Theme: The Misery Caused by Loss During the novel several characters die, of different causes. Misery is also a main motif, while several personas gradually become more and more miserable. The loss of characters caused dreadful misery. For example, “grief and fear again overcame me” (52), which portrays the highly frail condition of Frankenstein. Even though he is the most visible and brightest example of misery, the whole family is suffering of the loss, in a more profound way, as Ernest describes, how in such a joyful event such as the reunion of Frankenstein and his family, “’tears instead of smiles will be your welcome’” (55). The loss of innocent William has had such an impact on the family, that now anything cheerful in life turns into …show more content…
Firstly, when Frankenstein receives the message of the death of his beloved brother, he falls into deep grief, and says to his friend Henry Clerval, that “’Even Cato wept over the dead body of his brother’” (51). Cato was a Roman statesman who was known for opposing emotional stress (“Cato the Younger”). Yet, when his brother died, he is miserable, and weeps over his brother. Frankenstein, derived from this reference, had a strong connection with his sibling. It might have been uncustomary to grieve that period, but Frankenstein’s misery overtakes his will not to grieve. Furthermore, when Frankenstein meets his monster while journeying, the ghoul states that despite the hatred between them, “’I ought to be thy Adam’” (73). This is a biblical allusion to the story of the world creation, and the story of Adam and Eve. Adam was the direct product of God. He was tempted to taste the knowledge fruits, but eventually averted his will. He also attempted to persuade Eve not to taste these fruits. At the end, however, God banished both of them from Heaven. In relation to Frankenstein, this means Frankenstein judged his monster, to which he was the blame, for deeds he did not do, regardless of the fact he himself was probably for the blame of most of them. Also, this means Frankenstein’s monster will adore Frankenstein no matter what happens, as he owes him his creation. The monster will always be the product of
Frankenstein is unable to provide love and comfort toward the monster, which make him feel revengeful toward his master Fiend blames Frankenstein for all misery he faces as his creator deserts him. In Frankenstein Marry Shelley conveys that the feeling of abandonment compels him to seek revenge against his creator. To start with, Frankenstein justifies that the monster is sensitive, but suffering enforces the him to be violent. The statement is true when you learn the monster request to his creator When creature see a beautiful woman sleeping on straw. The fiend appeals "you must create a female for me, with home I can live in the interchange of those sympathies for necessary for
The novel has two themes displayed through the novel. One theme is to never give up. Another theme is when an individual is scared to do something they can overcome
Based on the quote, every death takes a serious toll on him, and he knows they occurred because of him not warning his family of his creation (“nothing is more painful than the dead calmness of inaction...”), yet all he does is continue with the secrets. This habit of his is a major character flaw that eventually results in his total isolation, but began with Frankenstein's chosen isolation early
Throughout Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, a great comparison is shown between Victor Frankenstein, the main character, and Prometheus, one of Greek mythology’s greatest Gods. Shelley borrows from the tale of Prometheus a consequence resulting from searching for a great source of enlightenment and power. In creating a being and giving it life, Frankenstein seems to take on the remarkable role of God which leads him to thinking that a power that is so heavenly cannot be played with by mankind. During his quest to expand his creative knowledge, abilities, drive, and ambition to know the origin of life, he puts himself in conflict. Frankenstein gambled his way into the godly realm without realizing he committed a sin by creating the monster, and
Frankenstein: From Benevolent to Feind “I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend.” (Shelley 69) Said by Frankenstein’s monster, this quote truly defines him: initially an affectionate, love-seeking creature, he transformed into an enraged killer, angry at humanity for the undeservedly poor way he was treated. Victor Frankenstein is an unique, complex individual who encounters a similar change of nature for similar reasons. The quote—though spoken by the monster—encapsulates the evolution of Victor Frankenstein’s personality; misery—a product of isolation and loneliness—aroused a deterioration of temperament from an initially benevolent Frankenstein.
Frankenstein did not take into account the feelings of the creature. Frankenstein wanted to be the first to create the life, but did not think ahead. His initial ambition is to help the people, and perhaps his creation will benefit the humankind, however, he lets his ambition take over, and does not think of what the creature will act like or do. He creates the creature but only to suffer and in return he suffers as well. Frankenstein’s actions to not take care of the creature causes the death of those around him.
After successfully creating the monster, Frankenstein is perplexed by what he has created. Due to the monster’s annoyance with Frankenstein, he acts back against Frankenstein mostly due to his lack of parenting and responsibility. Shelley’s novel strongly connects with the act of parenting. It is clear that Victor Frankenstein did not complete his role as a parent. Due to this, it further led the monster to misbehave and feel as if he does not have a purpose in life.
Valverde 1 Joseph Valverde Mr. John Salmon Ap Literature October 2014 Volume 2 - Chapter 1: Victor Frankenstein is going through great sorrow and grief as his conscience cannot handle the guilt caused by the death of the innocent Justine. He “wandered like an evil spirit” (Shelley 103) as he was unable to conceive peace. This state of mind preyed upon [his] health” (Shelley 103) as he was unable to cope with the present events and his guilt, this marks the mood at his part of the novel as that of despair and of regret. . Victor is then taken to Belrive in order to find peace, there he pondered about the outcome caused by his actions.
The moment Victor Frankenstein successfully infuses life into his creation he is overcome with horror and disgust. Without further examination he is certain to have created a monster, not a human being (Shelley 35-36). However, despite his grotesque appearance, Frankenstein’s creature was not born malicious. During the first stages of his existence, unbeknownst to Frankenstein himself, his acts are motivated by innocence and virtue, which even earns him the title “good spirit” (79). Frankenstein did not create a monster.
The creature introspects, “Of my creation and creator I was absolutely ignorant… I was, besides, induced with a figure hideously deformed and loathsome; I was not even the same nature as man.” (Shelley 107) The creation’s self-loathing is a common symptom demonstrated by abused children (Hosier). Frankenstein’s creation suffers from arrested emotional development because of the abuse.
The first major cause of suffering in Victor’s life was when he received a letter from his father and the letter entailed that his youngest brother, William has been murdered by being strangled to death. The Frankenstein family had been taking an evening stroll in Plainpalais and had extended their walk
But these are not thoughts befitting me; I will endeavour to resign myself cheerfully to death, and will indulge a hope of meeting you in another world”(24). Victor shows the strong love of family in his childhood “No human being could have passed a happier childhood than [me]. My parents were possessed by the very spirit of kindness and indulgence” (Shelley,40), he raised with excellent conditions and with parents who loved their children, but we do not see that Victor gives this love to his creature and ignored him, notwithstanding the fact that the two figures shared many characteristics. As a result of Frankenstein 's darkness and ignorance toward his creature, he refused to accept the monster because of his physical appearance and Frankenstein sees the creature as if he were the monster when the creature
The monsters revenge on Frankenstein, drives him too to be full of hatred and need for vengeance because he destroyed everything good in his life. He feels as the death of his loved ones is his fault because he is the one that created the horrid creature in the first place (Brackett). “As time passed away I became more calm; misery had her dwelling in my heart, but I no longer talked in the same incoherent manner of my own crimes; sufficient for me was the consciousness of them” (Shelley 158). The monster wanted Victor to feel the same thing as him, lonely and sadness. The monsters revenge works, Victor becomes rejected by people and has nobody but himself.
In many novels symbolism functions as a way to reveal much of what is intended for the reader to understand about characters and the work as a whole. Symbols can be ideas, objects, or actions that constitute multiple interpretations or meanings. This is also true for many older novels including Frankenstein. Throughout the gothic fiction novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the use of symbolism and the role it partakes in the entirety of the story signifies its importance. There are many symbols throughout the novel some including light and fire, the creation story, and exploration.
The most shared emotion in Frankenstein is loneliness. Robert, the seafarer, writes in letters to his sister Margret: "You may deem me romantic, my dear sister, but I bitterly feel the want of a friend". This feeling of loneliness despite