The True Monster Present In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

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Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein delves into the probability of reanimation as well as the consequences it produces. Throughout the two hundred years Shelley’s novel has been read, as well as discussed, a debate still lingers among modern society regarding the true monster present in Frankenstein. Many readers of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein believe that The Creature is the true monster to fear due to his disregard of human life however through a closer examination of the way in which Shelley portrays The Creature throughout the novel reveals The Creature is misguided and shown hostility only for the way in which he was created. Natalie Lawrence’s article What Is A Monster? Defines monsters as “Things that did not fit into the accepted natural categories.” (para. 6). This base idea of a monster as one not conforming to categories society confides them to shows the whole notion of monster is vastly different from the way current culture views monsters. Lawrence addresses the complex issue of monstrosity and what exactly makes a monster in today’s modern society “How monsters have been created over the centuries is much more indicative of the moral and existential challenges faced by societies than the realities that they have encountered.” (para. 1) Lawrence explains that the idea of monster is directly linked to the way society and culture are morphing and adapting so much so that the idea of a monster two hundred years ago could vastly differ to how the

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