Mirror In Frankenstein Essay

Sigmund Freud's studies in psychoanalysis are uncannily fore-grounded in the late romantic period. The works of William Wordsworth, Percy B. Shelley, Lord Byron, and Mary Shelley, all function as poetic preludes to Freud's 18th century field. Particularly, it is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein that creates a fictional rendering for psychoanalyst. In Frankenstein, Victor's rejection of the Monster metaphorically represents the ego's rejection of the unconscious. Following from this metaphorical paradigm, Freud's theories on narcissism, the libido theory, the doppelganger, neurosis, and the Oedipus-complex all resonate in the pages of Frankenstein. After a brief introduction to narcissism and

In Mary Shelley´s Gothic novel, Frankenstein, the Monster once claimed, “The fallen angel becomes a malignant devil. Yet even that enemy of God and man had friends and associates in his desolation; I am alone.” Frankenstein, since the 1910 film adaptation, has known a series of several adaptations that changed drastically, not only the plot but one of the main characters, the Monster, from stealing its creator´s name to being portrayed as a cold villain. Though, in the original storyline, the biggest threat to society is the creator itself, the one pretending to play as God, Victor Frankenstein. This essay will discuss the nature of the main characters of the novel and conclude who is the “real monster” in the end.

At first, Victor and the monster are both admirable characters in their own way; nevertheless, both characters make a transition to become negative individuals. In the beginning, Victor can be seen to work hard, and is very intelligent. This brain-power could have been used to drastically impact the world of science, but, since Victor abandoned his masterpiece, it did the exact opposite, bringing harm upon those who roam the world. Because Victor made such a quick decision and left, his character was changed dramatically. Likewise, the monster is, at first, seen to be a being of peace, despite all the wrong humans have done to him. His consistent helping and admiration of humans makes the reader think he will always be a peaceful being. He could have used his kind actions to help the world, and even help the cottagers poverty; however, he quickly vows to destroy all humans. Thanks to Mary Shelley, the reader can learn that one should ponder on later actions instead of simply following their first, natural

In this Essay I shall explore the reasons for Victor Frankenstein’s emotional turmoil in chapters 9 and 10 and look at how some events in Mary Shelley’s life mirrors some events in the book. I will also look at a few of the themes running through Frankenstein. Such as religion, parenting, hate, revenge, guilt and compassion.

Victor’s abandonment of his son is the main cause of his evil deeds since the Creature thus lacks a family unit and social skills that every young child needs. Frankenstein is the main contributor to the Creature’s sense of evil from the start because he is the one who continually refers to him as fiend, devil, or monster. The reader needs to consider the fact that the Creature is only a few months old at this point and similar to a young child is naive and gullible. So similar to that young child, the Creature believes everything that is said to him, so if Victor continually calls him a monster, eventually he will start to believe it and act upon that statement. Relating to this statement is the fact that Victor never considers the thoughts and feelings of the Creature in his creation process. The epigraph of Frankenstein from Milton’s work Paradise Lost perfectly describes the Creature’s feelings, stating

In Frankenstein, the Monster is compassionate, and values the life of other people, while Victor is obsessed with creating new lives, and will commit vulgar acts to achieve his aggressive goals. Victor and the Monster each represent the opposite theme commonly found in Frankenstein. Victor represents Knowledge and Ambition. When describing Victor’s study when he went off to college, Victor’s “limbs now tremble...but then a resistless and almost frantic impulse urged me forward; I seem to have lost all soul or sensation but for this one pursuit. It was indeed but a passing trance, that only made me feel with renewed acuteness as soon as, the unnatural stimulus ceasing to operate, I had returned to my old habits (Shelley 40).

A creature is born, and thrust out into the world. With no evil in his heart, he is feared and outcasted by society for only his repulsive image. He held an innocent soul and a pure heart at birth, however the isolation and hatred he endured from others transformed him into a murderous demon. This impaired soul is the abandoned monster created by Victor Frankenstein. Mary Shelley offers insight into the emotions and mind of a man forced to become a fiend through betrayal in her novel Frankenstein. Shelley’s literary work of a deranged mind allows Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis theory to be applied in order to understand the torment that causes a once pure man to go insane.

In the novel Frankenstein written by Mary Shelley, we are introduced to the theory of the existence of evil through the struggle of a monster’s desire for acceptance and approval of himself. Shelley, expresses through the novel the moral and spiritual development can be best attained thru the elimination of god and the focus of self-realization thru the comparison of both religious and humanistic relationships. The monster as we are introduced to is the creation of Frankenstein. The existence of this monster is hard to understand because of the short existence of his creator.

In Mary Shelly’s novel Frankenstein, the central conflict of the novel is the result of Victor Frankenstein’s refusal to take responsibility for his monstrous creation. The monster that Victor creates is immediately abandoned by its creator. This neglect leaves the monster alone and powerless as its resent for Victor grows. As the monster continues to learn about the world, it comes to understand hurt and betray. Scenes in the novel, such as the burning of the De Lacey’s homes, the murder of William, and Victor’s wedding, are used to illustrate the monster’s feelings of betrays and powerlessness.

Perhaps the most interesting event in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is the perverse dream that Victor Frankenstein experiences after he brings the creature to life. Examination of the dream through Freudian theories on sexual motivation and the Oedipal Complex provide insight to the actions and character of Mary Shelley's protagonist. Further examination also reveals the reason for Victor's actions and character and how each affects his relationship with those closest to him.

Looking at the characterization of Victor Frankenstein, it becomes apparent that he is portrayed as a cowardly, selfish and arrogant man. He abandons his family for almost six years (Shelley 51) and refuses to answer most of the letters he receives from them (Shelley 34). He only shows interest in his research, not in the people surrounding him, and he is single-mindedly focused on success. Even though he succeeds in his endeavor, he immediately abandons his creation at first glance of its “ugliness” (Shelley 36). This reveals how fickle Victor is as he abandons the creation he worked so hard on to leave it fending for itself.

After reading the nineteenth century novel “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley, I have concluded that parental neglect can alter a person’s moral intentions. While analysing some critical views on monster’s and Victor’s actions, I discovered many interesting ideas and that not all aligned with my initial hypothesis. The two main critics are Joseph Pearce (2008), who has views against Victor Frankenstein and Angie Allard (2009), who shares views regarding Victor Frankenstein. According to the critical essay “ The Misunderstood Monster” by Joseph Pearce,Pearce says that “in the creature’s earliest days of life, the creature struggles with the idea of humanity and what it is to be human. Creature’s new and unexplained existence places him in an

Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” is a e-book with a deep message that touches to the very heart. This message manner that the reader will now not see the story excellent from the mind-set of the narrator however furthermore display screen severa hidden evaluations and shape a non-public interpretation of the novel. considered one among its number one statements is that no individual is born a monster and a “monster” is created during socialization, and the approach of socialization starts offevolved offevolved from the touch with the “writer”. it's miles Victor Frankenstein that couldn't take the obligation for his creature and emerge as no longer in a position to take care of his “toddler”. pride and conceitedness had been the characteristics that directed Victor Frankenstein to his discovery of lifestyles: “...a lot has been completed, exclaimed the soul of Frankenstein-more, far extra, will I gather: treading in the steps already marked, i'm able to pioneer a modern day way, discover unknown powers, and unfold to the arena the inner most mysteries of introduction”[p.47]. He couldn't cope with this discovery and surely disregarded it. The tragedy of Victor Frankenstein and the tragedy of his creature is the equal – it is the tragedy of loneliness and confronting the world, attempting to find a place in it and deserve a person’s love. The creature may want to have never become a monster if it got the like it strived for. Victor Frankenstein have to have in no way converted his creature right into a monster if he knew the manner to like and take responsibility for those we feature to this worldwide.

In particular, the motif of the Double, or Doppelgänger, very popular in nineteenth-century gothic fiction, is central to the parallels drawn between the Monster and Victor, in Frankenstein. In modern society, there is a popular tendency to refer to Frankenstein as the monster, or vice versa, reflecting the use of the motif. In this case, the monster represents Victor’s hidden inner desires and unexpressed psychic needs that stem from his brutal pathos for success, glory and knowledge. Thus, in Victor’s attempt to realize this ambition, he gave form and shape to his deepest fears; his desires. Through the rejection of the parameters set by society and humanity, Victor gives in to his egomaniac god complex seen throughout the novel. Specifically while consciously creating an abnormal being, which appalled him, but still enthralled him, "…often did my human nature turn with loathing from my occupation, whilst, still urged on by an eagerness which perpetually increased, I brought my work near to a conclusion." Hence, by giving life to the monster, Victor created a manifestation of his suppressed self, stating, "I had turned loose into the world a depraved wretch" , being vague whether this refers to the creature itself, or the manifestation of his dark, disturbing desires, hinting that the two are similar, and creating a link between them. Thus, following Freud’s theory of the structure of the human psyche, the creature becomes a human form of Victor’s id, with the first proof of the connection shown in the monster’s need to fulfill the most basic urges such as anger, thirst, hunger, and sex immediately, regardless of possible consequences, "I longed to obtain food and shelter,” as explained in Freud’s theory . He is now seen as a human being in the eyes of basic psychology, and can be thus seen as a plausible