Category: Frankenstein

In the Romantic era, there was a book named “Frankenstein” written by Mary Shelley. Then in the Victorian era, “The Curious Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson and both novels are monster horror stories. Both of these novels have different literary themes since they were written in different time periods and the authors had different beliefs. With the novels being from different time periods I am going to compare both of them in order to determine which one is the better monster story.

The Romantic era is a point in time where the beauty of art, pure emotion, and nature were valued more over scientific reason. This era also glorified the child as “the original rebel” and focuses on the individual self and personal experiences. The Victorian era took place when Queen Victoria ruled over the United Kingdom. The literature in this period used medieval myths and legends as well as realistic issues including the issues between science and religion.

Victor Frankenstein, the main protagonist of ‘Frankenstein’, was a young student who was fascinated by old science. He later went on to study as much as he could to build a creature with different body parts. Once he finished collecting the parts, he used electricity to bring the creature to life, but when Victor saw it alive, he was scared and knew that he made a mistake. Victor’s motive behind this experiment was that he believed that life could be created if he used all of his knowledge and pushed the limits. He was also intrigued by the death of his mother as he wanted to understand it better. In ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the protagonist of the book was Dr. Jekyll. Jekyll was considered a very respected doctor and a very prosperous man in the community. At the beginning of the book he is not seen much but only talked about when he is mentioned by Hyde and Utterson. Dr. Jekyll is also known for his decency and the charitable work he does for the people. Jekyll has a secret dark side that people do not know about and he tries to separate this side by using science. He achieves his goal and becomes a whole different person with his experiment but it later backfires on him. The reason for his doing this in the first place was to separate his two personalities so it wouldn’t ruin his good reputation, but later he ends up wanting to get rid of his bad side but isn’t able to change back to his good side. Both protagonists are very similar in the fact that they are both men who are well educated, and both are very wealthy. The only difference these characters have is the reasoning behind their experiments and the way they act.

The monster in the book ‘Frankenstein’, Adam, is created by Victor Frankenstein who abandons him as soon as he sees him alive. Adam was described as an 8-foot-tall hideous monster with unbelievable strength, but also the mind of a newborn. After Adam was left by himself he sets off to find his creator and has several harsh encounters with humans and Adam becomes scared of them. He later finds a family that lived in a cottage and he would observe them every day to learn new things. He later realizes that he is very different from everyone else and decides to make friends with this family, but he wasn’t received kindly and looked for vengeance against his creator for leaving him. Adam heads back to Geneva and finds a little boy in the woods who happened to be Victor’s younger brother William. After these events, Victor decides to confront his creation and meets with him at the summit of a mountain. Adam then describes to Victor all of the events that have happened to him after he left him alone and makes a deal with Victor which was to make him a partner. Victor does not keep his promise and Adam ends up killing many of Victor’s loved ones.

It is the full title of the well-known Gothic hyperscience horror novel “Frankenstein: Modern Prometheus” by Mary Shelley. There are two important factors in the fable of Prometheus. The first recognized as “Prometheus imprisoned” with the aid of Aeskylos is the story of Prometheus Piruhoros who lit the solar (sky). To help mankind, Zeus certain him and punished him. Caucasus. The essential indication is a rock with an eagle that offers regular. The 2nd is the story of Prometheus plasticizers. In some versions, it was animated with clay to create or reproduce humans. This mythical aspect used to be rarely used with the aid of the Greeks, but Aeschylus or Hesiod was once extra common among the Romans who did not understand it. Both elements of Prometheus’s dual delusion are carefully related to Shelley’s work, why Prometheus is related to his advent of creating people and stealing a furnace to hold his creation. Because I used to be tied to Zeus. Exactly related to Victor Frankenstein. He was charged with the know-how of the hate he created.

Prometheus is a rebellious character. Punishment Zeus sent an eagle to consume his liver. The liver is viewed as the vicinity of reason, strength, intelligence, and subsequently its own, as defined by the 4 human species of the Elizabethan era. location. Similarly, like Prometheus, Victor Frankenstein used to be rejected by means of presenting ‘new life’ to ‘inanimate’ fairy tales, in violation of the laws of nature. As a result, he was once nonetheless on the rock. On the rock. It is know-how that he created ‘things’ rather than other ‘people’, and that ‘things’ are defined only in ‘biology’. Around the 2nd and third centuries AD, the two elements of the Prometheus story combined to create a fire stolen via Prometheus, which was once used to help human beings in the mud. This offers an entirely new means to mythology Prometheus can be without problems understood as a new Plato interpretation of the afterlife or co-creators, however, the medieval often used matters stated by Christians can additionally be without difficulty interpreted. Expression of creativity. God’s power. In the Renaissance, the photo used to be familiar, as Othello instructed Desdemona. ‘… I do not be aware of the heat of Prometheus.

I can create a glowing place.’ Then Prometheus was once a picture that was once identified by a creative artist. .. At the commencing of the 18th century, the practical and influential portrayal of producer Prometheus finds in Shaftestbury’s ‘The Characters’ precisely what Mary Snow first knew about Frankenstein’s central thoughts and situations. I can. His ‘attributes’ in writing novels are unknown. Mary Shelley first seemed on the scene with ‘Modern Prometheus’ (Prometheus) and realized the significance of making Prometheus a creator, not like the works of Byron and Shelley (Champion of Human Suffering). By doing so, he connects the fantasy to some contemporary scientific theories that the ‘sacred life form’ that Victor gave him is basically an electrical or reversal miracle. Prometheus regularly it as a metaphor for artists, however when Mary Shelley communicated it to scientists, the meaning used to be great. If Frankenstein is a ‘modern Prometheus’ as a scientist, science is additionally a creation. But the world of artwork is ideal. In the world of science, it is realistic and avoidable. Then you have to go through that result. Scientists themselves are residing beings who have taken on the role and burden of creators. If Frankenstein denies and destroys monsters, what is the advantage of rejecting and destroying his former sponsor, Frankenstein? If Prometheus created a human revolution from a romantic culture into his identity, the creature is a revolution from some other angle. ‘Sad secret creatures, dirt who know how to discuss while walking’, it is nothing. But does ache and destruction exceed the electricity to create them?

This creature takes the shape of Prometheus. Just as the Prometheus Yen wondered about Zeus’s authority, the creature additionally wondered and antagonistic the authority of its creator, Victor Frankenstein. The creature used to be terrible due to the fact it never happened. Humans are no longer prepared to face animals. Victor is an artificial creature. It does now not manifest naturally in nature. Therefore, humans can’t be processed naturally. There is a reaction that refuses to see something because it shouldn’t exist. So people have photograph biases about it. His presence always makes him innocent. He demands the Creator, like the Fallen Adam, to help his being, who is now destined to be rejected forever, like the Fallen Adam. ‘Who created my mud?’ To heaven, ‘This creature initially hoped to be regular through society, which did not supply him a threat and brutally rejected his appearance. After that, I persisted to take a look at and developing. u201c I marvel at what happened. The most surprising aspect was this person’s Gonson Ham. I could not wait to meet them, but I did not dare. I decided to virtually have in mind and manage the cure obtained through the residents of the wild village the day before. I take some action and maintain silence in my hut, staring at and trying to clarify the motivations that have an effect on their behavior. The beauty of a farmer who loves my depth: I make an apology for them when they are unhappy. When they are happy, I sympathize with their joy. Except for them, almost no one is meeting. If someone has stepped into the booth, their strict mindset and rude gait will solely do higher than my friend.

This creature continues to screen humans who are disgusted by way of friends and so on and does its satisfactory to guide it in an invisible way, proving that this creature is both an angel and an angel. It’s a monster. The existence of these creatures is seemingly antagonistic to social building, difficulty in the standards of splendor and beauty, difficulty in authoritarian parental roles, and breaking stereotypes. In the photo of the father, the social and moral rights of liberty, equality, and friendship had been written except his will, so justification currently argues that his filial piety towards his creator is social and legally necessary. De Lacey Evacuation, those who realized about the French Indian wars and revolutions (advocates of these principles), who studied the language of this book, True (self-taught biology). However, Victor refused to acknowledge this right. u201c Little through little I determined a higher moment. I’ve found that these humans have a way to speak their experiences and feelings to every different thru a clear voice. I suppose what they say can create pleasure and leisure smiles and sadness in the thought and face of the listener. In fact, it’s a sacred science, and I certainly prefer to apprehend it. He imitates, evolves, and recognizes all the evils people represent, however, chooses to overcome evil, train himself, and thereby make his personal higher way of survival. Not staying underneath Victor’s control, but yourself. Victor even refused to do this. This is the method. He is Victor’s creation, however still makes him human. When the organism took a danger and used its energy to tell his unhappy story to the ‘creator,’ Victor responded: ‘His phrases had a magical effect. It’s peculiar to me. I’m sorry for him and on occasion, I desire to do him.’ Lust; But when I see it, it is painful to see the dirty matters move, and my thoughts turn out to be concern and hatred, which suggests that human beings are inhuman. count. On the different hand, greater than such a distorted human being, his evolutionary creatures have emerged as apparent in Darwin’s survival and are consequently considered the ‘best creation’. Zeus’s wrath is similar to Zeus’s wrath. In the face of Prometheus’s ‘best creation,’ critics said, ‘The beast needs to inherit the rights of all rights holders and citizens. He is gender-sensitive. With these two capabilities, he can express. However, he expresses his specific needs that without delay exacerbate the doctor’s delusions. In other words, Dr. Frankenstein is concerned that the monster is ‘to inherit the Earth and threaten the public interest of mankind.’ Monsters’ Expected social beings are what Dr. Frankenstein regards as a direct danger to him. u201c This intimidating entity was once murdered, Victor promoted him to the function of Zeus and the creature claimed to be ‘Prometheus’ himself. Modernism was by chance written by means of Victor, any other personality of Prometheus. Victor totally ignores the possibility of prejudice and is embarrassed and threatened by the aid of its creation.

For centuries, the intellectuals of society have made numerous developments in all studies that have benefitted mankind. These discoveries are a result of man’s inherent curiosity and desire for understanding, which can grow so immense that their moral boundaries disappear resulting in disastrous consequences. In the novel, Frankenstein, Mary Shelley conveys the theme of the relentless pursuit of knowledge ultimately causing more harm than good using allusion and symbolism. Victor’s thirst for knowledge leads to his creation being the death of him because of his mistakes. These mistakes are emphasized by the symbolism of light and dark throughout the novel.

Victor’s curiosity and desire to discover and create leads him to bring the creature to life, which alludes to the story of Icarus. In Greek mythology, Icarus strived for greatness by attempting to fly with wings he invented, which succeeded but he flew too close to the sun leading to his own invention killing him. Similarly, after facing the tumultuous consequences of his creation, Victor has fallen sick and can no longer chase after the fiend and remarks, “When will my guiding spirit, in conducting me to the daemon, allow me the rest I so much desire; or must I die, and he yet live” (Shelley 139)? Victor strives for knowledge, which leads him to exert inventiveness regarding his scientific experiments and make the creature that ultimately ruins his life. Icarus and Victor are similar because they both possess a desire to further understand by creating inventions that lead to their demise. The effect of mercilessly pursuing knowledge is emphasized in this novel by displaying Victor’s creation as a mistake and alluding to Icarus’s story of knowledge resulting in destruction.

The dangers of pursuing unknown knowledge are emphasized by the symbolism of light versus darkness. Throughout the novel, light symbolizes knowledge, discovery, and enlightenment and reflects the quest for the secrets in life. On the other hand, darkness symbolizes excessive knowledge blinding an individual to the truth. Light is mentioned in moments of Victor experiencing hope for knowledge, and is also used when Walton is seeking undiscovered knowledge: “What else could be expected in the land of eternal light” (Shelley 19)? Walton is seeking access to forbidden knowledge in the Arctic and is optimistic about the promise of glory much like Victor with his hopes of bringing the dead back to life. However, darkness is represented by daunting weather when the creature is near Victor or kills his loved ones. Therefore, light symbolizes the pursuit of knowledge and the good that can come of it and darkness symbolizes how excessive knowledge can lead to destruction.

In conclusion, too much knowledge can blind an individual from the truth. Although Victor pursued his dreams, his creative thinking lead to his own downfall, which alludes to the story of Icarus. By utilizing the symbols of light and dark, Shelley conveys the idea of too much light or knowledge-creating darkness or catastrophe. Victor’s knowledge enabled his creative thinking, which created the darkness that destroyed the light in his life. Shelley utilizes allusion and symbolism to emphasize that the merciless pursuit of knowledge can be self-destructive.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein explores the concept of the “other”, scrutinizes the ways in which humans have historically viewed and treated those who are unfamiliar to us, and poses questions about how alienation is linked to monstrosity. Pointedly, the creature is an unnatural mixture of humans (that vary in sex, race, religious belief, and socioeconomic standing) and animals. His physical appearance is described as deformed and terrifying. To Victor and the De Lacey family, this makes him innately unlovable, resulting in his abandonment by those he wished to connect with the most. The creature challenges this belief that his nature is inherently evil, and insists that he was born benign and transformed into a monster through mistreatment: “I was benevolent and good, misery made me a fiend” (78). Through the creature’s desire to learn, connect with humans, and express his emotions, Shelley suggests that he is perhaps more human than his creator – in spite of the revenge-fueled murder spree he embarks on.

Like the creature, Safie is immediately distinguished as different upon her introduction, and is initially only referred to as “the Arabian”. Safie, and by extension, all women from Middle Eastern and South Asian cultures- are objectified by British society and viewed through a distorted lens of Orientalism. The framed narratives that the novel is composed of, the way Victor’s story is retold through Captain Walton’s letters, parallels how British people would receive information about the East. Safie and her father are “othered” in a similar fashion to the creature, but Safie’s contrasting beauty and ability to fulfill a social role gain her acceptance. Safie is treated as a reward for Felix coming to the aid of her father, and Shelley writes that “the prospect of marrying a Christian and remaining in a country where women were allowed to take a rank in society, was enchanting to her” (99). This perpetuates a false notion held by many colonialists – that women from the East, particularly Muslim women, were oppressed and barred from achievements by a backward or barbaric culture, whereas Western, white, Christian women lived in a society that embodied progressiveness. Safie is portrayed as an exception to this, enlightened solely due to the teachings of her mother, a Christian Arab who converted to Islam upon marrying Safie’s father and “spurned the bondage to which she was then reduced” (99). Racial undertones also can be noted within standards of beauty, and descriptions of Elizabeth, Safie, and the creature’s physical appearance. Elizabeth is described as having hazel eyes “that possessed an attractive softness”, with a figure that is “light and airy” (20). Her features reflect that she is fragile, pure, and kind. Safie, like the monster, has “hair of a shining raven black”, her eyes are “dark, but gentle”, and her skin is “wondrously fair” (93). She is close enough to appear European to be considered attractive, but there is an implied exoticness, something foreign and potentially dangerous about the darkness of her eyes and hair. The creature possesses some features that are individually pleasant, yet the focus is on the color of his “yellow” skin, his “watery” eyes, and “straight black” lips (39). These features are generally used to define race. By separating the creature from human beings by virtue of appearance, Victor is able to justify his disgust and abdicate his responsibility as a creator – beginning the tragic chain of events that leads to his downfall.

Works Cited/Consulted

1. “What is Orientalism?” Reclaiming Identity: Dismantling Arab Stereotypes. Arab American National Museum, January 2014.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a cautionary tale about the dangers of hubris and scientific advancement however I will also be discussing an interpretation of the text as a commentary upon the debates surrounding slavery at the start of the 19th century. The essay begins with a close analysis of Frankenstein in regard to the debates surrounding slavery, particularly a view that Mary Shelley may have held; the sudden emancipation of slaves would be dangerous as they could seek revenge on their slave masters. Subsequently, I will discuss an alternative perspective of Frankenstein as a warning about scientific advancement and conduct a reading of the text in regard to Rousseau’s theories of the social contract.

Frankenstein can be read in relation to the debates surrounding slavery at the time that Mary Shelley was writing. Britain passed the Slave Trade Act in 1807 which prohibited the slave trade in the British Empire although it did not abolish the practice of slavery. One of the debates of the time was that the sudden emancipation of slaves would lead to freed slaves seeking revenge upon their captors and therefore the amelioration position was put forward which would allow time for slaves to be educated and prepare for freedom. There are parallels that can be drawn between the plot of Frankenstein and common occurrences on plantations. One example is that Frankenstein chases his creature through Switzerland and Italy, all the way to the Tundra in a similar way that slave owners were known to chase down escaped slaves. However, Victor’s pursuit of his creature leads to both their deaths which could be read as Shelley’s critique of the mistreatment of slaves. Other ways the plot echoes events that occurred as a result of slavery are through the monster’s acts of rebellion for example he burns down the De Lacey cottage. Slave rebellions were feared among slave owners and Mary Shelley can be seen to present the brutality of the monsters rebellion in order to incite fear and warn against the mistreatment of slaves whom Shelley empathized, which is shown by her abstinence from sugar as part of an effort to distance herself from the institution of slavery. One of the most famous slave rebellions that Shelley would have been familiar with was the Haitian Rebellion of 1791 in which slaves challenged and defeated the French rule resulting in Haiti becoming an independent country. It can be argued that Shelley was making a case against the sudden emancipation of slaves in case they took revenge in a similar style to the Haitian revolution. Evidence for this comes from George Canning, Bristol’s abolitionist and a meliorist MP, who brought up Shelley’s novel in Parliament in 1824 as an argument against the immediate emancipation of slaves. His speech includes an observation of Victor Frankenstein that he relates to the effects of emancipation, commenting “Being unable to impart to the work of his hands a perception of right and wrong, he finds too late that he has only created a more than mortal power of doing mischief, and himself recoils from the monster which he has made. Such would be the effect of sudden emancipation before the negro was prepared for the enjoyment of well-regulated liberty.”

The creature in Frankenstein is made up of dead and inanimate matter that has been crafted by Victor Frankenstein in order to create life which echoes a comment made by prominent early abolitionist Granville Sharp, whom Shelley would have been familiar with, that slavery divests a person of their humanity “as if such a person was naturally dead” (p.206). The creature’s composition from separate body parts establishes his alienation as even the parts of his body have no shared background, similar to the rejection of slaves’ backgrounds as they were made to change their surname and cultural practices but were still rejected as ‘human’. The language used to describe the creature suggests that he is mixed race for example Victor describes his “yellow skin”, “lustrous black” hair, and “straight black lips” (F, p. 39) and there are references to “its gigantic stature” (F, p 19) which was a desirable feature for slaves after the Slave Trade Act which it made it illegal to import slaves and therefore started the practice of breeding slaves in the Southern states of America. Another way in which Frankenstein can be read in regard to slavery is through the actions of the narrative frame for example critic Mulvey Roberts states in Dangerous Bodies “Framed by a sea voyage, the story can be seen to evoke the horrors of the Middle Passage” which suggests that Frankenstein can be read as an allegory for the slave trade. This is supported in the text through the narrative of Frankenstein’s creature as he describes the first moments he remembers coming into being, saying: “Before, dark and opaque bodies had surrounded me… but I now found that I could wander at liberty (F, p.76) which reflects the living conditions inside the slave ships as often people were allotted only ten inches per person as Mulvey Roberts continues “Not surprisingly, the mortality rate was extraordinarily high. As a living being made from dead bodies, Shelley’s creature provides an apt metaphor for how the living and dead could sometimes be chained together in the hold of a slave ship.” (p.63). The creature also expresses concerns that those upon the slave ships would have thought such as ‘But where were my friends and relations?’ (F, p. 124). Olaudah Equiano wrote as an ex-slave of the conditions on board the slave ships describing his arrival on board a slave ship “When I looked round the ship too and saw a large furnace of copper boiling, and a multitude of black people of every description chained together, every one of their countenances expressing dejection and sorrow, I no longer doubted of my fate, and, quite overpowered with horror and anguish, I fell motionless on the deck and fainted.” (55) which carries similarities to passages in Frankenstein for example the quote in chapter nineteen “For an instant I dared to shake off my chains and look around me with a free and lofty spirit, but the iron had eaten into my flesh, and I sank again, trembling and hopeless, into my miserable self.” (F, p.151)

However, this reference to chains can be read from an alternative perspective than part of a commentary upon the debates and controversies surrounding slavery. The quote from chapter nineteen also echoes the first line of Rousseau’s The Social Contract which is “Men are born free, yet everywhere are in chains.”. Rousseau describes the ways in which the “chains” of society suppress the birthright of freedom for man, from the ruling class to parents and Mary Shelley would have been familiar with his theory as critic Beenstock comments “The Shelley’s consider Rousseau as an immediate part of their reality, in continuation with the writings of Godwin and Wollstonecraft, both of whom directly engaged with Rousseau’s political theory.” The aspirations of Victor Frankenstein echo the aspirations for Rousseau for example in The Social Contract, Rousseau states “What can make it legitimate? I believe I can answer this question” which shows a sense of self-assurance similar to Victor’s. Other parallels can be made between the two for example both were born in Geneva and both start their projects in a state of isolation, with Victor stating “Two years passed in this manner, during which I paid no visit to Geneva, but was engaged, heart and soul, in the pursuit of the same discoveries which I hoped to make” (F, p. 34) while Rousseau recalls his isolation in Reveries of the Solitary Walker in which he states “I clamber up rocks and mountains, I go deep into vales and woods in order to slip away, as much as possible, from the memory of men.” (14). In Rousseau’s The Social Contract, the concept of the natural man saw tensions between society and human nature as Rousseau comments that returning to nature is impossible because “men like me … can no longer nourish themselves on grass or nuts, nor do without Laws and Chiefs,”. However, the creature can be read as a version of natural man when he is first created for example he tells Victor “You need to make me a companion in my image– like me. And then we’ll go off to South America and live in the wilderness and eat nuts and berries. And we’ll be happy forever,”(F, PAGE NUMBER). However, as the creature’s request is rejected, he changes from innocent to corrupt, just as human society changed from a state of nature to form a societal community that is at odds with their natural desires. The creature is made up of many parts has been commented on by Beenstock in regard to social contract theory: “Through her creation stories of the creatures’ respective bodies, Shelley forms a detailed critique of social contract theory. The creatures expose the elements of society left out of the social contract, but—more important—they question the concept of social coherence altogether.” This suggests that Frankenstein can be read as a critique of the Social Contract theory as the disjointed creature is seen to represent all of the divisions of society left out from Rousseau’s theory, including women through the female creature who doesn’t come to life, and therefore represents a “social body that fails to cohere”. Another way in which Shelley can be seen to be critiquing social contract theory is through the expression of the creature’s and Victor’s private needs and aspirations and their inability to cooperate which “forms a criticism of the self-interestedness of social contract theory, which does not provide a significant ground for sociability.”. Although, Victor doesn’t only act upon his own interests as he believes when he destroys the female creature, that he is saving humanity from “a race of devils” (F, 138) which can be interpreted in regard to slavery as expressing a 19th-century attitude over fear of miscegenation.

Frankenstein can be read in other ways rather than as a commentary upon the debates, controversies, and campaigns surrounding slavery. One popular reading of the text is that it serves as a warning against hubris and the advancement of science. Victor’s original intentions were good, he planned to eradicate death and disease in the world, however, it was his god-like single-minded ambition that resulted in the creation of death-bringing life. Shelley herself was familiar with the scientific community through a friend of her father’s Sir Humphry Davy who was a Cornish chemist famous for conducting experiments using electricity. Although the novel doesn’t describe Frankenstein’s coming to life as a result of electricity, it is adapted in the 1910 film adaptation a bolt of lightning brings the creature to life. The fascination with electricity and the possibility that it was the basis of life was immensely popular toward the end of the 18th century after the 1751 Murder Act made its law that the bodies of executed murderers could be used for experimentation. The alternative title of Frankenstein, The Modern Prometheus, highlights the view that the novel is a commentary upon ambition. Prometheus, in Greek mythology, is credited with creating humanity from clay and defying the Gods by stealing their fire and giving it to humanity. There is a clear parallel between the ambitions of Frankenstein and Prometheus both creating life. Critic Maurice Hindle comments on Victor Frankenstein that “his Romantic Prometheanism produces a paradoxical self whose driven, mission-like condition urges him on, for reasons he cannot explain, to the pursuit of wonderful adventures and glory.” (p.14), however, also similar to Prometheus’ fate, Frankenstein is tortured for his ambition which eventually leads to his death. There are also many references to fire in Frankenstein as light connotes discovery and enlightenment however unlike Prometheus’ gift of fire, Frankenstein’s enlightenment, the secret of life, remains a secret to humanity and therefore never contributes to society. A comparison can be drawn between Victor Frankenstein playing God and the figure of Satan in John Milton’s Paradise Lost, a poetic retelling of Genesis which is referenced throughout the novel, for example in the epigraph, and it is also read by the creature as part of his education. Satan’s ambition in Paradise Lost is similar to Victor’s as they both use their pride to try to displace God and are doomed to suffer similar fates as Victor explicitly states “Like the archangel who aspired to omnipotence, I am chained in an eternal hell.”( F, PAGE NUMBER). Another character in the novel whose ambition is criticized is Walton and his over-ambitious voyage. Walton notes when he rescues Frankenstein that he “appeared to despise himself for being the slave of passion.” (27) however Walton is just as much a ‘slave’ to his ambition as he is willing to risk the lives of his shipmates to seek scientific fame claiming “You cannot contest the inestimable benefit which I shall confer on all mankind to the last generation, by discovering a passage near the pole to those countries” (F, PAGE NUMBER)

Another reading sees Frankenstein as a novel expressing fears about childbirth and parental neglect. Victor recounts his childhood at the start of the novel and says of his parents “I was their plaything and their idol, and something better — their child, the innocent and helpless creature bestowed on them by heaven, whom to bring up to good, and whose future lot it was in their hands to direct to happiness or misery, according as they fulfilled their duties towards me.” (F, PAGE NUMBER). In this extract it is interesting that he uses the words ‘plaything’ and ‘creature’ to describe himself as a child, foreshadowing the objectification of his own ‘creature’. Victor saw the creation of the creature as more important than the responsibilities of raising it, and therefore Victor’s rejection is the reason for the creature’s evil wrongdoings which is similar to Rousseau’s theory that all children are born inherently good. It seems that Victor is familiar with this theory as he comments that his future “was in their [his parents] hands to direct to happiness or misery” (F, PAGE NUMBER) however he fails to fulfill his own duties toward his childlike creation. Frankenstein’s creature is aware of his neglect as he compares himself to Adam from Milton’s Paradise Lost but without any of the advantages that Adam was given, for example, he states “Like Adam, I was created apparently united by no link to any other being in existence; but his state was far different from mine in every other respect. He had come forth from the hands of God a perfect creature, happy and prosperous, guarded by the special care of his Creator … but I was wretched, helpless, and alone. Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition” (F, p 105). The creature articulates effectively proving his capabilities for socialization however he has been forced into the role of Satan due to abandonment by his creator. Maurice Hindle comments that the text is about “the wilful determination to overcome a desire thwarted by fathers” (13) which is further reinforced through the character of Walton who ignores his father’s dying wish against his seafaring career. Mary Shelley has experience of parental neglect for her sister was pregnant with Lord Byron’s child at the time she was writing Frankenstein however Byron, unsurprisingly, didn’t step up to be the father. In addition, the creature lacks a mother figure just as Mary Shelley did. Shelley herself has lost children as she writes in her diary that she: “Dream[t] that my little baby came to life again; that it had only been cold, and that we rubbed it before the fire, and it lived” which is also interesting as it shows Shelley exploring the ideas of fire and electricity as the basis of life.

To conclude, this essay has discussed a few of the key controversies and debates surrounding slavery in the nineteenth century, such as the amelioration position, in regard to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Alternative perspectives against a reading of Frankenstein in regard to these debates have also been discussed concerning Rousseau’s social contract theory, particularly the importance of parenting and the dangers of ambition.

Authors often focus on physical appearance to point out major human flaws. This is an approach that appears in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” in which Frankenstein’s creature epitomizes the “Otherness” whereby due to his grotesque appearance the creature endures loathing and rejection both from his creator and society. The creature becomes isolated resulting in vengeful behavior. Shelley wrote the story during the 19th Century when distinctions in race, gender, and class were rampant in English society. Through the metaphor of Frankenstein Shelley decries society’s tendency to look down upon “outsiders” or those who do not conform to stipulated conventional norms and reiterates that the feeling of isolation and alienation can be a catalyst for aggression as individuals fight back.

“Frankenstein” mirrors society’s shortcomings in their perception of the other. The creature experiences rejection from the moment he wakes up; this also shows how Frankenstein sees himself as superior to his creature. He sees the creature as an alien and “lifeless thing” and describes the creature in an ugly way showing how he feels the creature is inferior to human beings. Frankenstein describes the creature as having ‘yellow skin’, ‘watery eyes’, ‘shriveled complexion’ and ‘straight black lips’ which significantly deviates from the ideal that Frankenstein envisioned (Shelley 58). Frankenstein’s attitude reflects society’s tendency to alienate others because of their differences. Henceforth, Frankenstein is revolted by his creature because he is not perfect and beautifully created and he considers him worthless and detaches from it. The creature becomes alienated both by his creator and society and he laments “I was dependent on none and related to none…and there was none to lament my annihilation. My person was hideous and my stature gigantic” (Shelley 152). The monster’s pain becomes evident as he realizes his ‘otherness,” since he is hideous and huge. The monster further asserts “Satan had his companions, fellow devils, to admire and encourage him; but I am solitary and abhorred” (Shelley 155). The sentiments reflect his anguish since he feels he is worse than Satan who despite his evil nature had followers, unlike his case whereby nobody wants his association.

In the end, Shelley illustrates that alienation based on otherness can be a source of violence. The creature tries to conform so that he can fit in. He yearns to feel appreciated and get a sense of belonging and he starts by learning different languages with the hope that others can “overlook the deformity of my figure” and accept him (Shelley 132). However, despite his effort to gain acceptance, he is alienated further which makes the creature retaliate and fight back. The creature turns against Frankenstein by killing Henry Clerval (his best friend) and his bride Elizabeth Lavenza. The creature explains his sudden hostility by maintaining “I was benevolent and good; misery made me a friend. Make me happy, and I shall again be virtuous (Shelley 114).” The statement explains his sudden change whereby the discrimination and cruelty he experiences makes him fight back, especially by attacking Victor where it hurts most since he is the one who brought this problem upon him. Shelley demonstrates that just like Frankenstein creates the monster that eventually turns against him, the “otherness” is a creation of the society shunning others and in the end the outcome is violence as individuals try to fight for their rightful place in society.

Similar to Shelley who focuses on the human form to discuss human flaws, Jonathan Swift the author of “Gulliver’s Travels” also satirizes English society’s belief that they are the superior people out of all other cultures. Swift depicts Gulliver as he embarks on four adventures that expose him to different cultures. Swift describes Gulliver’s first voyage in a land of miniature people and him as a giant showing English society’s belief that they are the superior people out of all other cultures. In Lilliput, Gulliver’s superiority is recognized as he utilizes his immense size to help the Lilliputians defeat the Blefuscudian navy upon which he is awarded a “cardiac…which is the highest title of honor among them (Swift 57-8).” However, Swift illustrates that Gulliver is not as great as he envisions when on his second voyage, Gulliver finds himself among the Brobdingnagians, who are a race of giant people, and in this scenario, Gulliver is portrayed as the inferior one. Gulliver is intimidated by the hugeness of everything he encounters from insects to household pets. The people in this society including infants and maids treat him as a “plaything” rather than a man as they play with his body for amusement (Swift 108-9). By placing Gulliver in this society, Swift downplays the perceived supremacy of English society.

The third journey that Gulliver embarks on leads him to Laputa, the floating island, whose inhabitants though of similar size to Gulliver are strange beings whose culture derives exclusively from mathematics. Gulliver finds that the Laputa is characterized by a highly educated population who demonstrate high obsession with mathematics and geometric figures (Swift 216-7). The inhabitants express everything including communication in the mathematical form which Gulliver finds less human, less comfortable, and more awkward since these people can only think abstract thoughts. Through this depiction, Swift attacks the English society which during the 18th Century (the enlightenment period) was characterized by an obsession with numbers and figures which made the English society feel superior to other cultures. On his fourth and final journey, Gulliver visits the land of the Houyhnhnm, inhabited by intelligent, reasoning horses and Yahoos (savage human-like creatures) (Swift 306). Among the Yahoos and the Houyhnhnms, the major takeaway for Gulliver is that possessing a human body does not guarantee the elevation of a person over the animals since as it turns out that despite their physical appearance, Houyhnhnms horses exhibit a stronger moral compass and reasoning compared to the Yahoos (Swift 322). This illustrates Swift’s contradiction of the common belief of English society’s superiority since he suggests that moral and rational power rather than physical appearance is the determination of humanity. Indeed, after Gulliver’s experiences with the different cultures, he realizes that white supremacy is just an imagination since he finds that human beings are still ‘slaves’ to the same forces as other humans regardless of their appearance or what their culture or religious belief.

In conclusion, both Shelley and Swift in their respective works focus on physical appearance to point out major human flaws albeit differently. For example, through Frankenstein’s creature, Shelley criticizes society’s tendency to look down upon “others” who do not conform to stipulated conventional ideologies and she suggests that the feeling of isolation and alienation can be a catalyst for aggression as victims fight back. Additionally, through the adventures of Gulliver, Swift also satirizes the idea of English society’s superiority. After embarking on his voyages and experiencing four different cultures, Gulliver comes to the realization that the English society’s supremacy is merely a fallacy since he discovers that all humans are the same since they face the same struggles, fears, ambitions and dreams and aspirations. While both Shelley and Swift wrote their works over two centuries ago, their works still remain relevant in contemporary society and the major takeaway from them is the need for individuals to “live and let live.”

Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus was written by Mary Shelley, the novel’s subtitle is named “Or, the Modern Prometheus.” The subtitle suggests the first great scientist of Greek mythology who teaches medicine and science, takes fire from Zeus and gives it to humanity, or constructs a human being from clay. Prometheus was said to be the wisest of all the Titans. He stole fire from the Gods of Mount Olympus. For doing that, he was harshly punished by having an eagle pluck out his liver every night.

Shelley used the tale of Prometheus as a sense of significance resulting from seeking enlightenment and power. Victor was her modern incarnation of Prometheus and he was fascinated by the power of lightning as well. Victor was captivated by this power, but from this power is when he suffers from torture. After creating the monster, Victor is disgusted with what he has done, and his torture reflects that of Prometheus’.

The book exaggerates the conflict between the eighteenth-century Enlightenment and nineteenth-century Romanticism. Shelley directed the Enlightenment idolization of reason and mechanistic forces by attacking the idea that man was an expected and genuinely controllable machine. She pledges this with a line from a poem Mutability that denies her father’s systematic determinism and disagreement with free will- “Man’s yesterday may ne’er be like his morrow; Nought may endure but mutability!”

Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus, stands on current ethical arguments about cloning and the accountability of a scientist for his discoveries. Frankenstein creates a human being, and as a result, he and his family are damaged by it. The consequences of his actions do not come from his brilliant science but more so from the emotional response of him and others who all responded undesirably to the creature’s scary appearance. The underlying message of the novel is that the making of a human being by unnatural means is a dangerous undertaking; apprehensive of dangers from human emotions and feelings.

The novel has a profound influence on the societal perception of science, scientists, and knowledge. Captain Walton’s mission for the North Pole becomes a cautionary tale and symbol of the dangers of endless science. Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus serves as a warning against the scientific transformation and its potential for destroying humanity. The monster in the novel is harmless in nature in the beginning, but Victor’s neglect is what drives him to murder. Knowledge and science itself are not dangerous but it becomes dangerous from the abuse of society and people.

I can see where people would think Frankenstein is a caution against science. Frankenstein says “Unhappy man! Do you share my madness? Have you drunk also of the intoxicating draught?” He refers to his pursuit of knowledge, we can see his loathing of that pursuit and madness. Frankenstein then compares himself to Walton saying, “You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been.” This is saying his pursuit of knowledge eventually caused him harm, and therefore we can associate scientific discovery with danger and agony.

Frankenstein shows his moral character by observing the family’s affirmative interactions. He sees them suffering from poverty and therefore decides to cut wood for the family and stop stealing their food. “I thought (foolish wretch!) that it might be in my power to restore happiness to these deserving people.” By doing this, he shows he can be compassionate and generous. If he was innately evil and dangerous, he wouldn’t have done those things or even thought of it. He also says “These were the reflections of my hours of despondency and solitude; but when I contemplated the virtues of the cottagers, their amiable and benevolent dispositions, I persuaded myself that when they should become acquainted with my admiration of their virtues they would compassionate me and overlook my personal deformity.” This demonstrates how far from the evil he is. He “admires” the cottagers and shows positive reactions.

The creature shows admiration and positive characteristics but experiences loneliness and rejection. He deals with mistreatment and corruption. Danger starts to become known, but the danger does not come from science, it comes from a corruption of knowledge by human society The creature does murder in an evil way, but I think it was the responsibility of society to prevent that evil from happening and try to stop it before it happens.

Over the course of the novel, Frankenstein’s moral character develops. He accepts the responsibility of the creature and sees the chance to free himself and society of the creature for good; preventing further destruction. He realizes he must destroy his creation but fails so he tells Walton “The task of his destruction was mine, but I have failed. When actuated by selfish and vicious motives, I asked you to undertake my unfinished work; and I renew this request now when I am only induced by treason and virtue.” Shelley portrays science in many ways; I don’t think she portrays science itself as being evil, but it becomes evil from the actions of the creator. If Frankenstein accepted his responsibilities and accepted his creature, he most likely would have been better than bad. Scientists and human society need to take responsibility for their creations and findings. We as humans can do very powerful things with knowledge and science. The creature asks, “Was man, indeed at once so powerful, so virtuous, and magnificent, yet so vicious and base?” All in all, science and knowledge can be corrupted but can also be very beneficial.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was a real breakthrough during the 19th century and classed as a great modern horror story. There are many themes presented and initiated by Mary Shelley throughout the novel, however, in my opinion the themes of Feminism and religion are those mostly prominent and have a great standing point from the beginning of the novel until the end.

Another name for the novel was in fact ‘The modern Prometheus.” This is hugely relevant to the Religious aspect of the novel. Prometheus was a titan in correlation to the Greek mythology he stole from the higher power; from the God’s to give back to mankind, this in parallel to Victor Frankenstein is very similar. In this novel Victor Frankenstein almost valued himself as the higher power as he questions God’s power in creating life. He messes with the construction of life by building a creature from many different human limbs. This in itself is questioning God’s authority and status as if Victor can do what God can do then he is in par with the power that God actually has. Many of his actions throughout the novel question God’s power and status. There is constant biblical referencing throughout the novel in different forms, from quotes up to imagery. Mary Shelley was always a huge writer of the natural world and its beauty which is seen constantly throughout the novel. I believe this is a very important aspect of the novel as a huge theme throughout the poets and romantic writers of the romanticism era were natural beauty. This almost suggests that Mary Shelley was insinuating something much more than nature being beautiful but almost the fact that humans have a naturally beautiful side to them but also it can be human’s that waste the natural beauty of the world and they cannot see it. This show’s through many other poets during the romantic era. For example in Robert Browning’s’ poem of “My Last Duchess.” He creates a character which in my opinion is extremely similar to Victor Frankenstein in the fact of he again believes that he is more superior than God or life itself, we see this in the line “The dropping of daylight in the west.” (Browning. Robert. My last Duchess line 26.) This line is a truly significant to my point as this character seemingly believes that the previous duchess he is talking about should have looked at him over the sunset. Therefore he believes he is in fact more superior than the the sun which of course our world revolves around or human life itself wouldn’t exist. Rather than the world revolving around the sun he believes he is metaphorically the sun therefore the world including the duchess’s attention should be revolving around him. Like Victor Frankenstein He also plays with life itself from the line “That’s my last duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive.” (Browning. Robert. My last Duchess. Lines 1&2.) From the perspective of the reader we immediately assume that the speaker is insinuating he has killed the duchess or got rid of her in some way or another. We assume this is because of his many reasons including her loving nature, animals and blushing from compliments. We understand that the speaker may be emotionally and mentally unstable. As a reader of Frankenstein I ultimately again get the vibe of him being also quite mentally unstable as he explains a lot throughout the novel about his childhood, also what he was like when he was a child he explains “The world.” He says, was to me a secret which I desired to divine.” (Shelley. Mary. Frankenstein. 2:1) This is interesting as from a young age clearly Victor liked the fact of playing God and he probably always had this mentality from a young boy.

Another interesting aspect is the religious imagery throughout the novel, from when the creature is made by Victor He is immediately seen as this horrendous and hideous creature with Victor running from his mistake. In my opinion in parallel to Victor seeing himself as God I believe the creature takes on the character of Lucifer or the devil. This is the way that Victor portrays the creature however, in my opinion, the creature lashed out at those that were closest and most meaningful to his creator, this is similar to the story of Lucifer and God. Lucifer was God’s creation whom was second in command to help God, however he committed the ultimate sin towards God leading to him being cast down to hell. This is a huge biblical illusion throughout the novel as a big inspiration for the novel was the poem by John Milton Paradise Lost. In the novel when the creature is let loose into the world he makes his way into the forest and reads and obsesses over the poem Paradise Lost in which he spectates many similarities between himself and characters in the poem. A major character in the poem Paradise Lost and the first that we as a reader are introduced to is actually Satan who was formerly known as Lucifer, he was one of the most beautiful angels and he famously declared that he would rather reign in hell than serve in heaven. This is quite significant the character of Victor as when he discovers his fascination for dissecting human bodies and the secrets of the laws of nature he no longer wants to study in the university but almost wants to form his own laws and ambitions in other words he knows a whole lot more than any of the professors do, this leads to the creation of the creature.

Another biblical allusion that we see in the novel would be that of the creature referring to Adam in the story Adam and Eve. This is in result of after him being created all he wanted from his creator was what Adam had from his creator; God. We see this in the quote “Like Adam I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence; but his state was far different from mine in every other aspect.” (Shelley. Mary. Frankenstein. 15.7) The creature gains knowledge and power in which he can hold over his creator, in the creatures eyes Victor is his God. The monster goes on to explain that unless Victor creates a female partner for him then he will go on to carry on killing all of Victor’s family. This is significant to the story as I believe that the creature understands now that he has been created then surely he must have his “Eve” as that’s who God created for Adam. He goes on to then describe his garden of Eden in which he would want to spend time with his newly created Eve. Like Adam all he wanted was a sense of community and belonging.

Another aspect of the novel in my opinion is the way in which women are presented. I believe this is highlighted more also because the novel is of course written by a woman. During the 19th century opportunities for women were extremely limited as they led their lives in a male dominated society. On many occasions Mary Shelley almost had to excuse her work in result of not overshadowing for example her partner Byron or the fact that she was not intending on making any money from her work it was just in some way a hobby during her spare time. Shelley portrays this throughout her novel for example showing the fact that women are more of a possession rather than a partner, this is highlighted especially in an earlier point where the creature believed that Eve should be created for Adam therefore he needs his Eve, this is the creature then forcing a subjective and objective role onto the uncreated female creature meaning that she would be created for his own possession for him to almost do as he pleases with her. In other words he already had her life mapped out for her before she was even created.

There are more similarities between the creature and Victor than either of them actually realise metaphorically speaking Victor has created another side to himself in the creature as one main similarity is that Victor also decides Elizabeth’s fate in that she will marry Victor and they will be together after he has went on his journey of discovery. It’s also crucial to understand that Shelley shows the fact that women have to depend heavily on the men to get by in their life. The story is narrated by men only, this shows that no woman in the novel has in Shelley’s view enough substance to speak which is true reflection of the time period as it’s known that Mary Shelley almost lived in her husband’s shadow with his work being seen and respected. The character of Elizabeth is seen in Victor’s eyes as the most perfect woman for him and in general. As a reader you cannot help but believe this is in result of the fact that she seemingly takes the role of Caroline; Victor’s mother who passed away, by being a woman who stays at home looking after the children and waiting for Victor’s return so she can marry him and be his wife. This leads onto when Elizabeth is killed by the creature it is hard to then feel the sadness that victor is feeling due to her character not receiving much light during the whole of the novel in comparison to all of the male characters.

The aspect of subjective and objective roles in men and women are very similar in conjunction with the roles in again My Last Duchess from Robert Browning. The narrator which we assume of course is from a wealthy and well respected background , we think this as it seems he is at some sort of gathering in which he is talking with a fellow male, we assume the fate of his last duchess in consideration to one of the last lines in the poem “I gave commands; then all smiles stopped altogether.” (Browning. Robert. My last Duchess.) this automatically makes the reader believe that she is dead and also the fact that he had power and control over her life, whether she was allowed to live or not, this is the horrendous ending to what we believe was a life of unnecessary demands in which the speaker would give his duchess. He takes on the subjective role when talking about his last duchess for example the possessive pronoun “my” is used throughout the poem in lines like “Thats my last duchess painted on the wall”. I believe something that lies behind the speaker’s anger and disgust in regards to his previous duchess was that he feared her capability of questioning his masculinity for example in the line “she looked on, her looks went everywhere.” (Browning. Robert. My last Duchess.) and the line “she thanked men.” (Browning. Robert. My last Duchess.) This suggests that she had some sort of power over he speaker and he was afraid if she had the capability to be the typical seducing woman then she would be able to commit adultery and ultimately make a fool out of him. During the 19th century any man whom was cheated on or whose wife would commit adultery was seen as a cuckold; the ultimate shame and demasculinize description a man of time could have. Another way that he wouldn’t want a woman to in some way take away his masculinity is when he explains “who’d stoop to blame.” (Browning. Robert. My last Duchess.) from the verb to “stoop” I assume that he means rather than asking politely his duchess to stop what she is doing in her actions or explain why she is angering him he would rather put a stop to it himself ultimately by killing her. This means that he still has that power over the duchess even in death. This point is similar throughout quite a few of Browning’s poetry when it comes to the male role wanting to keep their power and masculinity over women as we also see it in his poem “Porphyria’s Lover.” where we believe Porphyria is a woman of high class and status with the speaker being a secret lover of her’s. She holds the subjective role throughout the whole poem up until he strangled her with her own hair. Then with her in death the roles switched with him taking on the subjective role in the fact now she is dead he always holds the power over her and he head her life in his own hands just like the duke.

Browning is like Shelley and many other writers of the romantic period he likes to include the natural environment throughout his poems, he executes this specifically by using pathetic fallacy in his poems. Porphyria’s lover begins with the line “The sullen wind was soon awake.” (Porphyria’s lover. browning . Robert. Line 2) and “It tore the elm tops down for spite.” (Porphyria’s lover. Browning. Robert. Line 3) the weather is personified as well as setting the mood for the poem which we can assume is going to be quite dark and unsettling, in way I believe that the weather in this poem is almost a alter ego of the speaker. This is extremely similar to what Shelley like’s to do in her work including Frankenstein however with the weather and natural beauty being a huge diversion for Victor Frankenstein.

In conclusion the romantic period in writing was one that changed writing for many writers as Frankenstein was rather revolutionary in the fact that it was a female who had written the first major gothic novel that truly scared many people and is still legendary in today’s modern day horror and writing. With poets in the likes of Byron, Browning and wordsworth being quite legendary in the fact of bringing other forces into their writing rather than just religion as many poets, In the likes of Wordsworth liked to move away from bringing religion into his writing and focus on mainly nature and a humans natural ways.

Over the course of time, relationships change. Sometimes the bond of characters can grow, and at times they fall apart. Healthy relationships are based on mutual respect and treating others with decency. In Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, the relationship between Dr. Frankenstein and the monster could easily be labeled as unhealthy due to the origin of the monster. Although identifying that their relationship is unhealthy, the complexity of their relationship cannot be looked at. The monster is full of anger towards Dr. Frankenstein as a result of the rejection that he faces immediately after coming to life. Not knowing how to deal with his emotions, the monster acts out in violence, directed at those who Dr. Frankenstein cares about. Thus, Dr. Frankenstein is less inclined to appease the monster. Although none of the characters wholeheartedly attempted to amend and redevelop their relationship, neither one is to blame for how their relationship developed to where it is.

Taking a bite from the forbidden tree of knowledge is what Victor did in his creation of the Creature. He ventures into uncharted territory, a line that should never have been crossed. Bringing life to another being is morally incorrect. Even Victor realizes this, “… and often did my human nature turn with loathing from my occupation”(p. 55). He turns away from his own project, neglecting it. Also, he is not prepared for when the Monster comes to life. Taking precautionary actions to maintain safety for himself and provide safety for the Monster was not done. Still not realizing that his ability to“bestow animation upon lifeless matter” (p. 53), is pushing science to its edge, he continues in his studies. After the Monster comes to life, his creator fears the Monster due to its looming size and horrific face. Victor takes no responsibility for the Monster, although, he should have. Victor should have taught the Monster the human way like all parents teach their children. The eight-foot, powerful, ignorant monster, lacking the comprehension of basic emotions, set out into civilization. The monster does not know how humans act and react. The neglection that the Monster feels from the one who gave him life causes the Monster to act out in ways that hurt Victor, which starts the harmful and unfixable cycle of their painful relationship.

Victor could not physically stand to look at the Monster, he can not be himself to do it. The fault of this partially lies in Victor, as he is the creator, but Victor should not have to be involved with such an ugly being. Although Victor should have made more of an effort to build a relationship with the Monster, the Monster lashed out as a result of neglect, killing William. At this point, Victor is not at fault for their downward spiraling relationship because the Monster has overstepped. As a consequence of not being able to identify Williams’s killer, Justine is blamed and sentenced to death. At this point in the story, Victor has no control over the Monster’s actions and can not control him. “Two years had nearly elapsed since the night on which he first received life, and this was his first crime?” (p. 78). The Monster is fully in control of his own actions, therefore, Victor is not the only one to blame for their relationship.

Despite the Monster being neglected throughout his life, he learns human behavior from peering into a shack that the DeLacy family lives in. For two years, the Monster lived in a hovel next to the DeLacy’s shack because he is unable to be accepted by society. After learning how humans operate and learning the language, the Monster still does not stop his killing and does not attempt to make amends after having societal knowledge. Later, he goes on to kill Henry. For this, Victor is put on trial but is innocent. Blaming the Monster for the fault in their relationship is harder than disproving. Stronger evidence backs up why the Monster is not at fault. From the point of view of the Monster, he feels completely neglected for no adequate reason. In society, physical appearance is more important than the personality of the being, which is why the Monster gets chased out of the community after talking to a blind man. The blind man treated the Monster with respect and cared what he had to say because he was ignorant of the fact that whom he was talking to was outstandingly grotesque. After reading Paradise Lost, the Monster begins to find someone who he can relate to. “Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition, for often, like him, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me” (p. 132). Not having any person in this world to connect to, he relates himself to Satan. Both the two are excluded from being part of society. Satan blames his exclusion on his creator, God, similar to the Monster. As well as blaming his creators, the Monster also blames society for being so closed-minded.

Justine Moritz is a young girl adopted into Victor’s family while he is growing up. She is the housekeeper for the family. Through reading the book her character is not acknowledged much mostly because she loses her life in volume one of the novels. She represents the suffering of injustice much like a martyr (CliffsNotes, n.d.). A martyr is someone who is killed because of their beliefs. Justine is taken care of by the Frankenstein family and is not looked at as a housekeeper but looked at as a part of the family. She was rejected by her own family, which was not her fault, but she then comes across Elizabeth who is Victor’s promised wife, and lets Justine continue working as a keeper. Through Justine’s character, Mary Shelley addresses issues of equal treatment for domestic assistance and housing for those in need of assistance. Justine is a sympathetic character, because of all that she endures, she gives the reader a favorable response and empathy (CliffsNotes, n.d.). Being a servant in Geneva is different from being a servant in other places because they don’t treat you as though you are a servant by belittling you and taking away your dignity as a human being. Justine was very grateful for the life Frankenstein had given her and showed that in her kindness and willingness to work in their home. Through this novel, we see how each character looks at Justine. Elizabeth sees her as a friend, Victor sees her as someone that took care of him since he was a young boy and Frankenstein sees her as bate and easy to blame for the murder Frankenstein committed. Justine does not make many appearances in the book till chapter 8. But leading up to that we see a lot of why everyone loves Justine and why it was so hard to believe that she has murdered William, Victor’s little brother. When looking at Victor’s point of view I see why he did not stand up nor take Justine’s side because then everyone will find out about the monster he made. Looking at the creature’s point of view, it was a smart move to pin the blame on Justine and plant the evidence while she was sleeping close to the crime scene. All in all, both Victor and the creature had selfish motives in order to not get in trouble themselves which ultimately put Justine in a very bad position unfortunately for her. Looking at this from a reader’s point of view the things Victor and the creature chose to do are and aren’t justified. They are because they helped two of the main characters continue on with their lives giving readers a story and they aren’t because they threw a woman under the bus that loved Victor’s family.

Justine’s biggest role in the book is the person set up by the creature for a crime she did not commit. William was murdered by the creature for screaming when he saw him. Victor did not believe that Justine committed the crime and knew exactly who committed it. Elizabeth also did not believe that Justine committed the crime, she even testified in court on behalf of Justine. Victor and Elizabeth are the last people to believe Justine committed such a crime. Victor recognizes the wrongdoing done by his pet, but Elizabeth ultimately puts belief in Justine’s goodness. This highlights Justine’s ethics and adds to the seriousness of Victor’s grave foulness. Justine’s settings for the pet’s murder of William always refer to an animal’s defining moment. He had never even felt the desire to do other people harm or to perform the horrors that he himself experienced on various honest people. During the trial, there is no evidence or other suspects that could be blamed for the murder since nobody knows about the creature which unfortunately left Justine being the murderer. Since the creature put a picture of William in Justine’s pocket when she was sleeping that was the only evidence left to lead the murder to her. This then left Justine in a bad position because the judge ruled her guilty and sentenced her to death. Since life was lost, and it was the life of someone that did not commit the crime and loved this family, it would be fair to say the creature and Victor are not justified in that way. When death is a part of it, that is when humans need to stop and take a step back and realize what is going on. Death is not something anyone should toy with and for that it should be said that for that reason Victor and the creature are unjustified.

There is another way to look at this, to be in favor of the creature. The creature throws his actions into a new light at the stage when the beast speaks, as it may be. He explains that he was disregarded and shocked by Victor leaving him. He passes on how affected he was when he learned that his presence scares ordinary people. His tales of feeling for and helping the homes shyly show that he has a compassionate nature, and his story of protecting a little boy and getting a scream for his story shows his impulse to help those who are more fragile than himself which has most people surprised at how afraid people are of him. Nonetheless, even the description of William’s murder by the pet gives rise to the persuasive defense that Victor’s fierceness drove the beast to indifference which is not an excuse for using any and all means, but of course a valid and defensible explanation. It shows that even though he is a man-made creature, he still has feelings and emotions and it was just hard for him to show those feelings and emotions especially when Victor could leave him so easily. Victor did not care about the creature’s emotions and just ignored them, to be honest. Which led to all this mishap happening in the first place.

In conclusion, “the creature learns from the death of William that he can ‘create desolation; my enemy is not invulnerable; this death will carry despair to him, and a thousand other miseries shall torment and destroy him’, therefore inspiring the creature to further crimes.” (enotes, n.d.). Victor is a weak human who is motivated by the passion of trying to satisfy but failing and satisfying no one but himself which is so selfish, and that is why he fled his parents, rather than knowing what he was doing, he was eaten by the name he should be renowned for, when Justine is accused of murder, he stays silent as opposed to being capable, and when Frankenstein sacrifices him on his big day, he only cares of ensuring himself. Frankenstein is just a victim of circumstances, and he seems to be compassionate to any human he has met in his life. His life is filled with rejection, and as he depicts him as a character, even his maker does not invest heavily in him as opposed to taking a gander against him as a human being. In his battles to be a piece of the high society. This book really highlights what humans really think of big animals and why everyone is so afraid of them. It is the stereotypical actions of certain pets and creatures that put a bad name to others which is ultimately the humans’ fault because they are the ones that poke and handle animals when they should be let free. Take Seaworld as an example. They have so many animals that are captured and kept in small tanks…no wonder you hear about attacks on trainers because at one point a creature will get fed up and do something crazy and wild. This is why Frankenstein and the creature’s actions are justified because of how he was treated.