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Frankenstein How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavored to form? (Shelley, 42) In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein, who has spent two long years laboring in Ingolstadt to create this scientific marvel known only as the monster, wrongly assumes that his creation is pure evil. Frankenstein reaches this conclusion without even allowing the monster to demonstrate his kind heart. Eventually, the monster goes on a mass killing spree because of Victor's detrimental psychological neglect. Victors neglect is caused by his hatred of anyone who is unlike himself. Victor also disregards the monster's right to a true name, only referring to him using despicable names, such as wretch, thing, and catastrophe.
Thus, the monster's humane qualities, including compassion, loyalty, and intelligence contrast to the wretched traits of his creator, making the horrible references much more suitable for Victor. Unlike Victor, the monster shows great compassion despite his appalling appearance. For instance, he demonstrates his love for others during his time spent observing Felix and Agatha while in the village. He wishes to return to the cottagers, whose story excited in [him] such various feelings of indignation, delight, and wonder, but which all terminated in additional love and reverence for [his] protectors (106) This paper will analyze the novel in depth, paying a particular attention to the birth-creation theme presented by Shelley. Even though the monster had never actually met the De Lacey family, his ability to feel compassion is proven through his love of them only for their wonderful hearts and kind actions. In doing this, he shows more love for a family of strangers than Victor could ever have for his own family.
He also demonstrates unconditional love for these protectors by not killing Felix during their fight. On the contrary, Victor shows a lack of compassion for his creation after the monster requested a female companion. In response to the monsters patient, rational inquiry, Victor exclaims, Shall I create another like yourself, whose joint wickedness might desolate the world. Begone! (130) In this senseless refusal of a sincere request, Victor proves once and for all that his true feelings for the monster are those of unjustified hatred and scorn. He has no basis for these feelings other than that of his undying prejudice against the monster. As a result of the opposing emotions illustrated by maker and creation, both are in constant conflict with each other and therefore can never live in harmony.
Thus, the monster is very much unlike Frankenstein, the true wretch. Although he has committed a few heinous crimes, the monster feels extremely sincere feelings of regret towards his sins. When looking back on his rash actions, he proclaims, But it is true that I am a wretch. I have murdered the lovely and helpless; I have strangled the innocent as they slept and grasped to death his throat that never injured me or any other living thing. (204) In making this bold realization, the monster confirms that he is truly regretful for what he has brought about. Furthermore, he recognizes that not one of his victims has had the slightest inclination to harm him or any other being. While the monster demonstrates guilty emotions for his crimes, Victor instead feels anger toward his creation and does not take any responsibility nor demonstrate guilt for the deaths of his loved ones.
Frankenstein instead lays all blame on the monster for the murders and seeks only revenge, not forgiveness. My revenge is of no moment to you; yet, while I allow it to be a vice, I confess that it is the devouring and only passionate I have but one resource, and I devote myself, either in my life or death, to his destruction. (184) By dedicating the remainder of his existence to the annihilation of his own creation while in turn neglecting his responsibility to be with his family in this time of despair, Frankenstein dishonors the victims of his own negligence. Although Victor is right in believing that the monster was immoral in committing the murders, he fails to take his rightful share of the blame in the deaths of those close to him. The absence of remorse in Victor's actions and the constant pleas for forgiveness given by the monster further verify Victor's evil ways and the pure heart possessed by his creation. Yet another example of the monster's humane qualities is his superior intellect and extraordinary level of self-awareness. In fact, he knows more about himself than Victor, who had studied the monster's features for years in order to create him.
The monster teaches himself how to hunt, read, and communicate without the proper maturation process, which Victor should have supplied in the first place. This reading puzzled me extremely at first, but by degrees I discovered that he uttered many of the same sounds when he read as when he talked. I conjectured, therefore, that he found on the paper signs for speech which he understood. (98) While observing De Lacey, the monster uses his powers of induction in order to teach himself to read and speak entirely from scratch. It also becomes apparent that he has gained a superior understanding of written and spoken communication skills. Because he has shown his proficiency in mastering the French language, it becomes apparent that the monster is in possession of an intellect much more advanced than that of Victor.
However, Victor refuses to accept that something that he has made with his own hands could be superior to him. Evidently attempting to threaten the monster, a being of superior physical strength, Victor cries out, Devil, do you dare approach me? And do you not fear the fierce vengeance of my arm wreaked on your miserable head? Begone vile insect!
And, oh! That I could, with the extinction of your miserable existence, restore those victims whom you have so diabolically murdered! (83) The monster is obviously not fooled as Victor endeavors to establish some sort of advantage over a much more powerful entity. Victor simply will not allow himself to believe that he could be of a lesser stature than something so hideous. As a result of Victor's feeble attempts to deny his inferiority to the monster, he becomes even more deserving of the abrasive titles which he thoughtlessly bestows upon his creation. In writing Frankenstein, Mary Shelly desired to show that it is possible for a man-made phenomenon to be more human than its creator.
In view of the abundant contrasts between Victor and the monster, this occurrence is undoubtedly present. Although Victor ignored his creation's need for education, both morally and intellectually, the monster eventually surpassed him in both areas. Hence, the monster is simultaneously more human and superior to Victor, despite the fact that he was not created by nature Another physical aspect of the monster which shows a fault in Frankenstein is its immense size. The reason that Frankenstein gives for creating so large a creature is his own haste. He states that, As the minuteness of the parts formed a great hinderance to my speed, I resolved, contrary to my first intention, to make a being gigantic in stature... " (52). Had Frankenstein not had been so rushed to complete his project he would not have had to deal with such a physically intimidating creature.
Tropp however states that ambition may have had a role in the size of the creation. He says that the creation is born of Frankenstein's megalomania (81). This may indeed be true as the inventor states "A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me" (52). Frankenstein seems obsessed with being the father of this new race, so he makes the creature large in order to assure its dominance. The more important defect within Frankenstein is not so much shown in the appearance that he gave his creation, but the manner in which he responds to it. The first thing that Frankenstein notices upon the activation of his creation is one of being appalled (56).
Frankenstein sees the creature's physical appearance only, taking no time to attempt to knowledge its mental nature. He cannot accept it simply because it looks too far removed from his view of beautiful (Oates 77). Because of this he drives the creature away, abandoning it. The creature is in one sense an infant-a comically monstrous eight foot baby- whose progenitor rejects him immediately after creating him... (Oates 70). It is due to this abandonment that the monster develops the murderous tendencies displayed later in the novel. Whenever the creation attempts to be rational with Frankenstein it is rejected, with in almost all cases Frankenstein sighting its appearance as one of the reasons.
Frankenstein's response to the thing he has created is solely in aesthetic terms... (Oates 75). Throughout the novel Frankenstein continually insists that The tortures of Hell are too mild a vengeance for all [the creature's] crimes" (95). Frankenstein is incorrect, however in assuming that the creature is inherently evil. Mary Lowe- Evans states that, Nothing in Frankenstein is more unexpected than the Creature's sensitivity (52). His benevolent nature described in his story is meant to show that he is not the beast that Frankenstein has made him out to be (Lowe-Evans 52).
The creature is intrigued by the lives of the people that he finds living in a small cabin, the De Lacey's. The creature loves everything about these people and attempts to aid them by gathering for them much needed firewood. This action is described by Tropp as a last attempt to enter its [Paradises] gates (75). He also sympathizes with the plights of other unfortunate people that he hears of such as the Native Americans (Lowe-Evans 53). It is only upon being again rejected because of his appearance that the creature becomes the monster that Frankenstein sees him as. Just as the creature's love of the De Lacey's show that he is not an evil being and that frankenstein has caused him to become this way, so does the creatures constant longing for companionship.
The creature says in regard to originally capturing Frankenstein's brother William, If I could, therefore seize him... I should not be so desolate in this peopled earth. (136). He only murders him upon realizing that he is a relative of Frankenstein. The creatures ultimate plea for companionship comes when he requests that Frankenstein creates another monster to be his mate, and that the two monsters would live in isolation. Tropp acknowledges that this is truly meant to do no harm to the race of man, and simply to comfort the creature. He also states, however, that it is in the creation's nature to look for acceptance by humans, and will if given the chance, return to human civilization (78).
The most major crime committed by the creature in the eyes of Frankenstein is the murder of his wife Elizabeth. The roots of the killing can be traced back not only to the malice displayed by the creature toward Frankenstein, but also to Frankenstein's own self-centered attitude. The creature pronounces his threat on Elizabeth's life, after Frankenstein has done what Oates calls The cruelest act of all (78), destroying the partially finished monster that was to be the mate of his first creation. She also states that Frankenstein, in mangling the flesh of his demon's bride, he is murdering the pious and rather too perfect Elizabeth... (78). Frankenstein wishes for his own happiness through companionship in marriage, but denies the same right to his creation. Frankenstein can also be viewed as being responsible for the death of Elizabeth by assuming that when the creature states I shall be with you on your wedding night (161) he is going to be killed rather than Elizabeth, even when all of the creatures prior killings point to the fact that he would attempt to make Frankenstein's life miserable rather than actually kill him (Lowe-Evans 61).
In fact if the creature actually wanted Frankenstein to die, it had the perfect opportunity to kill him the second Frankenstein destroyed his would be wife. Lowe-Evans points out that this can be attributed to Frankenstein's own selfish attitude. She says he might feel that even the attention implied in the Creature's warning rightfully belongs to him (62). This fits the spoiled childhood life of Frankenstein, detailed in the works early chapters (Lowe-Evans 62). It is stated by Oates that, "The monsters that we create... 'are' ourselves as we cannot hope to see ourselves... " (75).
This statement is perfectly applicable to Frankenstein. The qualities that he would most like to deny are shown through the results that they have had on the being which he has brought into existence. The results of his flaws take on a physical aspect, destroying those around him, until he finally dies seeking revenge on something that he himself has brought about. Works Cited Page Gilbert, Sandra M. & Susan Gear. The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination. New Haven, 1979.
Gilligan, Carol. In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women's Development. Cambridge, MA: 1982. Oates, George & U. C. Knoepflmacher, eds.
The Endurance of Frankenstein: Essays on Mary Shelley's Novel. Berkeley, CA: 1979. Rieger, James, ed. Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus (The 1818 Text). Indianapolis: Books-Merrill, 1974.
Vendor, William. Mary Shelley and Frankenstein: The Fate of Androgyny. Chicago, 1986.
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