It is quite telling that the most severe punishment in our society other than the death penalty or torture is solitary confinement. Although, isolation is in itself a form of torture, it can drive someone to the brink of insanity. Although published nearly 200 years ago, Mary Shelley clearly understood the potential detrimental effects of isolation, as demonstrated in her famous novel, Frankenstein, where both main characters, Victor Frankenstein and his creation, suffer from and cause isolation for the other. Mary Shelley directs the reader to believe that isolation is the true evil, not the monster, Victor or any emotion inside of them. At the beginning of the novel, Victor is isolated from other people, causing to forget his scientific
When people hear the word “monster”, most people imagine a massive, horrid, and grotesque figure that haunts people. While pondering what a monster is, mankind thinks of the outward appearance. Seldom do people think of man’s internal qualities as being barbaric or gruesome. Authors allow readers to create their own images of these terrifying beings. Frankenstein is a thought-provoking novel that empowers readers to have their own opinions about who the actual monster is and what it looks like. Readers can conclude that Victor Frankenstein is the actual monster in Frankenstein because of how he views himself, how he creates destruction, and how he destroys himself.
In Jeffrey Jerome Cohen’s Monster Culture (Seven Thesis), Cohen analyzes the psychology behind monsters and how, rather than being a monstrous beast for the protagonist of the story to play against, “the monster signifies something other than itself”. Cohen makes the claim that by analyzing monsters in mythology and stories, you can learn much about the culture that gave rise to them. In Thesis 1 of Monster Culture, Cohen proposes that “the monster’s body literally incorporates fear, desire, anxiety, and fantasy”, specifically the fear, desire and anxiety of the cultures that gave rise to it; for example, vampires, undead, represent a fear of death. Monsters are born of an intense fear, desire, or internal conflict, “at this metaphorical
They return back to the apartment to find the creature gone, Frankenstein is relieved and overjoyed hat it is gone and falls down. Henry nurses him back to health pg. 47 – Frankenstein asking for help
shield, nor console him, Victor is responsible for the abuse in which the monster felt, which attributed to his violent and murderous nature.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley tells the story of passionate scientist Victor Frankenstein, whose devotion to science leads him to become obsessed with creating life, but his good intentions lead to a lifelong conflict with his problematic creation. This creature causes pain and suffering for Victor by killing his friends and family, which causes him to feel responsible for their deaths. Ambition’s dark and addictive side got the best of Victor, who became blinded by dreams of glory. Similarly, Don Quixote fails to identify the risks of ambition while exploring Spain. He wants to be a famous knight so badly that he begins to hallucinate obstacles that he must conquer. The outcome of ambition is the defining factor between these novels. Victor’s
Some may believe in a higher power that already has our lives planned out to every detail and it is our destiny to continue on the path already cleared for us. The main character in the novel Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein, believes in this theory. Throughout the whole novel he continuously blames his mistakes and misfortunes on fate. However Victor Frankenstein's own destruction was not caused by destiny or fate, although he seems to think it is; rather failure to accept and take responsibility for his own actions.
In life there are many evils that will try to defeat a person but the key to living a happy, fulfilling life is learning to have empathy for others who are facing their own evils. Empathy is hard to have if a person has not endured any real struggles in their life. Being able to know firsthand how it feels to go through difficulties helps create a level of empathy that leads to compassion for one another. Victor Frankenstein is a prime example of someone who has faced evils in their own life but in the end did not find compassion for others, instead he found his own hell. In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Victor’s lack of empathy opens the door into his world of selfishness, cruelty, and unhappiness.
In Frankenstein, Victor wants revenge on the monster so greatly that it becomes an obsession. Victor states, “Again do I vow vengeance; again do I devote thee, miserable fiend, to torture and death” (Shelley 152). Victor Frankenstein wants revenge against the monster because the monster was the cause of the deaths of Victor’s family and friends (152). He is threatening death on the monster and swearing revenge on him. This is the beginning when he wants vengeance on the monster, which then immediately turns into an obsession. Victor then states, “Never will I give up my search, until he or I perish…” (152). He wants revenge on the monster so much that he will not stop searching for the monster, until either he or the monster dies. This shows the beginning of his obsession, which was originated from his revenge.
In consequence, the bevy of knowledge now at the Monster’s disposal, ensures the final stage of his transformation, while inevitably leaving him without motivation. Notably, hurt feelings fuel the Monster to take cut ties. “The feelings of kindness and gentleness (…) gave place to hellish rage and gnashing of teeth. Inflamed by pain, I vowed eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind” (18. 143). The active resistance leaves the Monster with emotional wounds. These wounds enrage him, yet also manifest into a kind of temporary confidence. This confidence removes any lingering hesitation or uncertainty within him. By removing the hindrance, his feelings and desires become all that matters. In this moment an egotistical nature is born, and is
Imagine a child waking up in the hospital with no recollection of how he ended up there. Alone in the room with no parents or nurses around he may instantly feel alone. Not even able to remember his name, he cries out for a nurse, but when a nurse does not appear he gets out of the hospital bed and goes to look for one on his own. In a confused state he approached a nurse in his gown. He asked her his name and she replied, “Billy! Get back to your room! You are not in a state to be walking around!”. Billy Rendal recollection of anything was nothing. After being sent back to his room he wanted to get out of there. He unlocked the building window, looked down and jumped. Falling down, he groaned in pain. When he landed, everyone shrieked in fear. The kids screamed at the top of their lungs and ran. From that moment he did not
Knowledge has the capability to be used for both good and evil. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, there is a consistent message throughout the novel showing the dangerous and destructive power that knowledge can have. Two key characters, Victor Frankenstein and his monster, are shaped through their obsessions with knowledge and the power and responsibility that it brings. Ultimately, Victor’s downfall is a result of his uncontrollable thirst for knowledge, and is brought about through the monster which is the embodiment of his obsession.
Parenting is needed in every child’s life. It is one of the most important things that will help a child grow. In the same way though, children need good parenting. Parents need to love their children and show them right from wrong. Without care from a parent, children may feel lost or lonely like the monster did in Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein. Shelley analyzes the psychology of parenting through Victor Frankenstein and his creation, the monster, by comparing their behavioral and psychological development as a result of the parenting they receive in their childhood. Because Victor was loved and had a great childhood, he was able to grow as a person, psychologically and emotionally. As though Victor had a good childhood,
Mary Shelley shows the endless amount of revenge and that it is driven by pure hatred and rage. The monster was not created to be vengeful, he was kind hearted but when he was poorly treated by Victor and then by the Delacey family, he turned cold. In her novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley displays the immorality and destructive effects that revenge can have through Frankenstein and his pursuit of the creature.
The book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is about a young scientist named Victor Frankenstein who struggles to balance his ego which results to his downfall. Victor Frankenstein started as a normal kid from a noble and well off family. He gets interested in studying natural philosophy, alchemy and chemistry. Consequently, Victor creates a monster that later ruins his life and the lives of those around him in the story mostly due to his poor variety of decisions. These facts proves that Victor’s downfall is most likely caused by his failure of balancing his ego by allowing his Id and superego get to him.