The use of reader response in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein shows the different types of opinions formed by the readers on many different topics such as whether they liked the text, agreed or disagreed with the author, what they thought of the book and/ or what they thought the purpose of the book was and what their critiques of the book are (Daryl Smith O' Hare and Susan C. Hines). The purpose of the book is believed to be one of the most important discussion topics of the book. The purpose of Frankenstein was to analyze humanity in The Creature.
Does The Creature have a soul? In the religious point of view Gidley states that “Not only has the creature learned to speak, he has also read books. He refers most often to Milton's Paradise Lost.
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Frankenstein's creature recognizes that the God who created Adam is spiritual and benevolent. This lends a reflected glory and dignity to Adam: he too is a spiritual being, fitted for communion with God and conversation with angels. And God is good to Adam. Frankenstein, on the other hand, is a mechanic, and his creature is a machine. By coincidence, Frankenstein's creature had come into possession of Frankenstein's laboratory notebook and had read the story of his own creation. In contrast to the creation of Adam, the creature finds the story of his own creation to be filthy and disgusting. Again the underlying horror is the realization that he is a merely physical being. Hovering over the novel is a word that is rarely used within it, and never with its theological meaning: soul. Frankenstein does not lose his soul, and no one in the novel warns him that he is in danger of losing it. Like his creature, he doesn't have one” (James S. Gidley 2007). The Creature believes that Frankenstein is his God and since he is his God then he will make him another of himself like God created Eve for Adam. The Creature believes that if God was good to Adam, then his creator shall be good to him. When The Creature realizes
In Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, she addresses the challenges that arise in both the creation and life of a dead creature that has been brought back to life in hideous forms. The
The creature’s moral ambiguity characteristic was a vile ingredient to the construction of this novel Frankenstein because it made the reader 's sympathies with him even after the audience knows he had committed murder because the readers had seen the truth this creature had to face. That he had tried everything within his power to peacefully live with them, to interact, communicate, and befriend them “these thoughts exhilarated me and led me to apply with fresh ardour to the acquiring the art of language”, that even though he was seen as a monster because of the looks he was created with, something he had no control over, he still had hope to be seen as equals, ”My organs were indeed harsh, but supple; and although my voice was very unlike the soft music of their tones, yet I pronounced such words as I understood with tolerable ease. It was as the ass and the lap-dog; yet surely the gentle ass whose intentions were affectionate, although his manners were rude, deserved better treatment than blows and execration;” this hope of his was utterly crushed, and can only set him up for utter disappointment(12.18). Because in the end he only received hates, scorns, violence, and prejudice from his good will. So in the end of the story, Mary Shelley’s forces the readers to see within the creature’s heart and for
Throughout the novel Victor Frankenstein isolates himself from humans and elevates himself to the level of God. Frankenstein spends countless hours in isolation, something humans are not meant to do, and he “succeeded in discovering the cause of generation and life” (50). After remain in isolation he believes he is greater than other humans and was able to attain God’s level because he can create life. The power to bestow life is something that is thought of as godly and after Frankenstein created the creature he felt like a god because he “became capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter” (50). Frankenstein makes a comparison of his new species to human kind and cites himself as the new god. Frankenstein stated that this “new species blesses [him] as its creator and source,” elevating himself to god’s level and replacing him (52). God is something people look to for answers and for benevolence. Frankenstein describes himself as a person “with benevolent intentions, and thirsted for the moment when [he] should put them into practice” making it seem as if he has the same intentions as God but has a higher ability to fulfill his intentions because he is on earth
In the book of Genesis, God is creating the world and eventually creates his children Adam and Eve. Like Adam, the creature in Frankenstein was created by another being, in this case Victor Frankenstein. As a creation, the monster has had no choice in his own development just like Adam didn’t. Frankenstein abandoned his creation and left it to fend for itself and cope with abandonment as it learns the workings of the world. This is similar to Adam’s excommunication from the Garden of Eden as he himself was cast away from God. The creation says, “Remember, that I am thy creature; I ought to be thy Adam; but I am rather the fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed,” (Shelley 84) which shows how even though Frankenstein is the parental figure he has disowned the creation similar to the story of Adam. In the book of Genesis, as a result of God’s negligence as a parent, Adam acts in rebellion towards God. Likewise, the creature’s abandonment leads it to act in a malicious manner towards Frankenstein and other human beings. The negligence of the parental figures led both of their children to have eccentric behavior as they had to develop their own understanding of the world without any guidance from a parental
In Frankenstein, Frankenstein was preoccupied with the idea of creating life from nothing. On page 50, he expressed his wonderment, “I succeeded in discovering the cause of generation and life; nay, more, I became myself capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter.” He had succeeded in understanding the reasons for which life functions but he placed more importance on the discovery that he could cause it on his own. The events that take place in the novel follow as the consequences of Frankenstein’s longing for validation of his own self-worth. That desire filled his mind to a point where it haunted him. Mary Shelley consistently sho...
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.
Frankenstein’s thoughtless actions, the creature was released out into a world that was completely new to him, not knowing social norms, language, and common knowledge. From hiding in a family’s home for several months, he taught himself basic English, which gave him the courage to introduce himself to the family he had gotten to know over the last months. Even though he had only the best intentions when meeting them, his outward appearance repulses the family and they are frightened by him. The Creature justs wants to understand the world and be happy, but while trying to find this, it leads him to unhappiness and sorrow.
“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” ...
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.
The doppleganger that is the monster takes on many forms in terms of what it represents. One of these is the fear of science and its role in relation to God. As scientific advancements were made in the field of medicine, questions arose as to whether or not man should try to perform acts that only God was previously capable of performing. This moral issue is initially ignored by Frankenstein, overshadowed by his zeal for accomplishing his impossible feat of reanimation. After he animates the creature and shuns it for its horrible appearance, it acts on its impulses for revenge. As the story progresses, Frankenstein realizes that he should have thought more carefully before acting, and the repercussions of his dark deed eventually lead him on a self-destructive quest to ultimately attempt to annihilate his own creation. By trying to ascend past his place in God’s universe, Frankenstein, in the end, destroys himself and all that he ever loved....
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein (sometimes also known as The Modern Prometheus) is the classic gothic novel of her time. In this eerie tale, Dr. Victor Frankenstein – suffering from quite an extreme superiority complex – brings to life a creature made from body parts of deceased individuals from nearby cemeteries. Rather than to embrace the Creature as his own, Frankenstein alienates him because of his unpleasant appearance. Throughout the novel, the Creature is ostracized not only by Frankenstein but by society as a whole. Initially a kind and gentle being, the Creature becomes violent and eventually seeks revenge for his creator’s betrayal. Rather than to merely focus on the exclusion of the Creature from society, Shelley depicts the progression of Dr. Frankenstein’s seclusion from other humans as well, until he and the Creature ultimately become equals – alone in the world with no one to love, and no one to love them back. Frankenstein serves as more than simply a legendary tale of horror, but also as a representation of how isolation and prejudice can result in the demise of the individual.
...nfirmed by its intense after life. Ever since, it has been analyzed and scrutinized using several approaches and techniques. Walter Scott is one of many notable authors and provides a thorough critique of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. This paper has covered several points as described in Scott’s Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine Review of Frankenstein (1818).
The monster in Mary Shelly’s novel Frankenstein is a creature somewhere in between human and non-human being. Through learning and observation, the monster acquires the basic skills to live in the human world. He perceives the world and himself through the view of human, and he develops the emotion and taste similar to human. However, his human identity is constantly rejected by people—even his creator, Doctor Victor Frankenstein refuses to acknowledge him as human and refers to him as “the monster”. Throughout the whole novel, the monster struggles to pursue a human identity yet suffers from the sorrow of failure, which ultimately leads to his hatred and retaliation.
Remember that I am thy creature; I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel” with this the creature explains that he is his creation and that he “ought to be thy Adam” that Frankenstein's misery was brought about himself because of how he went about creating
Milton, John. ‘Paradise Lost.’ 1674. Norton Anthology of English Literature. 7th ed. 2 vols. New York: Norton, 2000, 1: 1817-2044.