Archetypal Symbolism In Frankenstein

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A writer named Nikita Gill once said “When you see a monster next, always remember this. Do not fear the thing before you. Fear the thing that created it instead.” This quote can be related to the novel Frankenstein where instead of the actual creature being perceived as the monster, the person who created it deserves to be called one. Using the archetypal lens, Victor can be seen as the real monster in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein from his cruel characteristics, continuous patterns of monstrosity, as well as symbols and themes involving nature. Throughout Frankenstein, most readers will notice how egocentric Victor appears from messing around with his own monstrous creation as well as the people he cares about. Victor doesn’t realize what…show more content…
Every action the monster takes reflects back on Victor, the one who invented him and then abandoned him at birth. Victor realizes how “[he] loved [Henry] with a mixture of affection and reverence that knew no bounds, yet [he] could never persuade [himself] to confide in [Henry]” (Shelley 55). The monster Victor created is pushing him away from Henry since Victor left his creation feeling useless, just like an archetypal evil-doer would to anyone. Victor is keeping his monster a secret as well as everything he knows about “awakening the dead”. This doesn’t seem like the smartest thing to do especially when there are people who’re oblivious to the monster roaming the streets. Also, kudos to Victor for making his fiend feel like "an unfortunate and deserted creature; [The monster looks] around [with] no relation or friend upon earth.[...][He’s] full of fears, for if [he fails] there, [he’s] an outcast in the world forever" (Shelley 122). Because of the villagers, the monster had become more educated, finding an efficient way to escape his eternal isolation. He first chose to confront the blinded man since he had no reaction when the monster approached him. Unfortunately, the De Lacey kids came back home to find the so-called horrifying monster. His isolation escalated, making him feel like there was no hope for him left. Now that he had to leave the people he referred to as his ‘protectors’, he was alone and it was all because Victor deserted the only thing he was responsible for and he couldn’t even do that. When Victor meets up with his creation, he declares “‘Begone! I do break my promise; never will I create another like yourself, equal in deformity and wickedness’” (Shelley 157). Anyone who sees the creature tends to act the same way just because people find him to be unpleasant to look at. But for Victor,
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