A Monster and His Creator as One. The major character’s in Frankenstein desperately seek but never find ideal sympathetic companionship, and as a result the novels plot repeatedly dramatizes the failure of social sympathy. As said by Jeanne M. Britton “Frankenstein offers a version of sympathy that is constituted by the production and transmission of narrative as compensation for failures of face-to-face sympathetic experience.” To clarify, Victor Frankenstein’s sympathy comes from the feeling of harming the human race. An example of this is displayed when Victor firsts creates the Creature, and then again when the monster asks him to build a female version. Victor says from the novel Frankenstein written by Mary Shelley, “Had I right, for The monster’s artificial body creates some unreal circumstances. As said by Denise Gigante ,“He is, like the blood and guts oozing from the fissures in his skin, an excess of existence, exceeding representation, and hence appearing to others as a chaotic spillage from his own representational shell.” He cannot feel the touch of another human or feel the emotion one might give to another. Shelley does a good job of considering his species of a different nature, and because it has such a hideous and deformed body it prevents sympathetic experience. A great example of this is when the Creature is watching the De Lacey family. He sees the family and starts to describe them and their unhappiness. In the novel Frankenstein written by Mary Shelley he says, “They were not entirely happy. The young man and his companion often went apart and in solitary appeared to weep. I saw no cause for their unhappiness, but I was deeply affected by it. If such lovely creatures were miserable, it was less strange that I, an imperfect and solitary being, should be wretched. Yet why were these gentle beings unhappy?” (Shelly Ch.12) The Creature cannot understand this family’s unhappiness. They do not have to live in a wretched body as he does, so why are they so The Creature is able to explain to Victor the torture he has been putt through, and what he would like from Victor to compensate from his abandonment. He appeals to Victor for sympathy, and explains that he wants a partner. Not just any partner, but a female partner. Victor however, does not feel that he could do that with good conscious. William Veeder explains “The name of symbolism, which reinforces Victor Frankenstein 's hubris in trying to eliminate the female as he attempts to win eternal fame as the founder of a new line of super humans. Instead of submitting himself to the will of the community and the family, the scientist asserts his ego by challenging the laws of nature.” (William Veeder, 1986: 226) Instead of “submitting” himself to the Creature, and essentially mending a torn relationship. He destroys the female with his egotistical nature. At this point there is no hope in thinking that Victor and the Creature may have the compassionate relationship the Creature desperately wishes
When Victor flees the creature, he becomes lonely and unhappy. He rejects his own works. If he stayed and taught him the creature would at least have a chance of happiness. When the monster flees to the cottagers he learns about human nature. He quotes “I continued for the remainder of the day in my hovel in a state of utter and stupid despair. My protector had departed and broken the only link that held me to th...
He has come to believe that he had done the right thing in refusing the creatures request. The request which could of saved his friend and his wife's lives. Victor shows how selfish he can be, not taking responsibility and also believing that choosing the decision that ended his wife and friend's lives was the correct thing to choose. At this point and time, the readers are choosing who deserves the sympathy, Victor or the creature?
The fact the creature refers to a Biblical story teaches us that what Victor has done is not ethical or morally right as the bible connotes truth and wellbeing, the creature feels he is not treated as Adam because he is rejected like the fallen angel is from heaven; the philosophy is that one should absolve themselves of all sin, leaving the creature feeling like his is owed something from Victor. Furthermore during the romantic period it was said that ‘All man is born good’ however this contradicts the creatures life as he is sinned against, hated by Victor and feared by society from the day he was created although he did no wrong. The creature is given no chance in life like Adam was; he is simply a creation who is isolated fr...
Victor’s lack of compassion and sympathy towards the monster causes him to become angry instead of guilty. His cruelness to his creation made the monster kill and hurt the people he did but “when [he] reflected on [the monster’s] crimes and malice, [Victor’s] hatred and revenge burst all bounds of moderation,”(Shelley 325). Without compassion Victor thinks that the only way to stop the monster is to get revenge on him, instead of just giving him the empathy and kindness that monster craved. Victor realizes that "if he were vanquished, [he] should be a free man...balanced by those horrors of remorse and guilt which would pursue [him] until death. ”(Shelley 731).
...e all the evil things they have done. When he goes to Victor's coffin, the creature does the opposite of what a evil being would do. He grieves over Victor despite all the horrible things the creature has done to Victor. The creature even feels guilt over the innocent people he has killed and the torment he put his creator through. Despite Victor's actions leading the creature to commit evil deeds, the creature finds in himself to feel regret in the end.
When the creature, who is Frankenstein’s creation, first observes the cottage family, intense emotion is stirred within it:“I felt sensations of a peculiar and overpowering nature: they were a mixture of pain and pleasure, such as I had never before experienced,” (Shelley 91). Witnessing the cottage family interact in such an intimate way provokes such complex emotions that the creature is not able to comprehend their nature. These “peculiar” emotions are “overpowering” which show the extent to which they influence the creature. In addition, the creature describes such sensations as a “mixture of pain and pleasure” referring to a blend of two complex emotions. This is no simple or primitive reaction.
Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein is book about the importance of human relationships and treating everyone with dignity and respect. The main character of the book is Victor Frankenstein who is a very intelligent man with a desire to create life in another being. After he completes his creation, he is horrified to find that what he has created is a monster. The monster is the ugliest, most disgusting creature that he has ever seen. Victor being sickened by his creation allows the monster to run off and become all alone in the world. Throughout Frankenstein, Mary Shelley uses the theme of human relationships to illustrate the bond that man has with other beings and the need for love and affection. The importance of human relationships is shown throughout the book in many ways. Victor’s mother says to him, “I have a pretty present for my Victor—tomorrow he shall have it”(18).Victor is very excited that he has such a precious gift that will always be his. They become very close and refer to each other as cousins. However, there is a deeper a relationship between the two, and Victor vows to always protect and take of the girl whose name is Elizabeth. Mary Shelley uses this quote to explain how special Elizabeth is to Victor and that she is gift sent to him. Victor’s mother reinforces this again when she says to Victor and Elizabeth, “My children, my firmest hopes of future happiness were placed on the prospect of your union. This expectation will now be the consolation of your father. Elizabeth, my love, you must supply my place to my younger children. Alas! I regret that I am taken from you; and, happy and beloved as I have been, is it not hard to quit you all? But these are not thoughts befitting me; I will endeavour to resign...
In Frankenstein, Victor’s monster suffers much loneliness and pain at the hands of every human he meets, as he tries to be human like them. First, he is abandoned by his creator, the one person that should have accepted, helped, and guided him through the confusing world he found himself in. Next, he is shunned wherever he goes, often attacked and injured. Still, throughout these trials, the creature remains hopeful that he can eventually be accepted, and entertains virtuous and moral thoughts. However, when the creature takes another crushing blow, as a family he had thought to be very noble and honorable abandons him as well, his hopes are dashed. The monster then takes revenge on Victor, killing many of his loved ones, and on the humans who have hurt him. While exacting his revenge, the monster often feels guilty for his actions and tries to be better, but is then angered and provoked into committing more wrongdoings, feeling self-pity all the while. Finally, after Victor’s death, the monster returns to mourn the death of his creator, a death he directly caused, and speaks about his misery and shame. During his soliloquy, the monster shows that he has become a human being because he suffers from an inner conflict, in his case, between guilt and a need for sympathy and pity, as all humans do.
“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” ...
middle of paper ... ... Generally in the novel, most readers tend to sympathize with Frankenstein because of the way in which he is mentally and physically harmed by his creation. However, one must also realize that while Frankenstein is a victim in the novel, he also exhibits features that make him a monster. These monstrous qualities, however, stem from his passion for science and his desire to create life. Not only does the reader criticize and pity Frankenstein, but the reader also empathizes with Frankenstein’s creation.
...luding intelligence, compassion, and emotions. The monster attempts to make friends with his peer humans, despite his continuous rejection. His efforts show that even the monster experiences vulnerability and desire for companionship. The monster proves his intelligence as he devises a plan to learn the English language by observing his neighbors. Meanwhile, Doctor Frankenstein lacks the human quality of intelligence as he fails to foresee the effects of taking creation of life into his own hands. The doctor also lacks compassion when he abandons his creation, the equivalent of a parent leaving his child. Frankenstein flees from his monster because he actually fears the monster as much as the rest of society due to its frightening stature. Doctor Frankenstein and his creation exemplify the qualities people should exude to consider themselves members of the human race.
After Victor destroys his work on the female monster meant to ease the monster's solitude, the monster is overcome with suffering and sadness. These feelings affected his state of mind and caused him to do wrong things. He did not deserve to see his one and only mate be destroyed.
In this essay I am going to answer ‘how and why does Mary Shelley make the reader sympathise with the character of the monster in her novel Frankenstein’.
I believe that Victor and the creature are both right about what they want and yet monstrous in their reactions. Victor is right about what he wants; one reason is because he is very committed to his work and in creating life for his creature. On the other hand he is evil because he abandoned the creature and left him on his own: "I escaped and rushed downstairs. I took refuge in the courtyard belonging to the house which I inhabited" (Shelley 57). Shelley shows Victor's monstrous reaction to the creature in the way that he abandoned the creature to his own luck and he shows no responsibility for him.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein shows the necessity of friendship. Throughout her novel, Shelley shows that everyone needs an equal with whom they can talk and share experiences. Frankenstein’s main characters, Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein, and the monster, all share a desperate desire to have close friends. The idea at the heart of Shelley’s novel seems to be people need each other to balance out our individual negative aspects. As Shelley says, “We are unfashioned creatures, but half made up, if one wiser, better, dearer than ourselves-- such as a friend ought to be-- do not lend his aid to perfectionate our weak and faulty natures” (24). This also agrees with Shelley’s feministic views; men and women need each other to thrive, and one