ipl-logo

Common Themes In Mary Shelly's Frankenstein

732 Words3 Pages

Through the eyes of the monster, Viktor Frankenstein is seen as a God. Viktor is the one who delivered him the gift of life and provided him the freedom to live. The problem between the creation and creator arises when Viktor becomes fearful of his creation and refuses to help his monster navigate the complicated path of life. Viktor feels the monster is simply no longer his problem and allows his monster to experience emotions such as pain, isolation, and neglect all on his own without guidance. The common theme portrayed throughout Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein is without proper guidance and a stable sense of acceptance one is destined to live a life of despair and resentment towards those who did not accept him. From the very beginning Viktor’s creation was on his own. Viktor felt no attachment to his creation and felt no need to support him. Because of this, Viktor’s monster was on his own and soon found itself confused and quickly overwhelmed by the various new sensations and experiences. The monster encountered struggles from the basics such as the need for food and shelter to the feeling loneliness and disdain from those around him.

“One of the best of these I entered, but I had hardly placed my foot within the door before the children shrieked, and one of the women fainted. …show more content…

Someone who the monster can reconcile with and feel befriended in his dark and lonely state. “I am alone and miserable; man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me. My companion must be of the same species and have the same defects. This being you must create” (123). The monster yearns for someone he feels he could fit in with. After years of isolation and neglect he believes the only thing that can truly make him happy is being with another companion as horrid as himself as he feels no one else is able to understand his

Show More
Related

  • The Creature In Mary Shelly's Frankenstein

    684 Words  | 3 Pages

    The creature 's experiences has also shaped his opinions because when he see’s his own reflection in the pool of water , he finally realizes why everyone is so afraid of him. The monster says to Victor ,” but how was I terrified, when I viewed myself in a transparent pool! At first I started back, unable to believe that it was indeed I who was reflected in the mirror; and when I became fully convinced that I was in reality the monster that I am, I was filled with the bitterest sensations of despondence and mortification. Alas! I did not yet entirely know the fatal effects of this miserable deformity “ (

    Read More

  • Victor's Relationship In Frankenstein

    619 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Believe me, Frankenstein: I was benevolent; my soul glowed with love and humanity; but am I not alone, miserably alone?” (Shelley 103) The monster once was happy, but he had no parent figure to guide him. Also, Victor does not give his creation a chance at a loving relationship. The monster is left with no figure to guide him in life so he goes off on his own.

    Read More

  • Self Deception In Frankenstein

    798 Words  | 4 Pages

    Fighting a Mirror In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, self deception eclipses Victor Frankenstein and clouds his judgment. Victor’s passion in breaking the bounds of nature guides him in making the creation, but when Victor regrets giving life to the hideous creature, he deserts it. The abandonment is just the first step Victor takes to introduce the creation to malevolence followed with Victor’s assumptions of evil and lost responsibility in the results of his own zeal. Victor Frankenstein’s self deception not only forges evil into the creation, but also incriminates him for the consequences of Victor’s ambitions.

    Read More

  • Scrutinize The Punishment In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    1049 Words  | 5 Pages

    In Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, it scrutinizes the punishments when a man creates life, and plays the role of God. Victor Frankenstein, is at fault for the creature’s actions. Victor was looking for some honor and triumph, but when he accomplished his experiment, not only did it bring terror to Victor, but to the whole world. The monster never learned right from wrong and was never raised correctly, his first moment of life, all he experienced was the fear in Victor's emotion, and was abandoned right from the start. Victor selfishly isolated himself from society and ran away from his responsibilities which caused destruction to the people Victor cared for and loved deeply.

    Read More

  • Empathy In Frankenstein

    929 Words  | 4 Pages

    Isolation and a lack of companionship is the tragic reality for the monster, who was abandoned by his creator and is repulsive to everyone that he comes across. Victor removes himself from society for many months; severing nearly all human contact then renouncing his creation based on the monster's appearance. As the monster matures he begins to understands the relationship the cottagers share with one another, while the monster, “yearned to be known and loved by these amiable creatures: to see their sweet looks directed towards me with affection was the utmost limit of my ambition. ”(Shelley). Armed with nothing but the longing for a real connection, the monster approaches his unknowing hosts only to be “brutally attacked—by those he trusted...because of their human ignorance.

    Read More

  • Sacrificing In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    734 Words  | 3 Pages

    These driven characters thrive for the same goals, feed of similar pain, and feel the same loneliness, remorse, and isolation as one another. These similarities are so extreme that it is for no reason that most of the world recognizes the creature by the name of Frankenstein himself. Regardless of their considerably different looks, physical manifestation and lives, Victor and the monster have many similarities in the physiology, emotional and habitual domains. The monster and Victor represent the same and their differences complement each other. With the progress of the story, the creation manifests itself as an identification of the traits and qualities of his creator, Victor

    Read More

  • The Responsibility Of Parents In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    558 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mary Shelley was twenty-one years old when she wrote Frankenstein. Therefore, the effects of her parents were still fresh. That, combined with inspiration from her literary husband, created a large theme in her novel, the role of parents. Through the lack of caring progenitors in Frankenstein, Shelley is arguing that detached parents allow for a negative upbringing, therefore urging them to be present in one's life. The first hinting of the parent theme is Victor Frankenstein’s guardians.

    Read More

  • Victor Frankenstein: A Deadbeat Father Figure

    1845 Words  | 8 Pages

    Victor’s creation is described as a “monster” in the story of Frankenstein. He is immediately considered to be evil because he has committed murder, even though he meant no harm. He wrongfully forges his identity according to how others see him; as an evil monster. He forges his identity on how others view him, which is an evil monster (Lall 36). At this point, he is growing out of the mental stage of an infant and is beginning to learn how to take care of himself.

    Read More

  • Duality Of Human Nature In Frankenstein

    819 Words  | 4 Pages

    The monster continues by reassuring the creator of his independent intelligence and power over the creature by telling Frankenstein, “This you alone can do”. Here, the creature assumes a role of submissiveness and reliance on Frankenstein. Frankenstein’s monster gains the sympathy of the reader who, despite condemning the murder of innocent people, commiserate with the lonely creature who is in search of an acquaintance, which he will likely never find. The monster also displays power and aggressiveness over Frankenstein; “You are my creator; but I am your master; obey!” The monster wants to desolate Victor’s heart, not by killing him directly,

    Read More

  • Literary Devices In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    271 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the novel Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, Robert Walton is on a voyage to discover unexplored knowledge. While on this journey he finds Victor Frankenstein, who tells the reader of his own journey to discover the unknown. In this novel, Mary Shelley employs literary devices such as repetition, imagery, and rhetorical questions to provide meaning to the audience. For example, the author uses repetition to emphasize Elizabeth’s confidence. Expressing her frustration with the situation Elizabeth repeats, “But she was innocent.

    Read More

  • Archetypal Symbolism In Frankenstein

    1380 Words  | 6 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Who To Blame In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    542 Words  | 3 Pages

    Victor Frankenstein turns away from his responsibilities by ignoring the existence of his creation. Throughout the novel, Victor is constantly running away from the monster and not giving him attention, which resulted in the monsters change of personalities. For example, in page 71 the creation said, “All men hate the wretched; how must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things! Yet you, my creator, detest and spurn me, thy creature, to whom thou art bound by ties only dissoluble by the annihilation of one of us.” This quote suggests that because of the ignorance of Victor the monster began to become evil and have the urge to seek

    Read More

  • Frankenstein Monster's Nature Analysis

    833 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the novel, Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, readers follow the life of scientist Victor Frankenstein and his creation. The accomplishment of creating life is quickly overshadowed by Victor’s lack of responsibility regarding the monster’s needs. Victor doesn’t give it respect or love. Society’s rejection of the monster is responsible for his evil tendencies.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Loneliness In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    1432 Words  | 6 Pages

    Frankenstein conjures up an image of a mindless, green monster running and grunting with its arms straight out! Readers that study Frankenstein by Mary Shelley do find a monster like and frightening creature, but it is definitely not mindless. This creature, created and rejected by victor Frankenstein, teaches himself human language and thereby comes to understand and experience human emotions. The most prominent emotion, which directs the choices he makes, is loneliness, and this has tragic results. Then there is victor Frankenstein who is plagued by the secrets he keeps and therefore leads a joyless life.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between Frankenstein And Prometheus

    722 Words  | 3 Pages

    By connecting the character of Viktor to Prometheus, and adding an allusion to create a better understanding of the characters Shelley allows the reader to uncover the fate of both characters along with their creations and the punishments that follow. The connection to the greek myth, allows the readers to take on a second perspective when reading Frankenstein. The very prevalent themes enhance not only the authors writing but also the characters themselves. Overall, Shelley’s use of Prometheus as a silent background helped foreshadow the inevitable fate of Frankenstein's creator,

    Read More

More about Common Themes In Mary Shelly's Frankenstein

Open Document