Category: Frankenstein

“Yellow skin, black lips, and a shriveled complexion” are all gruesome descriptions of the monster in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The monster’s ugly appearance is frightening to society, and the people see him as something less than human, or as an “other.” Victor Frankenstein, a well-known scientist in society, becomes isolated and decides to create a companion for himself that has similar personality traits. Victor’s creature represents society’s rejection of people (including himself) who don’t fit within social norms, which leads to isolation, abandonment, and distrust of others. In the book, this rejection causes his own monster to act aggressively and even murder others.

The monster did not begin its life as a destructive creature, but the immediate isolation from society triggers him to eventually act out as such. Shelley uses isolation as a motif in the novel to emphasize the creature’s longing and wanting to be accepted into society, yet this isolation is what instigates his anxieties to break away from and destroy the institution that created him. His rage and search for revenge causes him to kill three people throughout the novel: William Frankenstein, Henry Cleveral, and Elizabeth Lavenza. These iconic deaths are just some of the many examples of the monster’s attempt to make society suffer in the same way that he has. The monster shows his longing for others’ companionship in Chapter 11 when he says,

‘But I have one want which I have never yet been able to satisfy and the absence of the object of which I now feel as a most severe evil. I have no friend, when I am glowing with the enthusiasm of success, there will be none to participate in my joy; …no one will endeavor to sustain me in dejection (Shelley, 108).’ In this moment, he recognizes his isolation from society and expresses his desire for a friend, or someone to share his feelings and life with. The monster’s longing for acceptance relates to present-day society, in that people who are less experienced in creating ties with others show questionable behavior; this is shown in the article by Williams, who states, “Excluded people actually become more sensitive to potential signs of connection, and they tailor their behavior accordingly,” The monster is sensitive to the backlash from society and goes on a rampage.

Without guidance from his “father”, or creator, the monster attempts to make a place for himself in society but instead, he finds himself abandoned. The monster came into the world not knowing anything and needing someone to guide him but ends up having to learn everything the hard way. He tries to find his way on his own, but this is difficult because he has no family or group that he truly belongs to: “Humans need social groups for survival. We evolved to live in cooperative societies, and for most of human history we depended on those groups for our lives” (Weir). Humans thrive when in groups, they rely on each other and give each other validation. Victor rejects his monster by leaving and not making an effort to find him after he created him. The monster only desires acceptance from any form of society, and when he stumbles upon villagers, he spies on them and later jumps at the chance of an encounter with them. With the help of the villagers, he sees and soon craves love and affection, a view he proves by saying, “The more I saw of them, the greater became my desire to claim their protection and kindness; my heart yearned to be loved and known by these amiable creatures (Shelley, 133).” He uses his isolation to educate himself with books and finally finds the courage to meet a thriving family. But when the son, Felix, hits him with a board, the creature flees and loses all hope. He is then exposed to a more critical society, where he’s accused of drowning a young girl when he is really trying to save her, and he quickly sees that he is unwelcome. Then, when Dr. Frankenstein denies the creature a mate, he is then motivated to isolate his creator by destroying his loved ones, such as Elizabeth, so that he can see Victor suffer. The monster’s coping mechanism is revenge on Victor and society. Like the monster, many people who feel isolated use aggression and revenge to get back at the ones who hurt them, or take that aggression out on anyone in their pathway.

This rejection from his creator, or the person whom he considers to be someone who could have guided him in the world, affects the creature. He wonders why he exists and why he is forever separated from companionship and understanding. These same feelings are also present in people who are rejected by society because of how they identify their race, culture, or perspective and beliefs. In the article “The Pain of Social Rejection” by Kirsten Weir, scientists study the effects of social rejection on individuals and how aggression plays into it, saying, “… others may respond to rejection with anger and lashing out. If someone’s primary concern is to reassert a sense of control, he or she may become aggressive as a way to force others to pay attention.” Like the monster who craves control, his feelings progress from sadness and isolation to rage and thirst for revenge and attention. The creature’s words reveal his confusion and sadness, he begins to question his existence because physical appearance is his main barrier. This does not allow him to build normal relationships in the society. People do not make any attempts to find out about who he really is, after seeing his appearance. In realizing this, he proclaims, “Cursed, cursed creator! Why did I live? Why, in that instant, did I not extinguish the spark of existence which you had so wantonly bestowed? I know not; despair had not yet taken possession of me; my feelings were those of rage and revenge.”(Shelley 98). Feelings of alienation and loneliness only get worse with time. The monster accepts his rejection but still chooses to pity Victor for it by telling him, “I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind? You, my creator, would tear me to pieces and triumph; remember that, and tell me why I should pity man more than he pities me?”

To conclude, Victor’s creation represents society’s rejection of people who differ from everyone else, which later leads to isolation, abandonment, and distrust of others. The monster can relate to these people because of the pain and anger that comes from rejection, leading to his own destructive behavior. As Frankenstein exemplifies throughout the novel, everyone, not just the monster, wants to be loved and accepted for who they truly are.

The notion of Romanticism started to become prevalent in literature during the late eighteenth to the late nineteenth century. In this essay, I will present the key ideas of Romanticism, offering close analysis to the novel Frankenstein. Romantic concepts and formal choices often revolve around empiricism, the nature of the human condition, shared humanity and the appreciation for naturalistic beauty. Author, Mary Shelley embodied many of these Romantic ideas within her work, placing significance on her gratitude for the imagination within her work Frankenstein. The novel explores the thoughts and actions of two main characters and the dedication to create a new human, only for it to be rejected by society. Attributes of Romanticism contrast significantly to that of the prior literary period of Augustinism, with Mary Shelley exemplifying these attributes within her work.

The imagination was of great importance to Romantics, as there were many truths to be found in the natural world. Romanticism emphasised the purity of the imagination, claiming ‘…the imagination’s power to synthesize discordant materials results in a new evaluative scale whereby the beauty of an artwork is measured.’ (Duff 82). Mary Shelley, a Romantic poet during the nineteenth century, wrote with respect towards the influence of the imagination. Her novel Frankenstein adopts clever descriptions of landscapes, following nature into a world that is free from misery, a common theme within Romantic works. Many Romantic writers prefer a world where nature and beauty rule supreme. Likewise, the importance of the individual experience is entrenched within the principles of Romanticism. Shelley was best known for her Gothic novels that explored balancing determination with sympathy. Frankenstein discovers the creation of life to cheat death and as a scientist, creates the ‘Creature’, later realising his mistake and abandoning it. Frankenstein declares, “my enthusiasm was checked by my anxiety, and I appeared rather like one doomed by slavery to toil in the mines…” (Shelley chapter 4). This created a connection between the desire for an imaginative escape and the identity of the character. A distinguishing feature of Romanticism is the “appeal to the Imagination rather than the sense” (Duff 86), which Shelley exemplifies using written words to capture the reader’s imagination and inspire an individual experience. The imagination became an essential aspect of the Romantic period, helping all humans understand and form their own perspective of reality.

Nature and the significance of acknowledging natural beauty was the foundation of Romanticism. As Britain’s industrialisation began to advance swiftly, artists such as Mary Shelley began to reflect on the beauty of the natural world. Shelley describes ‘the sun had set, and the moon was just rising from the sea.’ (Shelley chapter 20) deepening the understanding of the character’s internal emotion and foreshadowing the story. Shelley frequently uses indistinct settings such as the foreign country of Switzerland to help characterise Frankenstein and the ‘Creature’. The location of Switzerland is Romantic due to its scenic nature, with Frankenstein expressing, “the black sides of Jura and the bright summit of Mont Blanc…Dear mountains! My own beautiful lake! Your summits are clear; the sly and lake are blue and placid” (Shelley chapter 7). The setting allows the audience to understand how Romantic Frankenstein is but also illustrate his misery, as he stops appreciating nature: “Clerval observed the scenery with an eye of feeling and delight…I, a miserable wretch [was] haunted by a curse that shut up every avenue of enjoyment” (Shelley chapter 18). The ‘Creature’s’ misery is also exposed through nature, as depicted throughout the novel, “the pleasant sunshine, and the pure air of day restored (the monster) to some degree of tranquillity” (Shelley chapter 16) The condition of the ‘Creature’ declines as he is shot after rescuing a child, emphasising the demoralisation of the ‘Creature’.

The eighteenth century was heavily influenced by the movement of Romanticism, placing importance on an individual’s drive to come upon new experiences, even if they seem impossible. Frankenstein conveys this idea when Frankenstein invents a ‘creature’ from the remains of others, initiating a new understanding of science. Frankenstein distances himself from the rest of society; allowing him to complete his scientific experiment and create a new life that defeats nature. Frankenstein’s application towards the study of natural philosophy led to his intense desire to defeat natural forces. This is evident through the third person narration ‘You go as far as others have gone before you and there is nothing more to know; but in a continual scientific pursuit there is continual food for discovery and wonder” (Shelley chapter 4). This belief captures the theme of Romanticism, as Frankenstein becomes isolated from society, believing that his new species will overrule the power of nature and God. Furthermore, Shelley employs juxtaposition to contrast the passive setting of nature with Frankenstein’s wild imagination. As Frankenstein creates the ‘Creature’: ‘My attention was fixed upon every object the most insupportable to the delicacy of the human feelings. I saw how the fine form of a man was degraded and wasted ‘ (Shelley chapter 4). This illustrates Frankenstein’s fascination with creating a new species, his health becomes affected as he continues to develop the ‘Creature’. Shelley uses emotive language throughout the novel to reveal Frankenstein’s thoughts: – “I had worked for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this, I had deprived myself of rest and health … but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished” (Shelley chapter 5). The chapter foretells what the future presents for Frankenstein as he faces eventual segregation because of the creation of his ‘Creature’. Thus, the audience observes him transform as a person, a fundamental idea of Romanticism.

The notion of the human condition is existential and illustrates humanity’s need to belong. Without the bonds of acceptance from the community and love from our parents, our sense of identity can be disturbed, and we feel alone in the world, in a similar way to Frankenstein’s ‘Creature’. The ‘Creature’ expresses his physical and emotional feelings as he is conscious of his physical difference from the rest of society. Chapter 15 conveys the ‘Creatures’ final attempt to find a place in the world, which is eventually ruined: “Who can describe their horror and consternation on beholding me? Agatha fainted, and Safie, unable to attend to her friend, rushed out of the cottage”. (Shelley chapter 15) Frankenstein describes his creation as, “I saw the dull yellow eye of the Creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs’ (Shelley chapter 5), conveying emotions of despair as he realises, he has shaped a monster. Shelley focuses on the physical appearance of the ‘Creature’, illustrating what is vital to Frankenstein. How the ‘Creature’ looks are more relevant than his personality, and therefore, he is rejected due to his lack of physical beauty. The feeling of being peculiar and not looking ‘normal’ forces the ‘Creature’ into a miserable state. While

Frankenstein can create a living being, he fails at creating a human being as the ‘Creature’ becomes left out of society. The ‘Creature’, in an attempt to humanize himself, becomes familiar with the language, “My days were spent in close attention, that I might more speedily master the language…I comprehended and could imitate almost every word that was spoken. (Shelley chapter 13). The ‘Creature’ recognises that people connect through sounds, that relay certain emotions, thus, uses language aspiring to create relationships in broader society. The ‘Creature’ is intelligent and can voice his concerns, but due to his appearance is deprived of normal human rights. Therefore, he is unable to defend his crimes and is labelled a murderer. The ‘Creature’ tries to atone for his physical demeanour and learn the way of a man by developing the skill of speaking articulately. However, the attempt to be included in human activities fails, as he is still excluded from the community. Frankenstein illustrates the consequences of not taking responsibility for your actions. Frankenstein’s ‘Creature’ does not murder without reason. He is driven by ferocity by those who reject him expressing his lack of belonging. Frankenstein does not depict an inhumane monster, but a ‘Creature’ who is unable to live in a world where he is the only one of his kind. Thus, the audience develops empathy for the ‘Creature’ as he lives his life alone.

Romanticism embraces shared humanity, the influence of the imagination, the significance of natural beauty and the nature of the human condition. Mary Shelley explicitly conveys the characteristics of Frankenstein and the ‘Creature’, illustrating what occurs when science is corrupted. The ‘Creature’ is not the monster he is portrayed to be, but instead, Frankenstein is as he is the one who creates the ‘Creature’ that is rejected by him and society. Despite Frankenstein being depicted as loving in nature, he is a reckless scientist driven by the passion of sustaining his upper-class status. Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein is a Romantic classic that allows the audience to explore the corruption of science and the beauty of nature. Thus, the hugely influential novel stimulates individuals to question our humanity and the meaning of existence.

References

1. Duff, David. Romanticism and The Uses of Genre. Oxford University Press, 2009, pp. 82-86.
2. Shelley, Mary. ‘The Project Gutenberg E-Text of Frankenstein, By Mary Wollstonecraft (Godwin) Shelley’. Gutenberg.Org, 2019, https://www.gutenberg.org/files/84/84-h/84-h.htm#chap15.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was written in 1817, in the midst of the Romantic Era. However, Shelley strayed away from the concepts of Romanticism and wrote Frankenstein as an anti-Romantic work. Four key concepts that Shelley negated in her work included the celebration of nature, the simple life, the idealization of women, and the presence of a one-sided perspective. Furthermore, Mary Shelley’s critique of Romanticism can be applied to the critiques of Marxism, the patriarchy, and racial discrimination.

The era of Romanticism began at the end of the 18th century in Europe and included literature and other art forms as well. Romanticism relied heavily on emotion and feeling, especially in relation to nature. Nature was thought to be a part of humans, or rather something separate, but awe-inspiring. The characters of Romantic pieces often lived modest lives and believed their connection to nature was very important. During the Romantic era, women were expected to be very submissive to their male counterparts. Although the Romantic era was the ideal time to recognize women as equals in society, with the importance of feeling and reflection, writers wrote women just as their society expected them to be. Soon, feminist romantic writers decided to combat the inequality and wrote the women of their novels as independent and defiant of the docile and weak expectations of women. Then, it became common for women to be idealized, or equalized, in Romantic literature. Finally, an aspect of Romanticism spoken of in this essay is the presence of a one-sided perspective in the story. These works were often written from the perspective of the protagonist, never giving the antagonist’s perspective. Although there were other aspects to literature in the Romantic era, these four pieces that Shelley worked against furthered her anti-Romantic style and each holds importance in applying Shelley’s anti-Romanticism to societal critiques.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein expressed social and political suggestions akin to Karl Marx’s analysis of capitalism. In the Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx made class distinctions between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The purpose of the manifesto was to predict the impending revolution of the working class in Europe, which the bourgeoisie intensely feared. Shelley wrote against aspects of the Romantic style, namely the celebration of a simple life and the connection to nature, to create the metaphor of the bourgeoisie and the proletariat in the relationship between Frankenstein and his Monster.

Frankenstein is written around a man of the same name, who studied ‘modern philosophy at the University of Ingolstadt in Germany. He embarked on a two-year mission to create life in his lab, quickly becoming completely enthralled in his work. Frankenstein built his creation’s body from both human and animal parts. The origins of the body parts were inferred when Frankenstein recounted his tale, saying, ‘The dissecting room and the slaughterhouse furnished many of my materials…’ (Shelley 34). Once finally finishing his construction of the creature, Frankenstein electrocuted the Monster, bringing it to life. Frankenstein thought each piece of the Monster separately was beautiful, but when together he thought the large being was hideous. He soon realized he did not know what he was creating and feared the being that he brought life to. This dynamic ultimately created a power struggle between the two, both unable to connect as one is a man and the other is an entirely different species. The unnatural creation of the Monster opposed the connection with nature that the era of Romanticism tried to make, in turn creating a dynamic to fit the metaphor of the Marxist analysis of capitalism between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat.

Throughout the story, it also became very apparent that Frankenstein was considerably wealthy. He traveled often and never worked for the money he had. For example, while Frankenstein was traveling through the Alps chasing the Monster, he said, ‘I had money with me, and gained the friendship of the villagers by distributing it…’ (Shelley 147). It is inferred from this quote that Frankenstein was wealthy enough to give his money out to strangers in exchange for friendship alone. It was also made known that Frankenstein’s family was very distinguished and respected in Geneva when he said, ‘I am by birth a Genevese, and my family is one of the most distinguished of that republic. My ancestors had been for many years counselors and syndics, and my father had filled several public situations with honor and reputation. He was respected by all who knew him for his integrity and indefatigable attention to public business’ (Shelley 18). Frankenstein’s wealth directly opposes the concept from Romanticism that the simple life, sans luxury, should be celebrated. This, in turn, placed Frankenstein in the role of the bourgeoisie, therefore the Monster as the proletariat, in the Marxist critique of capitalism as it is applied to Mary Shelley’s anti-Romantic work.

The construction of the Monster was far from what would be considered ‘natural’. Mary Shelley insinuated that life is nothing more than an electric current, very much unlike those of the Romantic period who strived to notice the connection between humans and nature. The unnatural dynamic that Mary Shelley created between Frankenstein and his Monster reflected the Marxist critique of capitalism. The relationship of Frankenstein and his Monster was very similar to that of the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, or the upper and working class. Just as Frankenstein created the Monster, the bourgeoisie created the proletariat. The control that each had over their creations ultimately developed into a consistent power struggle that instilled an abundance of fear in both the bourgeoisie and Victor Frankenstein. Neither truly understood the entity that they created, subsequently realizing they were losing control of their respective creations. The bourgeoisie’s fear of being overthrown by the proletariat became personified in Shelley’s work as Frankenstein had the same fear of revolution as the bourgeoisie, seeking to kill the Monster before he could kill any more of Frankenstein’s family and friends.

Mary Shelley’s critique of the Romantic style, namely the celebration of the simple life and connection to nature, aligns with the Marxist critique of capitalism and the problem of class division. Works of the Romantic era sought to celebrate the lives of the working class, thus not addressing and combating the problem of the class divide in Europe at the time. Mary Shelley inadvertently addresses the problem of capitalism by creating Frankenstein, a man with a luxurious life, and his Monster, a grotesque, unnatural being he has created that he wants no responsibility for.

Works considered to be ‘feminist’ are often thought to include a strong female lead. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, although considered to be a feminist novel, strays from the stereotype and is a novel controlled by male characters with just a few subservient females. The females in Frankenstein include Frankenstein’s love interest Elizabeth, Safie, the love interest of Felix De Lacey, and the incomplete construction of the female companion for the Monster. Unlike several feminist pieces of the Romantic era, Shelley does not idealize these women. By writing the strong male leads, Shelley portrays the treatment and perspective of women that men of her time had. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein took on a new perspective of feminist work by choosing not to idealize women, but to purposefully depict women as fragile, expendable, and submissive to men.

The first female character to be introduced is Elizabeth, Frankenstein’s love interest and eventual wife. Elizabeth’s presence is the most prominent of the three women, but she is still evidently viewed as submissive by Frankenstein. Although Frankenstein shows nothing but admiration and love for Elizabeth, it comes with a sense of degradation as Frankenstein’s perspective of Elizabeth is one of ownership. Even from early childhood, Elizabeth was predetermined to be Frankenstein’s future wife, a choice made by Frankenstein’s mother. Frankenstein constantly illustrates Elizabeth as a child-like companion, often describing her as an animal, as if she were a pet he owned. Frankenstein’s descriptions of Elizabeth included comments such as, ‘She was docile and good tempered, yet gay and playful as a summer’s insect’ and ‘I loved to tend on her, as I should on a favourite animal…’ (Shelley 20). Not only did Frankenstein portray Elizabeth in a dehumanized light, but the Monster’s use of her as a source of revenge against Frankenstein did as well. Elizabeth’s part in the Monster’s plan revealed her role as a possession to Frankenstein considering when the Monster decided to execute his plan: the night of their wedding.

Shelley’s choice to have Elizabeth’s death be on the night of her wedding with Frankenstein reveals Shelley’s opinion of marriage and what that meant for women. When analyzing the relationship that Elizabeth and Frankenstein had, the murder of Elizabeth as she still wore her wedding dress worked as a metaphor for Shelley’s attitude toward relationships of that sort. From Shelley’s perspective, a relationship like that of Elizabeth and Frankenstein would ultimately be self-destructive for the woman, signing herself away to be someone’s possession ’til death do they part.

The second woman that is given significance in Frankenstein is Safie, Felix De Lacey’s love interest. The Monster described Safie as ‘dressed in a dark suit and covered with a thick black veil’ (Shelley 80). The color black in clothing symbolizes power and strength and those words perfectly describe Safie’s character and her relationships. Safie and Felix are far from married, but their feelings for one another are still deep and strong. Mary Shelley also writes Safie as what can be considered the ideal woman in her eyes. Safie is independent, autonomous, and determined to create the life she wants for herself. Safie did not seek the validation of men, defying her father by leaving Turkey and traveling to Germany, where Felix De Lacey resided. Safie practiced autonomy and independence by leaving her culture behind and acting upon her desires, something women of that period seldom did. However, although Safie is a representation of the idealization of women, her presence was fleeting, only to be mentioned for fifteen pages. Safie’s presence seems to be something of a daydream to Mary Shelley, something she wished was a reality for women, only to be snapped back into reality by the presence of subservient women like Elizabeth.

When finding representation for Shelley’s feminist interpretations, the female companion that Frankenstein agreed to create for the Monster is a strong example. Frankenstein refused to create a second monster initially, but upon finally caving, he began to have worries and fears of what a female companion to the Monster would be like. Frankenstein began jumping to conclusions such as, ‘She who, in all probability, was to become a thinking and reasoning animal, might refuse to comply with a compact made before her creation’ and ‘She also might turn with disgust from him to the superior beauty of a man; she might quit him, and he be again alone, exasperated by the fresh provocation by being deserted by one of his own species’ (Shelley 118). Frankenstein is not afraid of the female companion the way he is of the Monster, rather he is afraid of the female companion becoming an autonomous being that would develop a consciousness of self. Frankenstein’s use of the words ‘refuse to comply’ insinuates that he is afraid of the female becoming a creature who refuses to be controlled by her male companion. Frankenstein’s fear of a disobedient woman is also accompanied by his fear of the female monster’s sexual liberation. Anne K. Mellor provided further elaboration on Frankenstein’s fear of females as ‘a woman who is sexually liberated, free to choose her own life, [and] her own sexual partner’ (Mellor 224). By destroying the half-finished body of the female monster, Frankenstein regained his control over the female entity and the creation of anything that could become outside of the realm of what Frankenstein believed to be the ideal woman.

Shelley’s critique of the idealization of women in post-feminism Romantic works provides an interesting approach to the critique of the patriarchy. By writing women as subservient and object-like, the book becomes a slap-in-the-face to the men of the patriarchy. The book’s perspective of women is quickly recognized as problematic, until the reader realizes that it was the reality and, in some cases, still is. By critiquing the idealization of women in Romantic works, Mary Shelley sheds light on the desire of control that the patriarchy had and still has, depicting the effects that the need for power has on the characters.

It was not until after some of the earliest race-sensitive events in the United States that people began to note the racial resonances of Mary Shelley’s story of Frankenstein. The Nat Turner Rebellion of 1831 was a turning point for the perspective of the novel. After the revolt of the slaves and the subsequent murder of several white people, Virginia legislatures began comparing slaves to Frankenstein’s Monster, arguing that if they were freed, they would all revolt. The irony of this argument becomes apparent upon reading Frankenstein, as through the presence of both Frankenstein’s and the Monster’s perspectives, the metaphor exemplifies that it is the unjust relationship that leads to the Monster’s violent actions, not the way he looks.

In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the Monster is depicted as both grotesque and ostracized. As soon as the Monster is brought to life by Frankenstein, he is ridiculed for his appearance. Frankenstein describes the Monster as such:

His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same color as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shriveled complexion, and straight black lips. (Shelley 35)

The Monster was ultimately the opposite of the standards of beauty that Europeans expected. Because of this, the Monster became feared for his appearance, no matter his internal character.

As the Monster recounted his tale to Frankenstein, his speech was sympathetic and eloquent. He told the story of the De Lacey’s and how he would fetch firewood and leave it at their doorstep while they were sleeping. The Monster expressed nothing but care and admiration for humans, which he communicated by saying ‘…when they were unhappy, I felt depressed; when they rejoiced, I sympathized in their joys’ (Shelley 77). The Monster’s good nature continued throughout the torture he endured from humans, even saving a little girl from drowning, only to be shot by her male companion. After being shot, the Monster’s attitude changed. He recounted, ‘The feelings of kindness and gentleness, which I had entertained but a few moments before, gave place to hellish rage and gnashing of teeth. Inflamed by pain, I vowed eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind’ (Shelley 99). It was not until the Monster determined that integration into European society was not an option that he turned to violence and revolution.

Upon hearing the perspective of the Monster, the hypocrisy of discrimination becomes apparent. The Monster was not made to be evil and violent but rather learned to become that way after his treatment from humans. He wanted the love of a companion, and sought it several times, only to be faced with ostracization each time. However, even up to the end, through his revenge-filled perspective, the Monster said to a deceased Frankenstein, ‘…for the bitter sting of remorse may not cease to rankle in my wounds until death shall close them forever’ (Shelley 161), insinuating that he still felt a sense of morality and care for humans. When initially given Frankenstein’s perspective, it is easy to pity him and paint the Monster as a villain. However, the presence of the Monster’s perspective becomes increasingly important to accurately understand the novel, and the reader soon finds themselves questioning if the Monster was ever truly evil.

As previously mentioned, the application of the racial critique was applied a couple of decades later than when the book was published. Unfortunately, this application is still relevant today. For example, the murder of Michael Brown by a white police officer parallels the story of Frankenstein’s Monster in terrifying accuracy. The officer, Darren Wilson, described Michael Brown in several discriminatory ways, the use of the word ‘demon’ is one word he used. The Monster was often named ‘daemon’ by Frankenstein, and the presence of that language today to describe a person of color proves how the application of the racial critique if still relevant.

Mary Shelley critiqued the presence of one-sided narratives in the Romantic genre, which were excluded from the side of the protagonist. Shelley does not do that here, providing both Frankenstein’s and the Monster’s perspectives. This critique allowed for the application of the critique of racism in American and European societies. Racism is exclusively a one-sided narrative, as people such as white supremacists fail to address the perspectives of minorities. When applying this critique, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein demonstrates that the presence of another perspective is important, proving that the misunderstood antagonist is not an antagonist at all.

Mary Shelley’s critique of the era of Romanticism allotted for the application of several other critiques that were relevant then and now. Her critique of the simple life and nature made room for the argument of the Marxist analysis and the dangers of capitalism. When critiquing the idealization of women, Shelley brought a new perspective to the critique of the patriarchy by, rather than begging for society to see the wonderful qualities women possess, showing it that the treatment of women as objects is dehumanizing and unacceptable. When critiquing the presence of a one-sided perspective, Mary Shelley granted the application of the critique on racism by writing her book around the importance of learning every perspective of a story before labeling an antagonist. Although Mary Shelley did not necessarily intend to place each of these critiques upon the novel, they each bring about a new, deep analysis of the book and its application to society. These analyses, although made over a century ago, are still important to note because no drastic changes have truly been made in our society concerning each analysis. This is because, as Frankenstein said himself, ‘Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change’ (Shelley 142).

Born into the world with a tabula rasa, the creature in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein enters life with innocence and potential. With no instinctive precept of life, the creature who is initially gentle and innocent, attempts to integrate himself into society, only to be rejected because of humanity’s fear of his appearance. Loneliness, whether it be emotional, physical, or social, and its impacts, is a recurrent themes depicted through the creature. The creature’s demand for companionship derives from his sense of isolation and misery toward mankind. Mary Shelley exceptionally portrays the discourse of desolation in the selected passage through the use of literary devices such as diction and setting.

Through the use of diction, Mary Shelley clearly depicts the creature’s loneliness and desire for companionship, thereby further illustrating the sensitive and emotional aspects of his nature. The notion of loneliness and isolation is so deeply emphasized that the repetition of the diction “desolate” is apparent throughout the novel. The term desolate establishes a tone of melancholy, particularly toward the creature. The meaning of desolation within the creature refers to his state of bleak and dismal emptiness. He is deserted of people, abandoned, and isolated from society. The author effectively uses the term desolate when the creature describes his experience first originating, revealing “it was dark when [he] awoke; [he] felt cold also, and half-frightened, as it were instinctively, finding [himself] so desolate” (121). The desolation that the creature experiences prompts him to demand Victor to create a mate to relieve him of his loneliness. At the beginning of the excerpt, Victor expresses his reluctance by saying, “Shall I create another like yourself, whose joint wickedness might desolate the world” (156). Mary Shelley’s usage of the phrase, “desolate the world” conveys Victor’s fears of a damaged world such that it will be bleak and no longer suitable for humanity. Victor fears that through his creation, isolation will inevitably seep into the lives of everyone in the form of death and destruction. The creature initially appeals to Victor for sympathy responding, “I am malicious because I am miserable” (156), suggesting his behavior is a result of his unhappiness through loneliness. The creature shows his emotions and mental anguish that has been brought upon him, indicating his possession of human characteristics.

To further emphasize the discourse of desolation and to reinforce the theme of loneliness, Mary Shelley utilizes repetition. With obvious reluctance by Victor, the creature replaces his sympathy with hatred toward Victor by threatening, “I will work at your destruction, nor finish until I desolate your heart” (156). Once again, Shelley makes use of the diction desolate to manifest a melancholic tone and express the extent to which the creature is tortured by loneliness. By vowing to make Victor’s life as alienated and miserable as he is, the creature shows he has ultimate power and control. The creature wants to extinguish his urge to make Victor suffer and experience desolation as was bestowed upon himself.

Mary Shelley’s choice of diction further demonstrates how the creature is othered by his representation as inhuman. The diction monster itself does not merely refer to a large, ugly and frightening creature, but holds a deeper meaning. Derived from the study of taxonomy, the origin of the word monster means something that does not belong to a category. Mary Shelley presents the idea that different species should not associate or coexist with one another. The creature recognizes that “man will not associate with [him]” (155) and therefore inquires Victor about creating a female companion who is equally as hideous. The creature emphasizes this by stating, “it is true, we shall be monsters, cut off from all the world; but on that account, we shall be more attached to one another” (157). Mary Shelley stresses the role of “the other” to further exemplify the theme of loneliness and exclusion. The creature himself adopts the labeling from the other characters by saying, “we shall be monsters,” excluded from society in isolation. Evidently, the creature desires a companion who is of the same origin, deformed and an outcast. His hope for a family, social acceptance, and his instinctive benevolence is demonstrated through his emotions. Despite the creature’s representation as inhuman and his unnatural creation, the humanity within the creature is evident through the emotions he possesses and thoughts that are fundamentally human. Mary Shelley utilizes this diction to evoke emotions out in the reader, to show that the creature is indeed not deprived of human feelings.

Mary Shelley’s usage of setting plays a pivotal role throughout the novel, strengthening the theme of desolation by reflecting the creature’s internal turmoil. The creature is aware that he is a singular being who does not fit into European civilization and proposes to “go to the vast wilds of South America” (157) to remove himself from this environment. The creature’s fear-inducing and grotesque appearance set him apart from normal civilized society. However, the untamed, vast, and isolated region of the arctic complies with his own internal struggles. Mary Shelley strategically utilizes the arctic setting to create a parallel of the creature’s internal feelings with the environment that surrounds him. The arctic, being a region with isolated conditions and hostile environments, reflects well the creature’s emotions. The contrast between civilized and uncivilized regions portrays the creature as ‘the other’ who is not European, and therefore not human. Mary Shelley’s usage of the arctic symbolizes the creature’s emptiness, isolation, and misery. The arctic, empty and unexplored, lacks natural resources to sustain life just like the creature lacks companionship.

Marry Shelley’s deliberate use of the glaciers to symbolize desolation, loneliness, and entrapment is reflected through both Victor and the creature. Although Victor initially abhors the idea of creating a female companion, he later relents to the creature’s wishes. Victor succumbs to the creature’s demands because he experiences the desolation and terror provoked in such environments. Nevertheless, Victor can come and go from the arctic as he wishes, while the creature is trapped. Desolate settings like the arctic are the only places the creature can live without dismissal. In Victor’s internal dialogue, he states that his creation is a being, “who could exist in the ice caves of the glaciers and hid from pursuit among the ridges of inaccessible precipices” and “a being possessing faculties it would vain to cope with” (158). Victor recognizes that his creation is superior to mankind in every aspect except physical appearance yet is incapable of being accepted into society. Victor believes his creation possesses supernatural strength because no human can exist in a landscape that embodies desolation. Mary Shelley’s sophisticated use of setting reflects the theme of desolation and reinforces the notion that as a singular being, the creature was destined to exist outside of society.

Mary Shelley presents a dominant theme of desolation in the excerpt by utilizing literary devices such as diction and setting. The creature’s loneliness stems from his repeated rejection from mankind and his abandonment by his own creator. Through repetition of the diction desolate, Shelley stresses the creature’s deprivation of love and acceptance. The creature desires a companion so he can no longer feel the torturous feeling of desolation and misery. The discrepancy between the creature and other characters and the creature’s internal turmoil is clearly reflected through the vast, desolate arctic setting

One of the most pressing concerns related to science and morality in the contemporary world is the growing capabilities of artificial intelligence that could potentially threaten the whole human race. These models learn from the world around them and might eventually become sentient, and it is far from certain that they will decide to be benevolent to humans. In my personal opinion, it is crucial to develop additional safety and precaution regulations to prevent AI from hurting people.

There is extensive evidence that demonstrates the unlimited capabilities of artificial intelligence. This threat occurs due to a concept of “mimicked evolution,” meaning that deep learning models learn and evolve similarly to humans, absorbing all information around them (Marr, 2020, para. 1). Even though scientists program AI to be benevolent and never hurt humans, it is impossible to completely prevent artificial intelligence frameworks from getting dangerous information. After all, humans themselves are not perfect, while violence and prejudice are still present in contemporary society. From my personal observations, if deep learning algorithms are not restricted in their education mechanisms, they might learn the negative aspects of today’s society. Moreover, in her novel, Mary Shelley demonstrated this threat in the example of Frankenstein’s monster, which was created to help humans (Shelley, 1818). However, the creature was corrupted by the world around him, eventually becoming hostile and dangerous. This argument clearly shows how sentient entities, whether AI or Frankenstein’s monster, might become violent and threaten people around them.

The scientific controversy between AI risks and benefits is a highly relevant topic. The example of Frankenstein shows that even more than 200 years ago people were concerned about mimicked evolution and the potential dangers of artificially created sentient beings. However, unlike Frankenstein’s monster, it is possible to implement more safety regulations concerning contemporary AI models. Therefore, humanity must consider the risks and benefits of AI development and ensure that these frameworks will never harm people.

References

Morr, B. (2020). Is artificial intelligence (AI) a threat to humans?Forbes. Web.

Shelley, M. (1818). Frankenstein. Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones.

Introduction

In the history of world literature there are titles which are known to everyone. Such is the novel “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus” (1818) by the British writer Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797–1851). The fate of the Swiss scientist Frankenstein, who created a living creature from dead materials and eventually turned into an executioner and at the same time a victim of his own creation, became a remarkable novel, which with the course of time captured wider cultural layers, going further exploring the issues originally designated by the author.

One of these issues and the subject of this paper is the theme of feminism in Shelley’s novel. This essay analyzes the novel and its premises in the context of the author’s background stating that the novel is bearing feminist ideas.

Overview of Feminism

Feminism is a contradictory phenomenon, thus many researchers, who attempts understanding the essence of feminism, as social phenomena, approach it in different ways.

Feminism – to wide extent, is an aspiration for equality of rights between women and men, in all life aspects, and in another opinion, it is a feminine movement, with a purpose of elimination of discrimination of women and equalization of their rights with men. The different approach in observing feminism is mostly due to the particular epochs in which women’s positions were considered and thus the various ways in which feminism showed up. In examining the context of feminism in literature, the background of the historical period in which this composition appeared should be considered. In the case of Marry Shelley’s work, other factors play a major role as well.

The Background

Feminism has a long history, and perhaps and perhaps it is difficult to trace back its origin, where the women’s resistance definitely preceded the occurrence of feminism as a completely formulated ideology. However, the roots of modern feminism can be trace back to the works of Mary Wollstonecraft – a liberal writer, the wife of the political philosopher William Godwin and the mother of Mary Shelley, the author of the aforementioned novel and the essay’s analysis subject “Frankenstein”.

The attention was brought to Mary Wollstonecraft when she published her work “A Vindication of the Rights of Man”, which was immediately followed by “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman”, which is considered the first feminist document.

“Let not men then in the pride of power, use the same arguments that tyrannic kings and venal ministers have used, and fallaciously assert that woman ought to be subjected because she has always been so…. It is time to effect a revolution in female manners–time to restore to them their lost dignity…. It is time to separate unchangeable morals from local manners.”- Mary Wollstonecraft in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) (“Mary Wollstonecraft: Enlightenment Feminist”)

Thus, it could be seen that the philosophy of Wollstonecraft is possibly the direct influence of Mary Shelley, although the influence of the ideas of feminism were somewhat subtle in her novel comparing to other themes addressed and definitely less radical than her mother’s works for that time.

Analysis

Addressing the feminism in “Frankenstein”, Shelley did not use direct depiction, where instead of portraying strong women fighting for their rights, she used the opposite to demonstrate the state of women’ role in the society as a sign of alert.

In that sense, it could be said that the character Uncle Tom, in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, is somewhat similar.

In a similar way, the novel is full of passive female characters, and to some extent she exaggerates in this passiveness, where most of the characters either die in a self sacrificing manner, such as Caroline Beaufort or Justine, or stay helpless throughout the whole novel such as Elizabeth who eventually was killed by the monster.

In addition, one general similarity between all the female characters is their dependence on men in their life.

In that sense the created monster is more progressive, possibly Shelley wanted to outline that point in ironical way, where the monster’s desire for a female, is depicted as a desire for an equal companion and someone to share with, rather than a woman that would be dependent on him.

Truth to be told, the nature of women at that time period was demonstrated in the novel, where all the positions given to women in the novel were the same in real life, although it should be mentioned that this was mostly due to the patriarchal society they lived in, the society that expected the women to be as depicted in the novel, and the same society that Mary Wollstonecraft tried to oppose.

In that opposition, possibly it was expected that the creation of Frankenstein would be a female character, in contrary the male monster along with representing the sin of trying to be god-like, similarly to women this monster suffered.

This suffering could be demonstrated in the theme of education where the monster similarly to women of that time relied only on himself in education.

Similarly, the educational journey of the monster could be paralleled with the women’s. In this context, the educational journey of women, does not mean, the educational shell in which the women were wrapped to please men, but the education in which they achieve the awakening point, after which they realize that their position in life is not limited to being someone to be ruled over by men.

In that sense the monster, is similar to the status of women, where they both were stripped of their identities, and the monster’s hatred of the society is much more connected to the educated women being misunderstood by their societies.

They both educate themselves by secretly peeking into men’s world.

Victor’s character is also an object that Shelley might have used as a target of her social refusal.

It could be said that the character of Victor is representing the society in general, and the values that they were representing in particular. In that matter, this statement could be paralleled to the similarity of women and the monster, where both of them fought-opposed the society in life and its representation-Victor in the novel.

The refusal of creating a female, is could be translated as a fear of his creation after which he destroyed it.

Finally, the message that could be sensed through the novel is the effect of education on women, the only path that should be taken to achieve something bigger than the hat you are expected from the society. In that sense the path of the monster was demonstrative until he was obsessed with self-destruction. The same self-destruction should be avoided by the women to escape the fate that was predicted by Shelley in her depiction of the female characters and the fate of the monster.

Conclusion

The feminism in Mary Shelley’s novel is not so obvious at first sight, an opinion that could lie in the fact that “Frankenstein” was a unique novel in style as one of the first horror-gothic stories- a feature that could easily overshadow the theme of feminism in the novel. However, in studying the background of her mother being one of the first feminist, it was impossible for the researchers, scholars and ordinary people not to search for the signs of feminism. In that sense, it could be said that the feminism was more delicate in the novel, where it was portrayed only in representation of a whole set of characters. Additionally, the novel aside from feminism delivered many other important themes such as the theme of creation. However, in the context of the described epoch, “Frankenstein” was indeed a novel with a message to all the women.

Works Cited

1. Goodall, Jane. “Frankenstein and the Reprobate’s Conscience.” Studies in the Novel 31.1 (1999): 19.
2. “Mary Wollstonecraft: Enlightenment Feminist.” The Humanist.
3. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein (Penguin Classics). Penguin Classics, 2003.

Scientific discoveries follow prolonged periods of experimentation with all manner of things. In the early twentieth century, ethical considerations were not strictly enforced, leading to experiments that would be considered illegal today. For example, Nazi German scientists conducted multiple human experiments that involved the mutilation of live human beings. The extent and horrific nature of the experiments encouraged the international community to prohibit scientific and medical experiments that cause harm to people in a treaty that would be called the Geneva Convention. Decades after many countries ratified the convention, debate on the implications of unsanctioned research occupies the academic discourse. This essay will analyze Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein to understand the ethical implications of scientific discovery.

The pursuit of scientific knowledge is seen as a noble cause as academicians and researchers push possibilities and knowledge boundaries. However, despite the positive connotations, evidence of abuse of subjects means that the pursuit of knowledge through scientific discovery is not inherently good. Scientific discoveries alone pose no real threat to human beings or the world in general. Instead, the application of scientific discoveries to the development of technology has the potential to fundamentally impact humanity in a negative way. A fine line exists between the application of some scientific knowledge and playing God. Scientific discoveries are the foundations of technological breakthroughs and their overall implications should be considered before their physical application. Unfortunately, because of greed, parochial personal interests, and outright negligence, the implications of scientific discoveries are not considered before they are recklessly applied. This short-sighted mentality that the purpose of scientific pursuit is to expand what is known is the mentality that characterized Mary Shelly’s thinking when creating the Frankenstein monster.

Frankenstein invariably demonstrates that the blind pursuit of scientific knowledge without regard to societal and ethical considerations results in disastrous consequences. In Frankenstein, the main protagonist (Victor) sets his sight on creating a superior being by using different parts of a body from different people. His quest is an embodiment of the unrestrained and unethical pursuit of scientific knowledge and its application. Victor is string drawn to alchemy which emphasizes the pursuit of scientific knowledge for personal and parochial interests. After learning how to animate non-living materials, he develops an insatiable urge to apply that knowledge to play God and create his own creature. He fails the first ethical test of considering the societal implications of his experimentation. He recklessly pursues his objective of applying recently discovered knowledge to create Frankenstein, who he hopes would be superior to human beings. The kind of indifference to ethics characterized many scientific discoveries and their application in the early 20^th century.

The events that follow the creation of the creature show the direct relationship between science and ethics. The lack of ethical thought that characterized Victor’s work when making his creature manifest itself as soon as Victor is done with his work. Unlike the glorious thing he had imagined creating, his creature is hideous. His dissatisfaction with its look is reflected by his abandonment of the creature and its reference to the name “creature” (Shelley, 68) Had his invention gone according to plan, he would have given it a name. However, like a bad father, Victor abandons his creature to its devices. This abandonment shapes the creature’s behavior as it randomly kills people. While the initial reaction might be to blame the creature for its murderous behavior, Victor is ultimately responsible for the creature’s actions as he failed to consider the ethical implications and societal consequences of continuing with work on his scientific discovery.

Victor’s work also raises the ethical question of playing God. While it is the inherent nature of science to push through the boundaries of knowledge, engaging in experimentation that could alter what it is to be human without serious consideration of the consequences is unethical (Cambra-Badii et al.). To be able to continue his work, Victor does not share his finding and his intent to expand his experiments by creating a real-life animated human being. Naturally, scientific experimentation, findings, recommendations, and conclusions undergo a thorough peer-review process that mitigates the ethical violations apparent in Frankenstein. Additionally, scientists commit to following ethical principles in their experiments. These rules exist to inhibit what Mary Shelly described in her book Frankenstein as “allowing desires and passion to disturb the tranquility” (Shelly, 60). Thus, while it is the nature of human beings to push knowledge boundaries, they should do so within the confines of ethical principles and moral and societal considerations.

The simple definition of ethics is knowing the difference between the good and the bad. However, in academics and research, in particular, ethics has a deeper meaning and is guided by rules of what is allowable and what is not. Such rules are not referenced anywhere in Frankenstein. However, from Mary Shelley’s writing, one can infer a debate between the good and the bad when Victor was considering creating a companion for the monster. Ultimately, he chose not to because he believed the monster was inherently evil for killing his close friends to make Victor as miserable as the creature was. However, Victor’s assessment of the monster was ironic and a reflection of his nature. He had conducted unsanctioned and unethical experiments, implemented their finding, and abandoned his creature leaving it to terrorize the people close to him. Thus, in the grand scheme of things, Mary’s portrayal of Victor in Frankenstein is one of a mad scientist who fails to calm his desires and pursues a destructive experiment but later failed to take responsibility for it, leading to death and destruction. In the end, Victor’s ethical violations turn him into the same monster that he despised.

The negative results of the experimentation that occur in Frankenstein are squarely Victor’s fault. In breach of ethical standards, he experimented with mutilated human organs with the set intent of expanding his experiments once his hypothesis was proven. He went ahead with his experiment because he knew he could. However, perhaps it is not fair to judge Victor by today’s standards. By the time the book (Frankenstein) was written, the scientific method had not taken root, and ethics were loosely applied. In addition, it was only after the end of the Second World War that international guidelines and ethics in scientific research were seriously considered and incorporated into an international convention. This does not however negate the possibility that using common sense would have prevented the destruction that was meted out by the Frankenstein monster. Victor let his desires control him and failed at the most basic test of considering all the implications of continuing with the experiment. It was a failure of judgment that, when analyzed from a 21^st-century perspective, smells of ethical violations, illegal experimentation, abandonment, and a god-like complex.

Works Cited

Cambra-Badii, Irene, et al. “Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus: A Classic Novel to Stimulate the Analysis of Complex Contemporary Issues in Biomedical Sciences.” BMC Medical Ethics, vol. 22, no. 1, 2021.

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus. e-book, First Avenue Editions, 2014.

Introduction

Frankenstein is a classical novel designed by Mary Shelley. It explains the process by which human beings can create monsters. The novel brings to the fore many aspects relating to morality and ethics. In the novel, some names used in reference to the monster include the demon, the ogre, the devil, or the thing. The name Frankenstein owes its origin to the creator of the monster, Victor Frankenstein.

From childhood, Frankenstein has been having an interest in science. Still, he later develops more interest in chemistry and goes ahead to assemble humanoids and creates a living creature, the ogre. The creature goes out of Frankenstein’s control and kills several individuals, including Frankenstein’s younger brother William and Elizabeth. Therefore, this essay argues that the story of Frankenstein is about a monster that goes mad and provides moral judgments concerning the scientist, Frankenstein, and the monster.

Frankenstein’s Story

Frankenstein is a story about a monster designed by Victor Frankenstein after developing an excessive obsession with the concept of creating a living thing, especially in chemistry. From the novel, it is evident that humans drove the monster into a state of madness when they subjected it to hatred and rejection, and thus the monster’s madness emerged due to the treatment it receives from society.

After its creation, rejection and hatred subjected to the creature made it run out of control, and as a consequence, Frankenstein runs away from his creation. The monster undertakes many horrific activities soon after its creation.

The horrific activities awakened by Frankenstein’s creation scares Frankenstein, and he runs away from the creature. Some of the scary activities that the ogre engages in include murder of people such as Elizabeth and Frankenstein’s younger brother William. When the monster becomes lonely, it beseeches its creator to make a female monster to act as his companion and relieve loneliness. After Frankenstein refuses to create a female companion, the creature avenges by killing Elizabeth.

Monster Gone Mad

According to Shelley, the novelist, the creature becomes mad when it realizes that everyone in the society does not appreciate or like its existence. Frankenstein, the monster’s creator, runs away from it, thus commencing a series of rejections subjected to the monster. The monster decides to kill human beings after it fails to receive love, affection, and appreciation from them.

The creature expected to find love and acceptance from society; however, it encounters hatred and rejection. These feelings of hatred and rejection of the society make the monster mad, and it develops a negative attitude towards humankind, which compels it to avenge by killing.

From the novel, the monster is a sensitive, emotional, and intelligent being, as it has learned the basic human duties like dressing, speaking, and reading within 11 months. Therefore, the novel clarifies that the madness of the monster is due to rejection and isolation it experiences. The rejection and isolation of the creature drove it to a state of loneliness and anger towards humanity.

In the novel, the monster appears to be a lonely creature, especially after everyone in the society, including his creator Frankenstein, rejected it. This loneliness is clear when the creature begs Frankenstein to design a female companion of the same kind. In her novel, Shelley depicts that the monster has the sole objective of sharing love, affection, and feelings with another one of its kind.

However, loneliness, hatred, and rejection lead the monster to kill a quest to avenge humanity. Hence, the monster had no intention of killing or engaging in any vice, but since society fails to show love, appreciation, and compassion, it decides to engage in the vice of killing. Hence, it is clear that humans made the monster to become mad. Furthermore, Frankenstein’s refusal to create a female companion maddened the monster.

Moral Judgments

From the ethical and moral perspective, Frankenstein is determined, goal-oriented, and purpose-driven, which are the qualities of a morally praiseworthy individual. Frankenstein works hard until he succeeds in creating a living thing regardless of objections and discouragements from friends who raised questions about the animal’s existence. Individuals who have moral praiseworthy have traits like determination, goal-oriented, assertiveness, passion, and self-control, Feinstein practiced these traits.

Thus, the novel portrays Frankenstein as a determined young man who is morally praiseworthy. On the other hand, the monster fails to meet the ethical and moral requirements, since it starts to kill humans when it realizes that they do not like its existence. The monster fails to create a positive impression in the minds of individuals but, in turn, embarks on a mission to avenge by killing humans.

Conclusion

Frankenstein is a myth that demonstrates how the monster goes mad due to the treatment he receives from society. Some of the factors that make the creature to become mad include rejection, hatred, lowliness, and isolation from society. Therefore, the monster decides to kill humans since they fail to love and appreciate their existence. As the monster becomes lonely, it beseeches Frankenstein to make a female companion, but when Frankenstein refuses to do so, the monster goes mad and starts killing humans.

From the novel, the ogre fails to meet ethical requirements like assertiveness, love, compassion, and self-control. Frankenstein demonstrates determination and objectivity until he successfully creates the monster despite the discouragements from society. However, the monster fails to adhere to the ethical principles of society, but it decides to avenge by killing humans.

Introduction

The primary critique used for the current evaluation essay is the article by Walter Scott published in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine in 1818. The author argues that Mary Shelley succeeded in composing a literary piece about supernatural forces that changed the conventional representation of fiction writing. The narrative of the novel uses elements of superstition, but the writer acknowledges that giving life to the lifeless matter could potentially be possible. As a result, some readers in the early 19th century perceived Frankenstein not as a piece of fiction but a natural continuation of science. Walter Scott demonstrates that Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein alternates the laws of nature to create a captivating narrative and make readers conscious about the possibility of bestowing animation on the lifeless matter.

Supernatural Forces in Fiction

I agree with the author’s thesis primarily due to the setting of the 19th century. While the question raised by Walter Scott might seem like an obvious concept today, it was a thought-provoking message at that time. The author clearly distinguishes between “the marvelous and the effects of marvelous” while examining the narrative of the novel (Scott 614). In other words, the only supernatural concept is Frankenstein’s creature; however, his behavior and actions are rationalized. He acts similar to humans and wishes for love, companionship, and safety. However, when he is stripped of these feelings due to his appearance, he plots an act of terrible life-long revenge on Frankenstein, which is also a human-exclusive trait. Thus, the author demonstrates that even though the creature is a consequence of supernatural forces, he behaves exactly like humans, bringing the supernatural narrative closer to reality.

Consequently, Walter Scott draws some parallels with the outside sources, such as the story of Gulliver, concerning fiction tropes. However, he also states that Frankenstein is a fundamentally different type of literature that has elements of fiction but develops the narrative via rationalized actions. Scott successfully integrates the conventional tropes of supernatural writing in his critique to demonstrate the uniqueness of Frankenstein’s narrative. Ultimately, I believe that the author provides sufficient arguments both from the novel and outside sources to support the thesis.

Morality of Frankenstein

The complementary critique from La Belle Assemblée published in 1818 provides a similar perspective, indicating that Frankenstein is an excellent literary piece that raises intriguing questions. The article primarily focuses on the issue of morality, implying that the point of the novel might be misunderstood by the readers. It raises such questions as, “Should not an author, who has a moral end in view, point out rather that application which may be more generally understood?” (“Review of Frankenstein” 139). As mentioned briefly before, the creature behaves similar to humans and commits terrible acts of planned and deliberate cruelty. Therefore, the article by La Belle Assemblée acknowledges the captivating story but claims that the morality of the novel might be lost on readers. However, in my opinion, the morality of the novel is more transparent than the publisher La Belle Assemblée assumes. At the end of Frankenstein, the readers can see the pain and anguish that the terrible deeds brought upon the creature. Ultimately, I slightly disagree with the position of the second critique and do not believe that it significantly affects the thesis.

Conclusion

The examined article by Walter Scott provides sufficient arguments to prove that Frankenstein is a unique type of fiction that alternates the laws of nature to captivate readers. He thoroughly analyzes the narrative and compares the novel with outside sources to prove its irregular but highly fascinating tropes. The second critique by La Belle Assemblée supports this position by claiming that Frankenstein is an original and excellent piece of art. However, the article also raises the question of the creature’s morality and how it might be perceived by the readers, further separating “the marvelous and the effects of marvelous.” Ultimately, Walter Scott proved the thesis of Frankenstein’s novelty by analyzing the narrative and comparing it to the famous works of the past.

Works Cited

“Review of Frankenstein.” La Belle Assemblée, 1818, Web.

Scott, Walter. “Review of Frankenstein,” Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine 2, Web.

Frankenstein (1818) or the Modern Prometheus is a novel written by a British author Mary Wollstonecraft Shelly. She was born on August 30th, 1797, in London, England. Shelly wrote this novel when she was only 18 years old. She died in 1851 at the age of fifty-three. The first edition came out anonymously in London in 1818. The novel contains two significant genres of literature: gothic and science fiction. The book is infused with some qualities of the Gothic novel and some from the Romantic Movement too.

The subtitle The Modern Prometheus refers to a figure in Greek mythology wherein he was responsible for a conflict between mankind and Gods. To save the people, Prometheus stole Zeus’s fire from the sun for which he was severely punished. Victor Frankenstein can be seen as the modern Prometheus.

It also points to have a warning note to it in the subtitle against the over-ambition of the modern man and the impacts of the Industrial Revolution and French Revolution containing both enormous assurance and potentially recognized horrors. At the time, this novel was written debate between scientific discoveries and traditional religious and metaphysical beliefs was starting to bud, and the ethics on how far should men pursue to fulfill their desire of knowledge, which was possibly in Shelly’s mind too while writing this science fiction.

Frankenstein is a Gothic novel with a lot of mysterious disappearances and supernatural occurrences. For example, the main protagonist is shown to be a solitary character with egocentric nature. The character of Frankenstein can be applied to both Victor, the doctor, and his creation as they both prefer isolation.

The title of the novel refers to a scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who learns how to create life and creates a being larger than average and more powerful in likeness to a man. In modern popular culture, especially in films since 1931, this creature is mistakenly referred to as Frankenstein, despite this being the name of the scientist. The novel has arguably spawned a complete genre of horror stories, and the first fully recognized science fiction novel. Early critics greeted the novel with praise and disdain.

The critical reception of the book was generally unfavorable with confused speculations about the anonymity of the writer. Despite the reviews, it became widely known through its melodramatic theatrical adaptations. Later it supplied popular culture with numerous responses in the form of television serials, children cartoons, commercials, movies, etc.

Gothic novels show the darkest side of human nature and, while doing so, evoke terror. Mary Shelly has explored the marvels of discovery and achievement, some of which were a prospect of future technology at that time. Some of the most recent technologies of that time were used to create Frankenstein. She has replaced the fire of heaven with electricity.

The discovery of galvanization is indeed the process, which animates Frankenstein’s monster. This can be considered one more reason for the utter popularity of the book.
Young Frankenstein (1974), directed by Mel Brooks, is the scariest comedy of all time. The film is an adaptation of Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein produced by Universal in the 1930s. It is the grand though affectionate parody of the Frankenstein movies.

It is surely the best farce with an archetypal monstrous storyline. It had a wonderfully crisp black and white cinematography. He has created an old monster film effect in the film with all scenes shot in spectacular black and white camera work and outdated film ratios. It ranges from slapstick and farce to dirty, bawdy humor to irreverent satire.

Why Mel Brooks thought of formulating a comedy movie out of serious horror fiction can only be best answered by Mel Brooks himself, but we can assume that he wanted to create a parody on the horror flick of all times. It seems that Mel wanted to create a fun movie under the backdrop of funny horror. The people who must have entered the picture hall with the image of the previous horror flicks of Frankenstein must have been in for a humorous change.

Young Frankenstein (1974) was a hilarious spoof tribute to the classic horror film Frankenstein (1931) of James Whales shot at the same locations and with the same props. Even the lab equipment was the same as the earlier Frankenstein. Though he pokes fun at movies, it never gets to the limit of hammer hitting. Instead of being portrayed as the mad and evil monster of the novel, Brooks’ monster makes his audience laugh.

The story begins with Dr. Fredrick Frankenstein, who is a neurosurgeon. After a long period of living down his family reputation, he decides to walk in the footsteps of his grandfather and experiment in creating a new life. The result comes as the Transylvanians wanting to kill this creature despite it being the most harmless monster in the world, so much so that there’s a dialogue of him in which he says, “Master, you go first…. There might be danger ahead.”

Gene Wilder is Dr. Frankenstein, and Peter Boyle has been cast as the monster. People are also of the opinion that although ‘Young Frankenstein’ takes the appearance of a madcap horror movie, it is generally thought of to be a parody on soap operas. The movie was well acted and well scripted. Sticking close to the original novel Mel has guided his audience through Frankenstein’s quest for knowledge. It is probably not the most famous work of Mel Brooks, but it certainly is his best.

Works Cited

Book: Frankenstein by Mary Shelly.

Movie: Young Frankenstein by Mel Brook.