Similarities Between Frankenstein And The Laramie Project

Tragedy has caused many drastic actions in fiction and nonfiction works. In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the misfortune originates in the making of the creation and extends to all of its victims. Matthew Shepard’s untimely death affects the whole town of Laramie in The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman. These tragedies have complicated the character’s lives with arguments, remorse, and shame. Both The Laramie Project and Frankenstein exemplify how tragedy causes guilt and controversy. In The Laramie Project, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney both commit a crime, but Russell Henderson has a guilty conscience. During the trial for Matthew Shepard’s murder Henderson says: There is not a moment that goes by that I don’t see what happened

He explains his knowledge of his wrong doings, in effect to one day receive forgiveness from the town of Laramie and the Shepard family.

Whereas in Frankenstein, the guilt does not prevail in the defendant, it exists in a false accusation. The court puts Justine Moritz on trial for the murder of William Frankenstein, but Victor Frankenstein knows his creation held responsibility. He says, I passed a night of unmingled wretchedness. In the morning I went to the court; my lips and throat were parched. I dared not ask the fatal question; but I was known, and the officer guessed the cause of my visit....I cannot pretend to describe what I felt. I had before experienced sensations of horror; and I have endeavoured to bestow upon them adequate expressions, but words cannot convey an idea of the heart sickening despair that I then endured. (Shelley 76) As Frankenstein returns to the court, the guilt burdens him because the court condemns Justine for a crime she does not commit. The tragedy of William’s death brings the burden of constant

The death penalty has a very controversial stance in the world, and this applies to Laramie as well;

Murray: Part of me wants McKinney to get it. But I’m not very proud of that. I was on and off, off and on. I can’t say what I would do... I’m too personally involved.

Ula: How can I protest if the Shepards want McKinney dead? I just can’t interfere with that. But on a personal level, I knew Aaron in grade school. We never called him Aaron. He was called A.J...How can we put A.J. McKinney- how can we put A.J. McKinney to death?. (Kaufman 79-80)

Whether or not Aaron McKinney should receive the death penalty for the murder of Matthew Shepard diverges in the Laramie Project. Marge Murray and Zubaida Ula display the dispute over McKinney’s fate. Controversy in Frankenstein on the other hand, involves Victor’s thoughts. He knows his creation caused so much harm and to make the same mistake twice would end badly. Upon returning to Geneva he says,

Day after day, week after week, passed away on my return to Geneva; and I could not collect the courage to recommence my work. I feared the vengeance of the disappointed fiend, yet I was unable to overcome my repugnance to the task which was enjoined me”. (Shelley