The Role Of Vanity In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

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What society deems taboo can be a determining factor for compassion and humanity, this is evident in the world every day. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein uses the Creature to bring to light how man should reevaluate what it constitutes a monster and take responsibility for committing truly monstrous acts. While mankind's reaction has changed and has become more accepting of that which is seemingly different, there are still questions raised about the general public: What value do we put on vanity and how does this affect how we live our everyday lives and treat others? How does vanity affect our humanity? Vanity as a central theme in Frankenstein is constant fuel for conflict; the society the Creature is exposed to deems him unworthy of simple kindness …show more content…

This reveals a great deal about Victor’s character rather than the Creature; Victor deems the Creature monstrous simply because he is not as beautiful as Victor had hoped. Victor’s God complex fuels his narcissism, “I had selected his features as beautiful” (Shelley, 43). The Creature later explains that in the first few moments of his life he reached for Victor for affection and reassurance, but was left cold and alone. As the Creature fends for himself out in the world, he witnesses nature and beauty and develops an intense self-loathing. When he witnesses the beauty of William Frankenstein playing outdoors, he longs for the same pure appearance and for a companion. His logic in snatching William away from his life is that because William appears to be so young, he cannot have possibly developed an ego like his creator. Therefore, he can raise the child to be open minded and loving towards him. To his dismay, the child already recognizes deformities and, as children tend to do, points them out with no filter in his fit of fear and

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