Dr. Frankenstein is the monster of the story Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley. He has been playing
god while at the same time not taking any responsibility toward his creature. He created him as if
God had created Adam yet could not bear witnessing his look and left him into the world without
any guides. Shelley through this story represents the dangers of irresponsible scientists who
create and invent machines to help the people yet when it causes certain damage, they just ignore
it hoping that it will just disappear or people are just going to get used to it. Especially in the
sense that Mary Shelley wrote this book during the time of industrial revolution so people used
to work with dangerous machines and many used to die or get their arms or legs cut off. The
machines were more harmful than helpful.
Many people believe that the monster was an evil creature making Frankenstein more miserable
with the death of his loved ones. Yet, Frankenstein agreed that he should suffer in order to save
humanity. At the same time, he risked not only his own life but also the lives of his loved ones
who were innocent of his creation. Mary Shelley illustrates the monster as being similar to a
baby. He was not used to the load sounds of the world, he could not bear looking at the light, and
he could not tell the difference between hot and cold. QUOTE.
Furthermore, he had to learn things like common sense and communication through the cottagers
who he could not have encountered them, since from the moment they saw his hideous face,
Felix grabbed a stick and just hit him. Moreover, he was being very good in the beginning, he
did not kill anyone even his desolate creator and was trying to be as friendly with people as much
as possible. He helped the cottagers in secret and saved the girl from drowning in secret as well.
Yet his deeds were not encountered with appreciation but with rejection. Mary Shelley also
emphasized how appearances usually influence the human perception of others. She uses the
characters, Agatha, Elizabeth, Felix, and Sofie, to explain how appearances do not refer always
to the inner beauty. All of these characters had inner virtue yet none of them just cared about the
monster’s feelings or even gives him the chance to speak.
Mary Shelley emphasizes the difference between free will and fate, through Frankenstein
described emotions. He says he cannot create another monster because that means that he is
risking the occurrence of world catastrophes, yet if he did, he would of have cared for his
monster like Adam and Eve, even if they were banished, they still had each other. After that, he
states that this is just fate for him to suffer for the peace of the world; he did not even satisfy that
since all his loved ones were killed. At the same time, he had the free will to create a weaker
creator in order to prevent world disasters. Therefore, since humans were represented with a
thinking mine, they should use it to make wise decisions and not just become passive about their
problematic situations, as Frankenstein did.
Shelley also indicates that Frankenstein’s father had not led him in the right direction when he
read the Agrippa. If only Victor's dad had taken the time to explain why Agrippa was not worth
reading instead of just muttering about the trash kids these days read, maybe the whole tragedy
would have been averted. Likewise, if Frankenstein had educated the monster about the roles of
humanity and communication skills, he would have prevented his own misery as well as the
monster’s misery. Yet, both of them had free will and both learned, if not knew, the good deeds
from the bad ones. In this case, Frankenstein knew more than his monster did and therefore,
ironically, the real monster of the story is Victor Frankenstein.
With all of the above reasons, there is an irony presented. Frankenstein, the most genius of his
time to created a monster and left him uneducated, and unloved. In contrast, his monster who
learned the langue of French by himself from the cottagers, wanted to compromise with him. His
monster wanted a partner, in order to get a part of what he desires such as love and compassion,
and at the same time, provide Frankenstein with the option of going back to his regular old life,
where he would not even remember how he created him.
In Frankenstein, beauty seems to take on a different perspective. DEFINE BEAUTY It is not
typical as portrayed by the movies and society. In society, physical/facial beauty is sometimes an
indicator of an inner beauty yet bec. one can never tell if the individual is a great person on the
inside, he/she tend to judge by the appearances. For example, Mary Shelley portrays the beauty
of nature even though it might be provocative such as lightning and thunder. As she states, "As I
[Frankensteein] stood at the door, on a sudden I beheld a stream of fire issue from an old and
beautiful oak which stood about twenty yards from our house... When we visited it the next
morning, we found the tree shattered in a singular manner. It was not splintered by the shock, but
entirely reduced to thin ribbons of wood. I never beheld anything so utterly destroyed" (2.9). He
also says, "During this short voyage I saw the lightning playing on the summit of Mont Blanc in
the most beautiful figures. The storm appeared to approach rapidly, and, on landing, I ascended a
low hill, that I might observe its progress. It advanced; the heavens were clouded, and I soon felt
the rain coming slowly in large drops, but its violence quickly increased." However, the beauty
in nature even when the oak tree is turned into ashes, leads to the assumption that the difference
between beauty and ugliness depends on the individual’s perspective and definition.
Mary Shelley uses the characters Justine and William to show the contrast of personalities even
though both look innocent and attractive. Justine is a good-natured woman who has nursed
William. As the text states, "Justine, you may remember, was a great favourite of yours; and I
recollect you once remarked that if you were in an ill humour, one glance from Justine could
dissipate it, for the same reason that Ariosto gives concerning the beauty of Angelica--she looked
so frank-hearted and happy (6.5) or "Justine has just returned to us; and I assure you I love her
tenderly. She is very clever and gentle, and extremely pretty; as I mentioned before, her mein
and her expression continually remind me of my dear aunt. (6.7) " In both quotes, Justine’s
actions are always reflected by her beauty.
William on the other hand, a child of nearly 6 years of age treated the monster with hatred, in
spite of his innocent face. As in the text, “I wish you could see him; [William] is very tall of his
age, with sweet laughing blue eyes, dark eyelashes, and curling hair. When he smiles, two little
dimples appear on each cheek, which are rosy with health. He has already had one or two little
WIVES, but Louisa Biron is his favourite, a pretty little girl of five years of age" (6.8). However,
when he meets the monster, his personality becomes revolting. As it is states, ' "He struggled
violently. `Let me go,' he cried; `monster! Ugly wretch! You wish to eat me and tear me to
pieces… Let me go, or I will tell my papa.'…"Hideous monster! Let me go. My papa is a
syndic—he is M. Frankenstein—he will punish you. You dare not keep me.' (16.27-29)'. Both of
these quotes reveal the contrast between William's appearance and his personality.
All of the above reasons emphasize that people judge by appearances especially towards the
monster despite his heroic actions. As the monster states, "As I fixed my eyes on the child, I saw
something glittering on his breast. I took it; it was a portrait of a most lovely woman. In spite of
my malignity, it softened and attracted me. For a few moments I gazed with delight on her dark
eyes, fringed by deep lashes, and her lovely lips; but presently my rage returned; I remembered
that I was forever deprived of the delights that such beautiful creatures could bestow and that she
whose resemblance I contemplated would, in regarding me, have changed that air of divine
benignity to one expressive of disgust and affright. (16.32)" The monster is upset that normal
people will not treat him with kindness merely because he is not attractive. As the monster tries
to be kind and does benevolent deeds, the people still judge him based on his appearance, even
when he saved the girl and provided the cottagers with wood and did Felix's chores around the
cottage. This also shows that he was partially good-natured, since he did not use his strength
against the human beings until he was tired of society's rejection toward him. As he states:
I was scarcely hid when a young girl came running towards the spot where I was
concealed, laughing, as if she ran from someone in sport… she fell into the rapid stream.
I rushed from my hiding-place and with extreme labour, from the force of the current,
saved her and dragged her to shore... I followed speedily, I hardly knew why; but when
the man saw me draw near, he aimed a gun, which he carried, at my body and fired. I
sank to the ground, and my injurer, with increased swiftness, escaped into the wood. This
was then the reward of my benevolence! I had saved a human being from destruction, and
as a recompense I now writhed under the miserable pain of a wound which shattered the
flesh and bone." (16.19-20)