The Character of Victor Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

1079 Words3 Pages

The Character of Victor Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Look at the significance of chapter five to the novel as a whole.

Focus on the relevance and effect of writer’s use of language to

describe setting, character and what it shows about social and

historical influences.

Looking at face value, Frankenstein is about a man called Victor

Frankenstein, who creates a monster out of previously dead humans. But

looking deeper, it is so much more then that. It’s very ahead of its

time, looking at morals that didn’t appear until much later; for

example issues about appearance. Frankenstein has an ongoing battle

with his appearance, people think he is ghastly and menacing just by

looking at him, but he is actually gentle and non-threatening.

The media is mainly responsible for today’s issues about appearance,

telling youths how they should look and what is acceptable; the

slightest curve on young women is undesirable because they can be

deemed “fat”, Frankenstein is unacceptable in the eyes of society.

This novel also makes us question the difference between God and man.

The fact that Victor Frankenstein can create a life is shocking.

People were deeply religious; and also the suggestion that man can

posses the same powers as God was improper and scandalous to the

church. Also Victor Frankenste...

... middle of paper ...

... centaury.

Another key theme is science, and science vs. religion. People were

fascinated in bringing the dead to life, and Victor Frankenstein

portrays this in saying: “I shall saliate my ardent curiosity”

People were extremely religious and the thought of bringing the dead

back, and digging up graveyards was unacceptable to the church, and it

brought up moral issues like is there a god? Because if man can create

something that god can, are we not all equal?

I have learnt that the 19th century was filled with prejudice and also

curiousness about the after life and science. Religion played an

immense role in the way people lived, all of this is reflected in the

novel and we see Victor Frankenstein break the rules of society and

change the roles of women so they are no longer needed.

Open Document