Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: Two Halves To A Whole

In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, there are numerous occurrences of works of literature that convey her attitudes about scientific issues and advancement of the time. A majority of the public vision is the monster in the story that causes havoc and chaos. Many believe this to be the overall point of the story. Shelley in turn would describe that as a mere summary of what the book is intended to display in regards to the scientifical portion. The issue at hand does not necessarily revolve around the monster but what is directed towards Victor Frankenstein.

Mary Shelley’s literary masterpiece Frankenstein relates the story of Victor Frankenstein and his unnatural creation, told in three distinct narratives, that eventually leads to Frankenstein’s disastrous end. One narrative in particular, that of Frankenstein’s creation’s, highlights the creature’s conversion into a true monster rather than an almost human being as a result of a terrible injustice upon him. The access to his narrative allows for a deeper understanding of the creature’s very nature and the impact the injustices in his life have on him. The creature that Frankenstein creates is not a monster by nature; rather, the misfortunes that befall upon him and the injustice that he feels cause him to become a heartless monster on a

Human Nature can be defined as “the ways of thinking, feeling, and acting that are common to most people”. Many people are attracted to compassion and sympathy through the love of a person whom cares very deeply about them. In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the three main characters Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein and Frankenstein (The Monster) are shown throughout the story, longing and in search for a companion. Throughout the story, the characters struggle with the battle of wanting either sympathy or compassion from a person or both. Mary Shelley shows the true indication of Human Nature by showing the importance of sympathy and compassion through the main character’s desires and pain.

In the story Frankenstein, Mary Shelly’s usage of word choice in describing the protagonist, Victor’s regret over his own mistake of creating a monster shows his unparalleled misfortune, as well as the application of selection of detail to emphasize a transformation in Victor’s attitude among the monster from surprising, to deeply disappointed and fear. These elements compose a shift within Victor’s relationship along his creation, and a contrast between life and death, reality and illusion.

The development of evil or villainy in literature has progressed greatly in literature. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the acclaimed author explores the theme of treachery and horridness through the characters to Victor and the creature. Victor Frankenstein, an ambitious scientist, hoped to use his knowledge of organic sciences and electricity to create life. Through this desire came the development of the creature, a monstrous beast whose innocent nature becomes corrupt as he becomes exposed to the treacherous reality of society. While many of the “villainous” acts are performed by the creature, Frankenstein is portrayed the villain because of his abandonment of the monster.

Shelley utilizes the differences between the protagonists, Victor Frankenstein and his creature, to emphasize the true villainy she is pursuing. The further analysis of this villainy creates a clearer understanding of one of her overall themes, monstrosity, and its effects on human life. In comparing Victor and the creature, it is quite obvious that the two have major differences in their villainous attributes. Perhaps the most noticeable, the physical appearance of the creature as a monster contrasts greatly with Victor’s normalness.

Victor Frankenstein and his creation, known as “the monster” are easily the two most complex and interesting characters in the novel “Frankenstein”, by Mary Shelly. The manners in which they were brought up in the beginning of their lives are where most of their similarities as well as their differences derive from. Because the monster was not born naturally as Victor was, they both view nature as a whole differently and allows it to affect their lives in contrasting ways both positive and negative. The fact that Victor was brought up in a loving home and cared for all throughout his life, while the monster received no love at all, generated them both to have distinct differences in how they react to different people and situations around them, but also acts as a similarity because of them both having a strong desire for family. In the novel “Frankenstein”, by Mary Shelly, the two characters of Victor Frankenstein and the monster have many similarities and differences especially in dealing with their relations to nature, desire for family, and how they react to the people and situations around them.

When summarizing the plot of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, most who have read it would describe it as the story of a scientist who brings the dead back to life, but must then face the wrath of his angry and evil creation. Those who say this are by no measure wrong in any way. This is, in fact, what the novel is most commonly interpreted as and what Shelley most likely had in mind when she wrote the story, but it cannot be denied that there could be another side to the story. When Frankenstein is analysed in its entirety, it becomes clear that Frankenstein 's creation and the cause of Victor’s downfall, is neglected as the intelligent, independent, empathetic, and unique creature that he is. The novel focuses more on his misguided anger,

In the book “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley, demonstrates how nobody likes to feel alone, even hideous creatures like the one Victor Frankenstein created. Throughout the novel, the creature is trying to beloved by anybody that will love him, since Victor abundance him right after he creates him. When the creature goes away, he realizes how lonely and scared he is. During the moments he spent being alone, and observing the cottagers he realizes how he wants somebody to love him in the same way he will love them. The creature demands Frankenstein to make him a mate and at the end Frankenstein destroys the second creature. Leaving the first creation with nobody and having him feel the loneliness once again.

“No it ain’t” Max replied to his brother while throwing rocks into a little stream nearby not paying an attention that his brother didn’t respond to his reply. Soon he got extremely bored and started walking not knowing where his brother is at. He had wandered into a den of some sort and suddenly he got pulled into the underwater pond never to be seen again. The beast was scale clad and had features on its head except for a mouth cover with needle-like fangs. The fangs dripped the deep red blood of its first victim of many years.

In the book Frankenstein, Mary Shelley examines the monstrosity of the characters in the book. The Creature kills many of Victor's family members, while Victor abandons the Creature and takes away his only source of belonging and happiness. Without the use of close reading the creature seems at fault for his actions. However, with a closer look Victor Frankenstein’s true colors of monstrosity and evil have been revealed. Mary Shelley uses diction, in the book Frankenstein, to pursue the idea of Victor being the most monstrous character in the book.

In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, a theme of interdependence as well as irony occurs. Victor Frankenstein creates a monster, a wretch, and throughout the novel his negligence and irresponsibility comes back to haunt him. The monster and Victor are seemingly very different, but reading in between the lines proves differently. As the novel goes on, Victor Frankenstein and his monster become more similar due to the growing relationship and the qualities that they share. The relationship between Victor and his monster becomes increasingly complex in nature.

The story of Frankenstein was written by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley in the year 1818. The story depicts the life of the character Victor Frankenstein, who spends years creating an unnamed creature. Victor abandons the creature the moment he awakens and the creature is then left to live life on his own because is rejected by humanity. The creature kills several people and eventually leads to Victor's indirect death. Throughout the story, the creature is depicted as a hideous, monstrous and evil creature, while Victor is depicted as the victim of his wrath. At first glance, the creature seems like the bigger monster of the story, but as we begin to view it from a deeper perspective we discover a different side. In this essay, I plan to argue that contrary to popular belief, Victor Frankenstein is the real monster of the story.

Victor Frankenstein, in his egotism, carefully ensures that he is in control of what is narratable and what is not. He establishes himself as the victim and the monster as the inherent evil, even going as far as to urge Walton, the recorder of his tale, to allow him to revise it. (Shelley 163) Victor’s rank as the narrator allows him to maintain narrative dominance over his monster and in this sense, Victor attempts to hold his own within the story. This narrative hierarchy experiences an unexpected reversal when the monster confronts his creator upon the glacier. (Shelley 71)

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein portrays one of the darkest, most hopeless situations that could possibly occur due to the monstrous deeds performed by the main characters in the novel. When one thinks of Frankenstein, they generally think of Victor’s creation as being a monster, and the cause of the unfortunate events that occur in the novel. While Victor’s creation is indeed a monster, Victor is equally as monstrous in his actions. While both characters are initially innocent, they are being constantly corrupted throughout the story. Both Victor and his creation become monsters through their actions.