In "Frankenstein," loneliness and isolation are integral to the theme of Outlaws and Outcasts. Both concepts relate to characters who are marginalized or exist outside the boundaries of societal norms. The experience of isolation and loneliness helps readers understand the profound effects of these terms on individuals in the story. In "Frankenstein," Victor Frankenstein is a main character who can be considered an outlaw or outcast. Through his obsession with scientific experimentation, Victor isolates himself from society and becomes an outlaw regarding moral and ethical boundaries. He goes against the natural order of life and faces the consequences of his actions. Assigning these labels of outlaws and outcasts to the characters is crucial
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and the two poems by Claude McKay, "The Harlem Dancer" and "Outcast," explore the themes of isolation and loneliness. The three works reveal the devastating consequences of being disconnected from society and the desperate need for acceptance and companionship. This essay will examine the similarities in the portrayal of isolation and loneliness in Frankenstein and the poems by McKay. In Frankenstein, the creature experiences profound loneliness and isolation, which lead to his resentment and bitterness towards his creator.
Similarities of Frankenstein Over the upcoming pages I am going to explain some similarities of Frankenstein. The first one I would like to talk about is loneliness both the monster and Victor are lonely almost throughout the whole book.
Mary Shelley's 1831 gothic novel Frankenstein demonstrates the negative impact of isolation through her depiction of its protaganist/antagonist Victor Frankenstein and The Creature, whose isolation is a byproduct of their nature. For Victor, his isolation is self-inflicted because he is unable to share his secrets with even his loved ones. For The Creature, his isolation is caused by who/what he is and his inability to ever be accepted by society. Victor's isolation is, more or less, self-inflicted. In the beginning of the plot, Victor spirits himself away from his loved ones in pursuit of his ambition: conquering nature and creating a new lifeform.
Isolation is something everyone can relate to at some point in their lifetime. Mary Shelley shows this through the monster when he is rejected by Victor because of his unappealing appearance. The societal value of appearance can lead to a person's isolation. The monster's experiences of rejection by society are due to his unappealing appearance. This helps to show that people have a constant need to be accepted.
In the story Frankenstein, one certain theme that sticks out is isolation. Isolation is portrayed by many characters in many different ways. Victor's feeling of isolation revolved around his studies and the monster. The Monster felt the feeling of isolation from always feeling like an outcast as well as feeling like he is doing something wrong. The character's actions in this story were the main cause of them feeling isolated in the end.
Victor has had supportive people around him since birth; however now that he is at the university he has nobody to help keep him level headed. "Every night I was oppressed by a slow fever, and I became nervous to a most painful degree; the fall of a leaf startled me, and I shunned my fellow creatures as if I had been guilty of a crime" (35). The isolation being portrayed by Victor is now shifting from not only
By tampering with the natural order of life, Victor arrogantly assumes he can control forces beyond human comprehension. His obsession with power and knowledge demonstrates his monstrous hubris, leading to disastrous
“Pain can be alleviated by morphine but the pain of social ostracism cannot be taken away.” (Jarman). Derek Jarman had a very good point when he said this. We all feel pain at some point in our lives and that pain is often altered by pain medication or other remedies but the pain of being pushed away from society otherwise known as Ostracism, that is pain that cannot be taken away. Ostracism is a problem that has been around forever and is still an unsolved problem today.
In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, both of the main characters undergo physical and emotional isolation. This enforced or chosen solitude causes Frankenstein to become over-ambitious and harbor secrets from his family and friends, leading to his demise. In the monster, isolation turns to misery, which causes him to become vengeful against his creator and all the world. Through these examples of total isolation, Shelley shows that when people have no connection to others in the world, their worst characteristics and flaws are brought out. Victor Frankenstein was the first character to show a major flaw while in isolation.
Victor figuratively and literally destroys his loved ones through a long and strenuous self-imposed isolation, as not only do they become unimportant to him, but the separation genuinely creates the murderer of his loved ones (Schmid). This seclusion has a negative influence on him, as after being alone for so long he finds himself mentally unstable, saying he had “a nervous fever which confined me for several months” (Shelley 53). Victor is mentally and physically depleted as a result of his isolation, directly contrasting with the emotions of joy and prosperity he felt as a young boy surrounded by his loved ones. Victor’s solitariness has caused him to become disconnected from his sense of community and familiarity (Schmid), and the extremely negative effects of the isolation prove the necessity of companionship in his
Isolation becomes a key component of the Frankenstein novel as it will be the driving force behind Victor Frankenstein's actions and the Monster's actions. When someone isolates themselves, they typically will leave or separate from family,
His social deficiency causes him to become sad and lonely. Alas aboard Walton’s vessel appears Victor Frankenstein and Walton finds the companion that he longed for. Walton and Frankenstein are immediate companions when they meet aboard the vessel because they are both very lonely. They had common experiences and virtues that strengthened their unanticipated bond. From this, one can see that social poverty connects characters to each other and creates a need for people that causes loneliness and despair.
By denying both main characters the sensation of domestic affection, or any other kind of social belonging, Mary Shelley highlights the importance thereof. The resulting isolation became the driving force behind both Frankenstein and his creation’s abominable actions which, in turn, shows that trying to avoid isolation and seeking the feeling of social belonging is the primary message of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and of
Victor created a monstrous and deformed being that was feared and rejected by the society; this made the society to shun away from the creature leaving him all alone. Both the creature and his creator were outcasts and lived in isolation from the rest of the
Isolation and abandonment can cause many different reactions from people. In the words of William A. Sadler Jr., a sociology professor, “We often do not know how to cope. It can make us confused, distraught, depressed, frightened, and even outraged” (Sadler 105). In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, several of these effects are presented in Victor Frankenstein and his creation. They both suffer from being isolated from their creator, society, and family units.