Egotism In Frankenstein Research Paper

   Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, sheds light on the importance of appearance through the tale of an unwanted creation that is never given a chance by society. Ironically, the supposed beast was initially much more compassionate and thoughtful than his creator, until his romantic and innocent view of the human race was diminished by the cruelty and injustice he unduly bore. Not only does the creature suffer the prejudice of an appearance-based society, but other situations and characters in the novel force the reader to reflect their own hasty judgment. The semi- gothic novel includes several instances of societal prejudice that include the isolation and outcast of Frankenstein's creation,

Introduction: Frankenstein, a novel written by Mary Shelley, is one of the most popular representations of the romantic era. The romantic aspects of the book allow for a unique analysis of the human personality and its emotions and potentials. This includes many interpretations of a human personality based on one’s socioeconomic status. Using this perspective one can easily analyze the interclass and intraclass social power imbalances and interactions. It is also possible to survey the novel through the unbalanced justice provided to each class. Through various events and trials in Frankenstein, Mary Shelley shows that one’s lack of social power leads to vulnerability because it forces the person to have less of an advantage when compared to others with more power.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein deeply develops the trope of nature vs. nurture. The romantic era is characterized by a desire to revert to natural animalistic living in the world. Shelley’s main characters embody nature and nurture respectively. Victor, raised in a loving home, kills with no concern and disregards his caring family. The Monster, Victor’s creation, on the other hand, is forced to live in nature like an animal with no companion. Victor is Shelley’s direct comment on the Victorian lifestyle characterized by material possession and religious moral structure. Victor embodies one who is grounded in societally constructed niceties and formalities but is corrupted by the lifestyle. The monster is shown to be the morally correct character

Throughout Frankenstein, Victor proves to be quite an egotistical person. Victor’s actions will sometimes be selfish and not as noble as he would like others to believe. He creates the monster with a desire to obtain awe and fame and to make sure that his name will be remembered throughout history. “… a light so brilliant and wondrous… that I alone should be reserved to discover so astonishing a secret” (Shelley 37). While this discovery of Victor’s may be groundbreaking, he fails to think of the negative consequences, only thinking of himself and what this could potentially

The “Frankenstein” society only upholds and esteem those who are of “high and unsullied descent united with riches” (Shelley 386), these privileges commanding reverence and respect. Here, Shelley articulates a distinct class hierarchy prevalent within society, wherein disadvantaged figures like the creature, who does not possess sufficient wealth or honourable descend, will be condescendingly dismissed or even loathed upon. The creature who is perpetually the less powerful (given that it has neither family nor riches) will forever remain “a blot upon the earth” (Shelley 386), the stain as an analogy which reiterates its unwanted and undesirable position. Further accentuating such class inequalities is the juxtaposition of the monster’s status with that of Victor and his family. Termed a “savage inhabitant of some undiscovered island” (Shelley 280), the monster is alluded to be a wild and obscure figure whose acute lack of stable power and identity shapes it into a strange and terrifying Other dwelling within an incomprehensible realm, a manifestation “representing the dispossessed” (Vlasopolos 130). In contrast, Victor’s family, who originates from the aristocratic upper class, belongs within society and is highly-regarded. The superiority enjoyed by their status is exemplified from how they are already well-established as a family whose ancestors “had been for many years counsellors and syndics” (Shelley 289), their father gloriously securing much “honour and reputation” (Shelley 289) in numerous public domains. The creature who is part of the inferior class is comparatively neglected and remains the outcast, relegated to the isolated sphere of the Other. The collective contempt demonstrated towards the creature builds and affirms its distinct status as the Other, whose victimisation then works to expose class inequalities hidden behind the façade of

In Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein, and Frankenstein’s Creation reach similar conclusions humanity by seafaring to the North Pole, delving into the dark depths of science, and observing the rejecting nature of humans. The three tragic heroes Walton, Frankenstein and the Creation are all character doubles in their initial enthusiasm for knowledge, inner dualist personalities, religiously glorified personal goals, possessive relationships and negative effects of gaining knowledge. The three character’s views of humanity are a microcosm of the culturally accepted importance of beauty, and how the culmination of knowledge can be blinding and lead to utter ruination.

Throughout Frankenstein, individualism negatively impacts many others in Victor’s community. For an example, when Victor makes his creation he is thinking solely of what he can do with his abilities rather than the possible effects of making this monster. Victor makes this apparent when he states, “Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.” As displayed by the quote, Victor is not taking into account what could go wrong by creating the monster since he is focused on his skill and power as an individual. It also

A novel that remains prominent in literature illustrates that the work is of merit. The relevance of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley withstood the test of time due to it’s classic themes of prejudice and discrimination towards humans seen through all eras. Discrimination takes place in all geographical locations and stays maintained throughout every century. Prejudice towards people perceived as different” is a factor that continues to create debates even in present day. Although Frankenstein was written in 1818, the continuity of prejudice and discrimination remains present and those affected by the implications of the mistreatment feel as though they are beneath others.

fact that the monster is superior and be with him. This idea leads into the fact that the women in the novel are supposed to be ‘indebted’ to the men. This is demonstrated by Justine’s confession to the murder of William, which she did not commit. The Frankensteins adopted Justine, which kept her from starving on the streets. Based upon her adoption, Justine felt an indebtedness to the family, specifically the men (they provide for the family), and this debt drove her to confess to murder.

The novel Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, was a piece written in 1817 during a time when women weren’t considered to be adequate authors. Shelley’s work is both intriguing as it is thought provoking. She brings to light the true nature of society and life altogether when tested. She factors in how the outside world can influence our choices in writing. George Levine from “The Ambiguous Heritage of Frankenstein” and Benjamin Truitt from “Frankenstein Critical Analysis and Literary Criticism” both share their opinions about Shelley’s piece of written work.

Thus, something as a contract between creator and created is imposed stating that the creator, among providing moral support and physical support will be referred to in a high position of respect. There are various reasons that drive self-centered behavior. Such reasons include grief, survival, self-preservation, and curiosity. Victor Frankenstein was raised in a very wealthy household that held a high position of power in society. His father was “respected by all who knew him for his integrity and indefatigable attention to public business”(Shelly 17).

IV. Discussion To fully understand the complexities of the universal social class conflict and the reasoning for it, one must first grasp the circumstances each class faces. In the same fashion, one must also grasp the circumstances faced by Frankenstein’s monster in order to understand his conflict with his creator. First and foremost, the creation of Victor Frankenstein is a monster, a creature with features that form a “horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips,” (Shelley 58).

In the journal article, “Master of their language”: Education and Exile in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, John Bugg analyzes and compares how Mary Shelley uses the story of a creature and its creator to demonstrate the woes of race and empire. Like her mother Mary Wallstonecraft, Shelley was able to write an informative and entertaining piece of literature to endorse hidden agendas and subtle endorsement of Shelley’s beliefs and convictions of how society has been structured by physical differences. In Mary Shelley’s, Frankenstein, she takes somatic differences of the creature and links them through symbolism to race, slavery, and empire or power in the realm of society. Shelley’s big push and concern in the beginning of the book is with education.

Victor Frankenstein’s characterization and family background establish his nature as the true “monster” in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Victor had an idyllic childhood, which laid the foundation to his self-absorbed and uncaring behavior later in life. As a child, both Victor’s mother and father provided him with excessive care, love, compassion and the freedom to pursue whatever his heart desired. In describing his relationship with his parents, Victor states, “They seemed to draw inexhaustible stores of affection from a very mine of love just to bestow them on me” (Shelley 19). This idea of showering their son with excessive affection is further demonstrated when Alphonse and Caroline adopted Elizabeth Lavenza into their family