Misfortunes are the memories that most people keep in mind and do not forget. It is the pain and suffering that they thrive on. In the lifetime of Mary Shelley she experienced various misfortunes that influenced her writing. Many of these events that occurred in her life influenced the content within Frankenstein. These events started occurring at a young age which affected her mental health. In the novel Frankenstein it demonstrates the consequences of man-made life and the pain inflicted upon Mary Shelley by tragic experiences. Many that have heard about the novel believe that the “monster” created by Victor is named Frankenstein. Although, the young man responsible for the unnamed creature brought to life is named Victor Frankenstein. Throughout …show more content…
the novel, there are similarities between the characters and persons involved in the life of Mary Shelley. The idea that “art imitates life” is given when Percy Shelley is perceived in Victor Frankenstein while the creature demonstrates emotions felt from Mary Shelley in the time period of her life. One of the first tragedies that occurred to Mary Shelley was a few days after her birth. In the year, 1797, Mary Shelley was born and had two parents whom were “...England’s leading intellectual radicals.” Her father was William Godwin, an “influential political philosopher and novelist”. Meanwhile, her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, was an author most known for writing A Vindication of the Rights of Woman for promoting women’s rights and education. Although, Mary Wollstonecraft died a few days after giving birth to Mary Shelley due to postpartum infection. Due to this fact, Mary Shelley never had the experience to meet her mother, but did have a special connection with her between creations in writing. This event was the commencement of misfortunes that will occur to Mary Shelley causing depression and influence to the content contained within Frankenstein. Later on her father remarried a woman who already had two children. Mary’s stepmother “...put herself between Mary and her father, was openly hostile to her…” caused her loneliness to become stronger and have a desire for someone to love and reciprocate the same feelings. All the events that occurred in Mary Shelley’s life play a part in the novel since many character have similarities to the persons that had an impact on her. The creature often felt lonely in the novel die to humans having fear by his appearance. All the creature desires is to be loved be someone and not be hated or feared. The creature is rejected by society, which makes him be full with rage and revenge towards Frankenstein. Later on in the novel the creature demands if Frankenstein for him to create another creature of the opposite sex for him to have company and not feel as lonely or rejected. Since William Godwin was an “influential novelist and political philosopher” it was common for many people to seek him at his home.
Mary’s future husband, Percy Shelley, ay a very young age went to seek Godwin at his home since he “...was influenced by Godwin’s liberal social ideas…”. William Godwin and Percy Shelley developed a father/son relationship which made it common for them to be seen together in special occasions or at home. Mary was intrigued by Percy and confessed her love to him. Although, this relationship was not approved by her father so the couple eloped. With the relationship with Percy there only came strategies and rejection. At this time, Percy already was married to Harriet Shelley, whom had one son and was pregnant with another child at the time. The commencement of the couple was not off to a good start. In the novel, Frankenstein was focused in his studies that he often forgot about his relatives and people that cared for him. He stated “...and the same feelings which made me neglect the scene around me cause me also to forget those friends…”. Frankenstein was curious about the nature of life and started experimenting in bringing a creature to life. Similarly, Percy was interested in the mysteries of life and electro/biochemistry. Also, he “...began a 10-year sequence of experiments in electrochemistry and decade before meeting Mary.”. Most of the time Percy was not spending time with Mary, which made her feel lonely and unappreciated. Mary “...gave birth to four children in five years, three of whom dies as infants.” and caused depression. Often times, Percy was not present or acknowledge Mary’s life to help support the grief from the deaths of her children. People can often put their priorities in other things besides their families, which causes conflicts. It is possible that Mary Shelley unconsciously built a character that represented her husband and show the emotions felt being in an unhappy relationship. Victor is a representation of
Percy and to demonstrate the emotions felt by Mary. Pain was inflicted upon the creature by Frankenstein and it is a demonstration of what Shelley felt due to actions by Percy. Mary wanted a family that was content, loved each other, and united. This desire of a loving family was found throughout the novel. Victor Frankenstein stated that he had one of the best memories with his family. His family were rich and there were concern and love that held them together. Frankenstein said, “No human being could have passed a happier childhood than myself. My parents were possessed by the very spirit of kindness and indulgence.”. In the novel, after the creature was brought to life he found shelter at a hovel which was adjoined to the cottage of the De Lacey family. When the creature was observing the De Lacey family, he desired to feel the love that they had for each other and concern of well being. The creature did not receive love from humans and wanted Frankenstein to create another creature of the opposite sex for him to not feel lonely or rejected. Percy was never part of the family, since he was never concerned about the well being of Mary. He was always focused in his studies that he did not spend much time with Mary or provide basic needs for a relationship. Most of the time, Mary was left alone to take care of herself and grief about concerns. Mary desires for a united family that is constructed by love and concern for each other. Pieces of her life can be shown in the novel and the characters. The desire to have a loving family and companion can be interpreted from the characters. The creature is often portrayed as full of loneliness and in desire of a companion of the opposite sex. When the creature was just brought to life he was confused about the surroundings around him. Victor never explained to the creature about his situation. Humans were afraid of the creature and did not want to be near him. The creature did not have a companion or any other human being that felt the same manner as him and grew each day more angry and full of revenge towards Frankenstein. Mary Shelley did have a husband, but she felt that he was not a responsible companion and doing his share of the relationship. Frankenstein is full of emotions that are felt by Mary Shelley and are shown throughout the novel. Both Frankenstein and Mary Shelley share common emotions towards people in their lives. The emotions felt are shown through the actions of the creature and the manner he was treated by humans. In this life, humans are thought to be superior, but they can be the cruelest human beings. Mary Shelley was going through a rough time with death around her and the thought of being alone, which can lead to the thought it lead her to create this novel. Mary Shelley can be thought as a woman full of determination and imagination to write the novel Frankenstein. Not everyone has the capacity to write a novel that captures the mind of a reader. There were many events that occurred in the life of Mary Shelley that are show through the emotions and actions of characters. Above all, Mary Shelley had the ability to create a novel that demonstrates the emotions she felt about her husband and desire to be loved while also showing imagination. All a person desires is to be loved and not be alone. One similarity that Mary Shelley and the creature possessed is to be surrounded by others that did show love and concern. What's the use of being surrounded by individuals, but not receiving in return their compassion? The emotions felt in Frankenstein can be commonly be found in present time. Not everyone has exactly the relationship with companion, family, or friends that they wish to have. As shown in the novel, often times people are judged to quick or forgotten about.
"Cursed, cursed creator! Why did I live? Why, in that instant, did I not extinguish the spark of existence which you contains several thematic elements; specifically, the element of betrayal. Through a complex plot, Shelley creates dynamic characters who come to the realization that the dangers of searching for the unknown secrets of life can lead to ruined and tarnished relationships. The irreversible damage that comes with finding the unknown appears to have a substantial effect on the character’s relationships with one another; especially, the central relationship between Victor Frankenstein and the monster. To the reader’s surprise Frankenstein is not the monster, but the doctor and creator of the monster, Victor. Victor Frankenstein, the creator of the monster and avid scientist, is perhaps the most complex character due to the
abandoned; this made him feel as if he was the only person with out no
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein explores the downfall of certain human characteristics, set to the backdrop of creation, destruction, and preservation. The subtitle denoted by Shelly herself supports this idea, by relating the fact that the title can be viewed as either Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus. One scholar, Marilyn Butler, also maintains this by noting, "It can be a late version of the Faust Myth"(302). Shelly uses the story of the main character, Victor Frankenstein, to produce the concept of a dooming human characteristic of which Frankenstein states, "I have . . . been blasted in these hopes"(Shelley, 152). The reader finds, as a result of his thirst for knowledge and infatuation with science, Victor creates a living being by whom he has "suffered great and unparalleled misfortunes"(Shelley, 17). Eventually, Victor realizes this self-destructive trait, but he is not able to save himself stating, "I have lost everything, and cannot begin life anew"(Shelley, 16). Although everything in his life that is dear has been lost, Victor is able to convince one in his same position--Robert Walton--to not "lead [his crew] unwillingly to danger"(Shelley, 151). While addressing the concept of characteristic and self-discovery, it is possible to realize that the monster also possesses the characteristics held by both Victor and Walton; except in his learning, the monster is driven to continue to cause destruction. Most important about the thirst for knowledge is that, as a form of human characteristic or downfall, it leads to large, critical pieces of self-discovery. In obtaining these critical pieces, Frankenstein finds satisfaction in j...
In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein the protagonist Victor Frankenstein creates a monster. The monster in the novel is deprived of a normal life due to his appearance. Like the creature, some serial killers today are killers due to the same rejection. In the novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley warns that a childhood of abuse and neglect will often result in evil actions.
Frankenstein is a horror movie that tells the story of Dr. Henry Frankenstein’s experiment. In search for the fame and glory of playing to be god, he reaches a point where he is able to revive dead people. In this version of Frankenstein’s monster we see a selfish and careless scientist that created a creature with his intelligence. The way the character is shown reflects how ambitious someone can be to reach to be known in the world. This movie makes the people who are watching to feel empathy on the poor creature. This poor creature that did not want to live in a life where everyone is going to hate him for having a horrible aspect and not following rules that he has no idea about.
Critic Northrop Frye says, “Tragic heroes tower as the highest points in their human landscape that they seem the inevitable conductors of the power about them, the great trees more likely to be struck by lightning than a clump of grass. Conductors may of course be instruments as well as victims of the divine lightning”. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein greatly exhibits the theme of the consequence of knowledge and irresponsibility among others through its tragic hero, Victor Frankenstein. Northrop Frye’s quote is certainly true when looking at Frankenstein’s situation. Victor is a victim of his divine lightning, and ultimately causes much trouble for himself; however, Victor also serves as the tragic hero in the lives of the monster, his family, and his friends.
Shelley’s mother died eleven days after Mary was born ( Britton 4). Like Mary Shelley, the monster was born motherless, and this deeply affected him. The monster proclaimed, “no mother had blessed me with smiles and caresses” (Shelley 86). Just as the monster longed for a family connection, so did Shelley. Barbara D’amato wrote, “The unconscious conflicts and psychic experiences of loss and of longing for connection are captured and revealed in the orphaned character of Mary Shelley’s fictional story, Frankenstein (118). Shelley and the monster also share the struggle of feeling abandoned and hated by their fathers. Shelley’s father abandoned her twice during her life. The first time was when Shelley was a young child. Shelley believed that her stepmother was interfering with Shelley’s and her father’s relationship, and this jealousy caused conflict between the family members. Shelley’s father later sent her to live somewhere else. When Shelley was older, her father disapproved of her decision to elope with Percy Shelley which resulted in him disowning Mary. This abandonment left Shelley with the feeling that there was something terribly wrong with her (D’Amato 126). The monster was also abandoned by Frankenstein, or the man that can be considered his father. The monster explained to Frankenstein why he had become the violent being that he was, when he told Victor, “Believe me Frankenstein: I was benevolent; my soul glowed with love and humanity; but am I not alone, miserably alone?” (Shelley
In this essay I will be looking at the differences between the creation of the first and second monster, how Mary Shelley portrays the feelings of Victor and the monster and the different myths and legends that she refers to within the novel. Victor Frankenstein had a wonderful life as a child: 'No human being could have passed a happier childhood than myself' (p.39) He was loving and cared deeply for his family, especially for his foster-sister, Elizabeth, who he looked upon as his own, and saw as a 'more than sister' (p.37). Victor always had an 'eager desire to learn' (p.39) about 'the secrets of heaven and earth' (p.39). When he was thirteen years old he started studying the works of Cornelius Agrippa and the fact that his father called it all 'sad trash' (p.40) fuelled his curiosity and enthusiasm and caused him to study even more which was to him, 'the fatal impulse that led to my [his] ruin' (p.41).
After learning about the life of Mary Shelley, I have grown to appreciate the novel, Frankenstein, even more since the first time I read it. She led a life nearly, as tragic as the monster she created through her writing. Mary seems to pull some of her own life experiences in Victor’s background, as in both mothers died during or after childbirth. Learning about Mary’s personal losses, I have gained a better appreciation of her as an author and a woman of the 17th century. She had association with some the most influential minds of that
Throughout Frankenstein, one assumes that Frankenstein’s creation is the true monster. While the creation’s actions are indeed monstrous, one must also realize that his creator, Victor Frankenstein, is also a villain. His inconsiderate and selfish acts as well as his passion for science result in the death of his friend and family members and ultimately in his own demise. Throughout the novel, Shelley investigates the idea of monstrosity. She makes the point that a monster does not have to be genuinely evil in order to be considered monstrous.
Victor Frankenstein serves as an instrument of suffering of others and contributes to the tragic vision as a whole in this novel. He hurts those surrounding him by his selfish character and his own creation plots against his master due to the lack of happiness and love. The audience should learn from Frankenstein’s tragic life and character to always remain humble. We should never try to take superiority that is not granted to us because like victor we shall suffer and perish. He had the opportunity to make a difference in his life and take responsibility as a creator but his selfishness caused him to die alone just like what he had feared.
In Frankenstein, Shelley creates two very complex characters. They embody the moral dilemmas that arise from the corruption and disturbance of the natural order of the world. When Victor Frankenstein is attending school, he becomes infatuated with creating a living being and starts stealing body parts from morgues around the university. After many months of hard work, he finishes one stormy night bringing his creation to life. However, “now that [Victor] had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled [his] heart” (Chambers). Right after Victor realizes what he has done, he falls into deep depression and must be nursed back to health by his friend. Victor spends the rest of the story facing consequences and moral problems from creating unnatural life. When he realizes that the ‘monster’ has killed his brother, even though no one believes him, he feels responsible for his brother’s murder because he was responsible for the existence of the ‘monster’. Also feeling responsible, Victor...
In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley highlights on the experiences her characters undergo through the internal war of passion and responsibility. Victor Frankenstein lets his eagerness of knowledge and creating life get so out of hand that he fails to realize what the outcome of such a creature would affect humankind. Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, highlights on how Frankenstein’s passion of knowledge is what ultimately causes the decline of his health and the death of him and his loved ones.
Why do people fail? There seems to be far more failure in life than actual success, but why exactly is that? The Gothic novel Frankenstein, introduced in the early 1800s by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley could shed some light on those questions. This elaborate and extensive work that when further analyzed presents unique and compelling characters that at times resemble that of an enigma, could be quite helpful. One particular character, Frankenstein’s monster had several disadvantages and difficult circumstances that led to its ultimate failure of securing its goals. To better analyze our earlier questions, Frankenstein must first be broken up to analyze Frankenstein's monster’s failures and then hopefully understand why it failed in the first
Mary Shelley in her book Frankenstein addresses numerous themes relevant to the current trends in society during that period. However, the novel has received criticism from numerous authors. This paper discusses Walter Scott’s critical analysis of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in his Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine Review of Frankenstein (1818).