Disappointing Frankenstein Movie After Reading the Book by Mary Shelley

The novel Frankenstein is wonderful in various ways, from the provoking portrayal of human emotion throughout the story; to the elements of fantasy that stimulate the imagination. However, as one (anonymous) critic put it, “[T]he work seems to have been written… …on a very crude and ill-digested plan; and the detail is, in consequence, frequently filled with the most gross and obvious inconsistencies.” (The Literary Panorama). While the critic attempts to expose some inconsistencies in the story, the acerbity in his review of the novel is unfair based on the support he provides. The irony of this review is that although he tries to expose the plot’s inconsistencies, he uses a non-issue as backing, and yet misses the most glaring oversight in the novel.

Elizabeth’s character was a mystery to most people at the time she inherited the throne. She had learned to keep her own council, control her emotions, and always behaved cautiously, thus being able to disprove all rumors about her. Always dignified and stately, she could be vain, willful, dictatorial, temperamental, and imperious. She had courage, both in her decisions, and in the face of danger. Possessing an innate of humanity, she was not normally cruel, unlike most rulers of her day. Most regarded her to be unusually tolerant in that age of religious conflict. She saw herself as one who was always honest and honorable, who

One difference that is seen in the variations between the novel and the film is the state of Victor’s mentality, and whether or not he has a complete obsession over his monster. While Victor is creating his monster in the novel, he does not receive any visitors. He does not have any assistants. He doesn’t even take time to reply to the letters sent by Elizabeth. During the creation of his monster, Victor goes into social withdrawal. Even after the monster is created, Victor seems to be obsessive compulsive about his monster. He becomes physically ill and seems to be mentally and physically unstable because of the escape of his monster. The only thing that he talks about or even thinks about during this time is the monster. Then, later on in the novel, after he meets with the monster in

Elizabeth is often cold and not open towards people yet she changes as

In reading the book Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and watching the by the same title, I discovered several large differences. Primarily, the edited and modified parts were changed to make the movie more interesting.

In many movie adaptations of a novel, the film doesn’t do the book justice in its story telling. Movie versions generally do not focus on the characters’ emotions or thoughts like the books do. They also do not develop the characters as well as the original story, giving the viewer little to no knowledge of a certain person. This is the case in Frankenstein. While there are some similarities between the original written version and the one on screen, the movie doesn’t delve into the lives of the main characters: Victor and the creature. The loss of characterization and focus on their lives takes away the audience’s take on consequences.

Parallel to the time-period, Elizabeth seems to exist by and through Victor’s perception of her. She is his property, and he takes her in as gift. He looked at Elizabeth as, “mine- mine to protect, love, and cherish,” (Shelley, 18). It is also interesting to note that her presence in the house

What differentiates Mary Shelly’s novel, Frankenstein from the majority of horror novels are the very real and timeless themes it explores.  The overriding theme of the novel - scientific investigation without consideration of morality and responsibility is still an important topic in today’s world.  “Perhaps the reality of cloning and genetic engineering makes this theme more relevant today than when Frankenstein was first published”(Patterson). This theme, along with the more subtle themes of revenge, the inability to accept those who are different, and the inability to control one's destiny are all themes which separate Frankenstein from other novels in the genre.

Elizabeth might cure Victor's remaining melancholy? Why does Victor feel the way he does about it?

Frankenstein and Edward Scissorhand are both about two different creators creating their own kind of creatures, and the journey through the whole process and the life after creation. In both the novel and film we are able to compare different aspects of both the novel and film. Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein and Tim Burton’s film Edward Scissorhands have many similarities and differences starting from the desire of wanting to feel love, to the cause of all the violence. A few of the similarities and differences visible throughout the novel and film are: quest for knowledge, companionship, and their creators.

In another letter that Elizabeth writes to Victor before Victor and his father leave from Paris to Switzerland, Elizabeth asks Victor if he has fallen in love with another person and waits for his reply in marriage. Elizabeth states, “Tell me, dearest Victor. Answer me, I conjure you, by our mutual happiness, with simple truth – Do you love another” (Shelley 166)? Although Elizabeth comprehends that she has been best friends with Victor during their childhood years, she has no role in preventing Victor from falling in love with another person. If Victor falls in love with another person, Elizabeth forfeits her love for Victor and allows Victor to choose to woman that he adores. In that same letter that Elizabeth

She begins with a gender-neutral title as his cousin, and then takes a gender specific, non-sexual role as his sister.  She then replaces his mother, implying an indirect sexual relationship with Victor, since he is product of his mother's sexuality.  Finally, she enters a sexual relationship with Victor as his future wife.  Her murder then interrupts the progression by preventing the consummation of that relationship.  In the 1831 version this progression of intimacy is strengthened.  Elizabeth, while a small child, is presented to Victor by his mother as a gift.  He takes responsibility for her, and takes pride in her achievements, like a father to a daughter.  The father/daughter relationship is tied to sexual reproduction in the same way as the mother/son relationship.  The progression from daughter to mother implies Victor's exit from her vagina as an infant, and then the next change from mother to wife implies a desire to re-enter her body as part of a sexual relationship.

Part of the dehumanization of Frankenstein’s monster is probably resultant of the loss of framing from Shelley’s novel. “Bride of Frankenstein” tries to establish framing through Shelley telling the story but never concludes it. This unsuccessful frame adds only to the history surrounding Frankenstein. The novel is framed through the letters of Walton. The reader then experiences Victor Frankenstein’s viewpoint followed by an insightful narrative from the monster in the middle of the novel. The monster has learned English and has free, independent thought. He tells of his experiences after being created by Victor Frankenstein, and relates his process of learning about his language, surroundings and human emotion. This narrative provides a significant view of the psychology of human development, relates the problems of creating life using technology, and substantiates the Monster’s actions. The science fiction genre is necessary to the story as it allows a connection to the monster and to many of the deeper meanings of the story. When the story becomes a horror, a distance is created between the audience and the monster that undermines the monster’s very important contribution to the story.

A closer look at the dream reveals that Victor's lust for Elizabeth was not confined to just Elizabeth. Elizabeth's transformation into Caroline provides evidence that Victor's sexual feelings could also be towards his mother. According to Freud's Oedipal Complex, Victor could subconsciously use Elizabeth as a mask of his mother so that he does not have to consciously admit his desire for his mother. This theory also gives weight to the