Frankenstein Essay Research Paper The Monster The

Frankenstein Essay, Research Paper

The Monster, The True Victim

Mary Shelley’s, Frankenstein, symbolized a person’s necessity for acceptance by society. Society labels everything as good or bad, right or wrong, rich or poor. Although some of these labels may be correct, many are misconceptions. The monster, needed to be accepted by society, but instead was scorned, attacked, and shunned because of his outward appearance. The treatment of the monster was on the assumption that he was actually a monster. The only justification of this treatment was his outward appearance.

The death of Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s father stirred his interest in prolonging life. He had noble intentions of helping humanity. As death is a part of life, he became obsessed with death. He felt he had to experience death to a certain point. “To examine the causes of life, we must first have recourse to death.” (Shelley 36) Dr. Frankenstein started studying the effects of death on the human body. This study became an obsession with him. He wanted to be able to create life. If he could create a living, breathing being, then he would be God like. Unlike God, Frankenstein abandoned his creation.

Dr. Frankenstein’s creature was somewhat like Adam in that they were unique and individual. Adam was created and given a companion, Eve. He received loving care and had the presence of a father. Even though Adam and Eve were ejected from the Garden of Eden, his father never deserted him. Adam was created with unselfish intentions, and was not punished by God until he had violated the law. The monster cannot be held accountable for his abandonment, for he was forsaken and unloved from the moment he was created. Frankenstein never processed any loving feelings for his creation. However, God took full responsibility for his creation, nurtured him and never fully abandoned him. According to the Judeo-Christian tradition, Adam was created in the image of love or something greater than selfishness. God desired to create Adam and was prepared to act as an accountable parent. In contrast, Victor never even demystified the actual existence of his creation, much resembling an unplanned pregnancy that was never emotionally or rationally dealt with even after the actual birth of the child. One’s example of this complete disregard, is demonstrated by Victor’s absolute lack of concentration on the creatures physical demeanor. He gave the creature a disproportional framework along with a grotesque appearance. Frankenstein never considered that such a creature would never be able to coexist with human beings or live a normal life.

The creature does not receive affection. Despite these unfortunate beginnings, the creature asserts that he was good, despite the absence of guidance and parenting until he encountered society. The monster first encounters physical sensations such as hot, cold, dark, and hunger. This period is the creature’s infancy state. He later learns through experience to distinguish, understand and handle these physical sensations. His sensitive experiences enable him to learn to care and sustain his being.

The creature learns how to speak and the belief of morality and virtue through observation of the De Lacey family. This gain of language enlarges his intellectual capacities. He also reads their library, which includes both classical and modern works. However, this education only brings woe to the creature as he states, “. . . sorrow only increased with knowledge. Oh, that I had forever remained in my native wood (Shelley 105). One might presume that Shelley is commenting upon parenting, as she makes numerous references to the pressures and realities of being a parent. To return to a biblical reference, Frankenstein also resembles Eve through the creation of his monster. Discovering knowledge, as Eve does by eating the forbidden fruit or Frankenstein’s knowledge and desire to increase human life continuance, they both enter their journey without any previous knowledge of what their actions will bring. It is ironic to note that it took Frankenstein nine months to create his monster. For nine months he gave his all to the creation, and his only desire was to see it live. Frankenstein did not know that in giving life to this lifeless matter would in return bring him agony until his death. Through his great desire to give life to the lifeless matter, he was lead to want, “like a monarch or a god, absolute power” (Bennett 34). At first his intentions were noble, yet as he proceeded and came closer to completion, his goal was no longer only to prolong life, but to be the master of a complete race of beings.

The topics of parenting, previously avoided by male authors, was regarded as a taboo subject. Mary explored parenting questions through Victor. His actions and consequently his creation’s actions answered many parental queries: What if I do not love my child. What if my child is deformed. Could I wish my own child to die. They surfaced from her and any parent’s natural fears, concerning possible physical handicaps or perhaps a bad-tempered child. These questions and fears that Mary felt, are expressed through Frankenstein’s complete failure as a parent and namely, as a mother. Upon birth of his creation, Frankenstein does not rejoice or reach out to his child, but instead rushes out of the room, incredibly repulsed by the disgusting and abnormal physical appearance of