Examples Of Morally Ambiguous Characters In Frankenstein

In the novel, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Shelley showcases the theme that people are inherently good. This theme is conveyed through the monster’s character because he can not be classified as either good or evil. This is crucial in the plotline because morally ambiguous characters are considered to be more like real humans. They have their own problems and are not perfect, so the audience sympathizes with those characters. The monster was raised in an environment that modified his moral integrity, which causes the audience to see his character in a different light.
The monster started his life with good intentions when he met the family in the cottage next door. Seeing his neighbor’s kindness, he “cleared their path from the snow, and performed those offices that I had seen done by [the family]” (103). This shows how, despite the monster’s appearance, he is willing to help others in need. The monster knows his appearance affects the way people see him, but he also knows the value of aiding his neighbors. The monster believes that the family is deserving of help, which is interesting considering that he has never spoken to them personally. He says, ““That it might be in my

As he searched for someone to share his life with, he realized that nobody would be able to see past his appearance, so his actions turned sour. When he finally lost hope, he became the monster that others thought of him to be. He said, “I am malicious because I am miserable” (173). He wasn’t born with this negative attitude towards life. People sent him over the edge in order for him to say, “I will work at your destruction, nor finish until I desolate your heart, so that you shall curse the hour of your birth” (174). He turns into what everyone told him he was: a monster. If someone had been his friend, then he would have continued to do good for the