Isolation In Frankenstein

“I don't even know what I was running for - I guess I just felt like it” (Salinger, J.D.). With this ideal in mind, man’s desire to flee society appears inherent because of his inability to associate with his own kind. Indeed, man’s self-deception advocates alienation so that he feels disconnected, rejected, and out of control. Consequently, scientific breakthroughs, tourism, myth and immersion in nature have led unassuming prey to fall victim to self-deceit in hope of attaining aspiration. This blind self-alienation is seen attacking the victims of Ms. Mary Shelley’s horror novel, Frankenstein, which exhibits characteristics typical of gothic fiction, tragedy and science fiction genres. Undoubtedly, through the incessant and astute use of

Mary Shelley’s story of internal turmoil, the cruelty of altering the laws of nature, and the consequences of redefining the laws of nature is a harrowing one, known widely by many audiences, yet it is never the nature of the characters that is discussed, only the outcome. Shelley’s deliberate use of different character foils portrays the deeper connections and themes in her 1818 novel, Frankenstein. The creation and presence of Frankenstein’s monster directly foils the character of Victor Frankenstein himself, illustrating overarching themes of self inflicted isolation and internal conflict, exposing the dangers and consequences of complete and total narcissism, and revealing a truth many still refuse to accept: we, as humans, are capable

Every work is a product of its time. Indeed, we see that in Frankenstein, like in the world which produced its author, race, or the outward appearances on which that construct is based, determines much of the treatment received by those at all levels of its hierarchy. Within the work, Mary Shelley, its author, not only presents a racialized view of its characters, but further establishes and enforces the racial hierarchy present and known to her in her own world. For the few non-European characters, their appearance, and thus their standing in its related hierarchy, defines their entrances into the narrative. For the Creature, this occurs on the ices of the Artic, when, “atop a low carriage, fixed on a sledge and drawn by dogs, pass on towards the north, at the distance of half a mile;” Walton and his men perceived, “a being which had the shape of a man, but apparently of gigantic stature.” (Shelley 13) Shelley clarifies, even this early in her novel, the race of its principal Other as soon after the intrepid adventurers rescue its namesake, Victor Frankenstein, who, Shelley clarifies, “was not, as the other traveller seemed to be, a savage inhabitant of some undiscovered island, but an European.” (Shelley 14) Later, closer examination of the Creature reveals a visage and figure of near unimaginable disfigurement, with a “shrivelled complexion,” and yellow skin which “scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath.” (Shelley 35) This could be contrasted directly

Alienation is a product of society’s inherently discriminatory bias, catalyzed by our fear of the unknown in the realm of interpersonal conduct. Mary Shelley, in her novel, Frankenstein, dissects society’s unmerited demonization of individuals who defy—voluntarily or involuntarily—conventional norms. Furthermore, through her detailed parallel development of Frankenstein and his monster, Shelley personifies the tendency to alienate on the basis of physical deformity, thereby illustrating the role of the visual in the obfuscation of morality.

Isolation is one the roots of the problems and calamities endured by many characters depicted in the beloved and Dr Frankenstein.

The creature once says, “All men hate the wretched; how then, must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things! Yet you, my creator, detest and spurn me, they creature, to whom thou art bound by ties only dissoluble by the annihilation of one of us” (Shelley 83). He wonders himself why, in all of his suffering, he has been created at all. He was not even granted the bride he was promised by Victor. This unfortunate existence led the creation to turn to anger and rage. Blind ambition drove his creator, who could not foresee the level of destruction he would give when the reality of his plans was finally realized.

Mary Shelley’s first novel, Frankenstein, was published on January 1, 1818. This novel evidently employs “undeniably unorthodox subjects” (Poovey 332). In this work, Shelley narrates the tales of Victor Frankenstein, an idiosyncratic scientist, his grotesque and “wretched” creation and the disastrous events that befall (Shelley 37). Shelley thoroughly represents the gothic theme of isolation by replicating the guilty and fearful emotions of Victor Frankenstein. The novel’s claim to tragedy and murder, which is exemplified throughout every page of the novel, would appear to be the catalyst for Victor Frankenstein’s isolation. Yet in fact, these disastrous events occur are only the result of Victor’s self-inflicted isolation. Victor severs all connections to the outside world, including his family, friends and society; causing him to live a life of torment and isolation. An analysis of Shelley’s “monstrous” character, Victor Frankenstein, affirms how the development of fearful and defensive characteristics had served as a catalyst for the confinement of a self-inflicted life of isolation.

The novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley tells a bizarre and awful tale of an absurd human creating life and the consequences of his experiment. In this novel, there is an abundance of predictable themes; such as sacrifice, forgiveness, revenge and secrecy. There is one theme I see that stands out the most, solitude. Throughout this novel, we see Mary Shelley using Victor Frankenstein, the monster, and Robert Walton to introduce and emphasize a theme of solitude and the effect it has on a person. Mary Shelley’s theme of solitude plays a substantial part in Frankenstein and human nature.

In her book Frankenstein, Mary Shelley depicts Victor Frankenstein, a scientist whose intense drive for discovery leads him to create a monster, ultimately resulting in destroying him. Although the desire for research and enlightenment is generally perceived as a positive idea, Victor’s unrelenting pursuit of knowledge ends up being detrimental, leading him and others to isolation. Shelley illustrates the connection between knowledge and isolation with her use of lightness and darkness through Victor and his creation, the monster.

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein focuses the reader’s attention mostly on the theme loneliness. The author could have used this theme as a way to reel in the reader; maybe to even give the reader the slight chills and horror thrills. But if the reader looks into the life of the author, the reader might notice the similarity between the story, the characters, and the author herself. She herself was a very lonesome girl who at a young age suffered numerous family losses. Because of her dysfunctional life, she is now known as the creator of science-fiction (Kobal, 2018).

Solitude is the state or situation of being alone. Frankenstein is about this scientist, Victor Frankenstein, whose ultimate goal is to regenerate life and change the world. In the end, he fails and decides to completely abandons the monster which leads to Victor despair. In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, Victor and the monster both experience solitude.. This brings the destruction and death to both Victor and the monster. Solitude plays an important role in this book by showing us the way the monster and Victor both suffer from the whole situation and the way solitude can push you to do crazy deeds.

The consequences of isolation can be both physical and emotional. For the characters in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, isolation does both in varying degrees.Through Victor’s self-destructive path for knowledge and revenge, the creature’s descent from benevolence to misery, and Walton’s journey to the Arctic, Mary Shelley explores the theme of isolation in that whether it is intentional or not, isolation only leads to negative consequences.

“Alienation and loneliness plant the seeds for rebellion and consciousness” (Powe). Mary Shelley’s gothic novel, Frankenstein, presents how alienation has been apparent since the beginning of man. Victor Frankenstein, a man fascinated by chemistry and alchemy, brings a body made of human corpse pieces to life. Upon bringing the creature into the world, Frankenstein begins to have a growing hatred towards the “wretched being” he created, causing the creature to flee. The prejudice that the creature faced from his creator and upon being seen publicly, lead him to detach himself from society and fall into a melancholic state, thus, acting upon on a violent action.

Frankenstein, written in 1818, remains a captivating horror story almost 200 years later that is still widely read by many people. How could a book survive so many years? A large part of the novel’s continuing popularity revolves around its ability to acknowledge universal human themes; this includes the thoughts and feelings that are identifiable to everyone. A common theme that surfaces throughout the book deals with the idea of alienation. The thought of being isolated, completely alone, or misunderstood by peers creates this other side of us in which we are capable of doing desperate and reckless things. The recurring theme of alienation is seen most heavily with the creature himself; since the day he was “born” he has been entirely alone, completely shunned by society and, even worse, completely abandoned by his creator, Victor Frankenstein. At the moment life was given to the monster, Victor recoils from him and instantly regrets his creation; this not only leaves the monster bitter about their first encounter, but it leaves the monster feeling lonely and lost without a companion by his side. Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein, uses alienation as a key element of monstrosity which can be seen through the monster, but also through Victor’s self-imposed exclusion which leads him to becoming just as monstrous as his own creation.

Alienation and loneliness is common in society and has been since the beginning of man. Society sees individuals who stumble outside the world of social normality as a threat and a degradation to normal society. In the 1818 gothic novel, “Frankenstein,” Mary Shelley demonstrates the different types of alienation and loneliness in the characters Robert Walton, The Creature, and Victor Frankenstein also on how it affects their behavior. In the novel, Walton and Frankenstein both push themselves away from society in order to avoid interactions with others. The Creature on the other hand is rejected by society and forced into loneliness due to his appearance. Alienation and Loneliness is what makes these characters the people they are and the impacts it made on their lives.