding the creature. However, in his final days, Frankenstein was no longer able to continue his search, and passed away due to malnutrition. Upon discovering what had happened, the creature came out from hiding, and decided to explain his side of the story to Walton. Now that Frankenstein was dead, the creature decided to wander off and slowly die, isolated from the
Victor Frankenstein's upbringing in a perfect society ultimately led to the destruction of his life which coincided with the lives of those emotionally close to him. Victor was raised in an atmosphere where beauty and physical appearance define one's quality of life. This superficial way of life results in a lost sense of morals and selfishness, which in turn produces a lost sense of personal identity. This can cause a feeling of failure and resentment in the later stages of life which, in Victor's case, can be externalized into a form of hatred directed toward himself.
There was no one left to provide the creature with companionship and was forced to isolate himself from society once again. When the family moved out of their cottage, the creature decided to go on his own adventure and seek out his creator. Upon doing so, the creature encountered a young girl who was about to drown near a lake. When the creature successfully saved the little girl, an older man confronted the creature and shot him in the shoulder. Because of what happened, the creature explained to Frankenstein that his, “...daily vows rose for revenge-a deep deadly revenge, such as would alone compensate for the outrages and anguish [he] had endured.” (Shelley 61). With this burning rage, the creature decided to take his revenge out on his creator, Frankenstein. One by one, Frankenstein’s relatives and closest friends were murdered by the creature, but his father’s death, was the final push. Frankenstein believed that he was the cause for all the murders and that he had to destroy what he created. He told Walton that, “...as [he] awakened to reason, at the same time awakened to revenge.” (Shelley 88). The only way to stop future deaths, was to hunt down the creature and kill him. Fueled with hatred, Frankenstein traveled for months in hopes of finding the creature. However, in his final days, Frankenstein was no longer
The abnormal behavior of Victor Frankenstein simply could not be explained by anyone. He was obsessed with building his monster, no matter what the morality or the outcome of his actions were. Consequences wreaked havoc on the creator when the monster turned on him and took his anger out on Victor’s family. He was so focused on building his perfection that he overlooked some factors. After further research, it is concluded that Victor suffered from Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder during the creation of his monster, which resulted in a rigid following of the ethics and morals of science and technology.
We are all born into this world with innocence, but due to our human nature and the ways of society we don’t stay this way. Some people let the world corrupt them and others manage to find peace. However, none of us are been as liars and killers. Victor Frankenstein’s monster is an example of such corruption and how someone so innocent can be manipulated based on how they’re viewed by others. In the monster’s early days he is shown to be innocent without knowledge of his appearance and the effect that it will have on people.When he first encounters humans he has faith in them and is confident that he will befriend them. Then, with each human encounter his faith is destroyed. The monster is young and doesn’t understand
At first, The Monster is very kind and sympathetic. He has a good heart, as shown when he collected firewood for the family on the brink of poverty. Like every other human creation, he was not born a murderer. All the Monster wanted was to be accepted and loved by Victor Frankenstein and the other humans but instead he was judged by his appearance and considered to be dangerous. The Monster says, “like Adam, I was created apparently united by no link to any other being in existence…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” (page 105). This line is an important part of the novel because the Monster lets it be known how like Adam he was created into this world completely abandoned and like Satan he is angry with those people who have found contentment and satisfaction in their lives. The rejection and unwelcome feeling he is faced with, is the main reason the Monster becomes a killer. Watching another family show love towards each other made the Monster realize how alienated he truly was. He did not know how to deal with his pain and emotions so he murders as