Dehumanization In Frankenstein

Victor Frankenstein and his creation surprisingly share many of the same characteristics. Even though Frankenstein is an ugly, unwanted creature, he and Victor withhold an obvious connection throughout the novel. However, Victor and Frankenstein also share their differences as well.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has undoubtedly withstood the test of time. Frankenstein’s direct association with fundamental Gothic literature is extremely renowned. However, the novel’s originality is derived from the foundational thematic values found within the relationship (or lack there of) between Victor Frankenstein and the monster he had created, in combination with a fascinatingly captivating plot. Understandably, Frankenstein can often be associated with a multitude of concepts; however, in this particular instance, the circumstances in the book seemed remarkably coherent with Shelley’s Romantic beliefs in preserving the natural world, and one’s natural existence. These values present themselves as metaphorical symbols that

What purpose does it serve to have multiple narrators telling a story? In Mary Shelley’s gothic novel, Frankenstein, three main narrators tell the story about the creation of a monster and the events that follow. The job of narrator shifts between Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein, and the monster that Victor creates. As each narrator shares his own recollection of the events that occurred, new facts are introduced to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Although Frankenstein uses multiple narrators to tell the story, it is important to look at the effects it might have on the stories accuracy. In this essay, I will closely examine the motives, differences, and similarities of each narrator to see what influences, if any, they have on the narrative.

To begin with what is an individual? An individual is a single human being as distinct from a group, class, or family. According to a person’s nature and character can be impacted by their way of life, society, parental influences, freedom and isolation. These factors can be seen in Mary Shelley’s novel Victor Frankenstein. Does being a neglectful parent leads to someone being dangerous in society. Victor Frankenstein is Genevese by birth and he came from very privileged background. Victor describes his parents to have a positive influence on his life: “my mother’s tenderness caresses and my father’s smile of benevolent pleasure while regarding me are my first recollections” (Shelley #31). As Victor describes some

Percy is eager for revenge. Hades had sent three monsters after him, caused his mother to vanish, and was now framing him and his father for a theft they didn’t commit. Percy hopes he’ll be able to save his mother. He doesn’t know how to feel about his dad needing his help; he is only now acknowledging his

In the book Frankenstein, the reader is introduced to two exciting characters that both describe their own life story. This brings Mary Shelley’s audience to a mind-blowing novel, due to the way that fate intervenes through both of the characters. To start, Victor was born in a well-structured household and goes through life pursuing his passion of studying natural philosophy. Thus, leading him to creating his “creation.” Furthermore, the creation tells his side of the story, explaining that life to him was a mystery and much of it was a learning process. With these two characters, each go through the novel trying to achieve a particular goal. Considering this, it is implied that as the novel progresses and the reader is introduced to

between Victor Frankenstein and the Creature. Despite their different outward appearances, Victor and the monster have many similar qualities. The major parallels between the creator and the creation include: hunger for knowledge, isolation, role as God, and the utilization of revenge.

In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the social institution exemplified gives constant reckoning onto the creature that Victor Frankenstein bestows life into. Such a process presents light to the true meaning of the word monster and what worldly beings deem having the title. As the conjured creature manifests its emotions and newfound conscious, the constructive elements that make up this societal institution sling constant hostility and horror shaping its mindset until it becomes what its superiors deem is a monster. Looking at the book from the perspective of the creature, one can argue how the only real monstrosity is the remedial society displayed.

In Frankenstein, nature and anatomy are linked, and through an innate reaction, these differences are rejected. Despite the monster language skills, passion, and cognizance, society rejects him due to his ugly form. Several differences between Frankenstein and his monstrous creation exits, but at the same time parallels do. However, Victor is accepted by the society and the monster is rejected. Victor’s and the monster’s problematic childhood, both result in their mutual destruction. The idea of conforming to the society that rejects him seems unfit. The monster, in particular, is an outcast from society, and the reader empathizes with his subsequent rage of being outcast. His isolation allows for the realization that an “increase of knowledge only discovered to [him] more clearly what a wretched outcast” he is (Shelley 145). Even though the novel Frankenstein focuses on the cultural struggles of society during Shelley’s lifetime, the Enlightenment, an intellectual movement during the time of the novel, focuses on trying to question our own perceptions, whether it be accepting an idea or a person or a monster that is “shunned and hated by all mankind”; the ideas of the Enlightenment fail to reflect on the society of Frankenstein (156).  After looking at the monster, people come to an instant realization about his internal qualities. Although judgment of internal qualities is believed to be based off those qualities, the judgment of external appearance masks the judgment of

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley has been one of the most popular scientific horror stories for centuries; however, many people do not know that Shelley’s life was equivalent to the horrors she tells in her book. Shelley’s mother died when she was only eleven days old. Her father disowned her after she married her true love Percy Shelley at the age of seventeen. She lost three of her four children and a half sister. Shelley finally had a son who lived on to adulthood; yet, her husband drowned in a storm shortly after the son’s birth. Obviously, Shelley battled depression her entire life, and she eventually died at the age of fifty-four on February 1, 1851 in London. With all the tragedies in her life, it only makes since that she would write the horrendous story of Victor Frankenstein. Frankenstein suffers a great deal of loss, much like Mary Shelley; yet Victor tries to “play God” by creating human life, which ultimately leads to nothing but tragic loss and losing every person important to him, including his sole mate Elizabeth Lavenza. The beautiful bride of Frankenstein, Elizabeth Lavenza, is a kind-hearted, calm, and nurturing character that shows her loyalty to Victor even through the tragedies they face.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a mishmash of stories within stories within a story, and several other texts are referenced within this amalgamation of literature. The intertextual links made in Frankenstein help to provide the reader with a greater insight into the mind of Mary Shelley and her most famous work. References to the text Paradise lost and Greek mythology in the development of characters adds depth to a tale of creation and destruction, causing the questions Shelley asks about humanity to resonate far more poignantly with the reader.

The story of Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley,starts off with Robert Walton, one of the main characters in the book, on his mission to explore the North Pole. Walton is the captain of a ship heading to the North Pole. He writes to his sister who lives in England the dangers of the mission. Suddenly the mission is interrupted by impervious ice. While trapped in the ice Walton and his crew spot a strange figure in a dog-drawn-sledge. The following day they encounter another figure but this time it is Victor Frankenstein. He has also been travelling by dog-drawn-sledge but has been weakened by the cold. Walton brings Victor onboard. As soon as Victor Frankenstein starts to recover he starts describing to Walton his early

Discuss the extent to which one of the following novels is informed by contemporary social issues: Great Expectations Fathers and Son, Frankenstein.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is a sci-fi novel written during the Romantic Movement in Britain’s early nineteenth century. The movement was stimulated by the French Revolution, Industrial Revolution and in reaction against the emphasis on reason in eighteenth-century Enlightenment philosophy (The Romantic Movement, 2014). Mary Shelley’s husband, Percy Shelley was also a romantic poet during the movement. Shelley’s novel is evidently influenced by her relationship with her husband, which is illustrated through her meticulous descriptions of nature conveying the idea that romance educates the soul. Mary Shelley’s archetypal horror story is considered one of the first sci-fi novels raising issues about the place of man. Shelley stresses her opinion on scientific advancements and the consequences that arise using it as a fundamental base for the narrative. Frankenstein encapsulates the profound theme of man playing the role of God. Shelley manifests this theme through the creator/creation relationship of the protagonist Victor Frankenstein and the monster. Throughout the novel Shelley stimulates the readers mind by raising the controversial statement in relation to scientific development, just because we can… should we?

Naomi Hetherington is a renowned researcher in the disciplines of gender, religious culture, literature and gender. She is a member of the department for lifelong learning in the University of Sheffield. The researcher possess a BA, MA, and PhD in various fields. Her prior research publications include the ‘new Woman’ and other works (Shelley). This explains her extensive publications including the creator and created review of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. In her analysis, she endeavors to demonstrate Shelly’s alterations impact on her religious implications of her tale. She concentrates on symbolic significance of the essay and historically viewing it as instituting of meaning accessible to contemporaries