Frankenstein by Mary Shelley was published amidst a world of changing views and religious uncertainty. Since this time, the novel has been adapted numerous times by novelists and filmmakers alike, each new version reflecting the values and demands of changed cultural and contextual ideals. The works I will be discussing today are Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus and Edward Scissorhands. Frankenstein is a science fiction novel written by Mary Shelley in 1816, of which contains many elements central to the gothic genre. Edward Scissorhands, is a fantasy romance film directed by Tim Burton, released in 1991. It is a parody of middle-class America with contextual influences from the 1950s and late 1980s, containing gothic overtones, symbolic …show more content…
This left Edward with a freakish appearance, accentuated by the scissor blades he had instead of hands. He is taken in by a suburban family, where he falls in love with teen daughter Kim. Here he is introduced to an entirely different world where he struggles to fit in due to his alien exterior and lack of social skills, resultant of being isolated for years. He becomes a beloved figure in the community until a tragic incident led to him being ostracized once again. Subsequent to watching the film I was able to understand multiple aspects within the novel, Frankenstein, at a deeper level. Thus, today I will be discussing the ways in which Edward Scissorhands allows new insights into the original text of Frankenstein; or, The Modern …show more content…
In the film, the inventor dedicated his work to creating baked goods through the use of complex machinery. One day he raises a heart-shaped cookie to a mechanism that resembles that of a human’s figure. This inspires the lonely scientist to manufacture an artificial being. This scenario is similar to that of Frankenstein, however here the scientist’s intention is to create a being that could experience love and be loved, whereas Victor Frankenstein is extremely egotistical and only endeavoured to build the Wretch for personal gain and accomplishment as well as endless respect in the scientific field. Unfortunately, Edward’s creator dies before he can finish him, leaving Edward incomplete and isolated for years, having an enormous impact on his social development, similar to that of the Wretch who’s neglect from Victor had the same influence, relative to his disregard for scientific responsibility and consequence of actions. Despite Edward’s creator’s warm intentions, he inadvertently created a being that suffered from loneliness and alienation, rejected by society. Both works emphasise the importance of empathy and the consequences of failing to show it, highlighting the significance associated with the creation of life and how such a feat plays God and messes with scientific boundaries that shouldn’t be crossed
It is clear by analysing these stories that both protagonists were first abandoned by their creator and then once again by society. Shelley and Burton both effectively incorporated the techniques of setting and mood to portray moments of abandonment in both Edward and the monster’s lives. Consistent within various chapters of the Frankenstein novel, are scenes of the monster wandering around alone in different environments, portraying him to be a creature disregarded and abandoned by society. The diverse use of both change in setting, and mood of language, effectively displays the moments of abandonment that the monster is experiencing and hence allows the audience tio sympathise with his emotions.
Edward Scissorhands uses Edwards's hands as symbolism for his inability ever to be normal and that he can never be close to anyone as he will only hurt them, such as when he saves Peg’s son but his hands cut into the child and it is believed he is attacking them. Meaning that as kind as he may be, his actions may still appear malicious. So, Edward will always be an outcast looked down upon and rejected by society. Likewise, Mary Shelley uses irony to highlight rejection. The creature from Frankenstein acts heroically but ‘when [a] man saw [the creature] draw near, he aimed a gun, which he carried, at [the creature’s] body and fired.’
This foreshadows that he will eventually be rejected by the community because of both his scissors and also because of how he would later be misunderstood for saving Kevin from being hit by a car. Edward was not the type of person to seek vengeance for the death of his creator but was doleful as a result of being both abandoned by his creator and rejected by the community. Mary Shelley and Tim Burton’s use of foreshadowing to hint to the viewer of future events which would later occur as a result of abandonment in Frankenstein and Edward
Compare and Contrasting Two Monster Stories A monster is a mythical creature with a ferocious physical appearance; it can either be partly animal and partly human. Examples of monster stories are Grendel and Frankenstein. Frankenstein is a story written by Mary Shelley.
Similarities of Frankenstein Over the upcoming pages I am going to explain some similarities of Frankenstein. The first one I would like to talk about is loneliness both the monster and Victor are lonely almost throughout the whole book.
When Frankenstein retells his childhood, he describes the positivity with, “My mother’s tender caresses and my father’s smile of benevolent pleasure” (20). Frankenstein enjoys an idyllic childhood, filled with support and care. In contrast, as the creature retells his story, he laments, “No father had watched my infant days, no mother had blessed me with smiles and caresses” (104). The “mother’s caresses” that Frankenstein relishes sharply differs from the creature’s “no father” and “no mother.” This contrast develops the personality of both characters.
Both characters experience trying circumstances that hasten their descent into darkness. Victor Frankenstein is motivated by his insatiable curiosity and desire to push science's boundaries, but his isolation from society and inability to deal with the effects of his creation ultimately lead to his tragic demise. He is troubled by the horrifying creature he has created and struggles with the moral ramifications of his actions. Similar to how Macbeth begins as a brave and obedient soldier, his meeting with the witches and Lady Macbeth's influence set off a chain of events that eventually drive him to murder and spiral into madness. Readers may identify with the difficult conditions that both characters find themselves in, even if they may not agree with their conduct, because of the pressures and circumstances that both characters must deal with on the
Is a creator responsible for the well being of their creation or is the creation responsible for its own happiness? There are various parallels in literature which help analyze Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, however arguably none of these prove such great worth than the Bible itself. Of these parallels, the idea of creator and creation, a concept which has been fantasized upon for centuries, proves to be the main point of comparison for these two texts. Despite Victor and his monster having some differences to God and Adam, they also have an overwhelming amount of similarities. These relationships demonstrate the importance for a creator and its creation to remain loyal to one another or punishment will occur.
Ever wanted to bring back someone that has passed away? Mary Shelley writes a novel called Frankenstein telling about the consequences of messing with life and death. She reveals that there are consequences to this. Victor Frankenstein bring the dead back to life but he can not face what he have created. Victor and his Creature have some similarities and differences which reveal messing with life or death can be dangerous.
Grendel in the novel is very different from the monster in Frankenstein because Grendel wants to and enjoys to humiliate and kill people, the monster in Frankenstein wants to be able to socialize with people without them getting frightened by his appearance. They are alike because they are both alone, they both frighten people with their looks, and they are not welcome in the human world. Grendel in the novel knows he is a fright to people, he is danger. He doesn’t seem to have a problem with that, but at the same time is not proud of it, either. He does like the pain of others, preferably king Hrothgar and his men.
Fortunately, Tim Burton touched basis on that intricate part of the underlying story. Although Edward Scissorhands is not a science fiction narrative in the way Frankenstein traditionally regarded it still shares the same theme and narrative elements. A scientist assembles an animated human being – the kind Edward. The scientist dies before he can finish assembling his creation leaving Edward instead he uses long sharp scissor blades instead of proper hands.
In the novel Frankenstein, the two main characters Victor Frankenstein, and the creature have many similarities. Just like a parent and their child share many interests, so do Victor and the creature. They each share the fate of isolation, have a similar desire for a loving family, and a thirst for knowledge. At the beginning of the novel Victor and the creature were both very different.
The story of a madly driven scientist who becomes afflicted by the life he produced from the dead, from which he discerns he is the true monster. In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein she captures how society forms this cliché of how appearance is a large factor of being accepted and loved. Shelly’s story was brought to film by Kenneth Branagh where there were a few similarities and numerous distortions. One of the main similarities between these two literature works, is Branagh’s film was still derived from Shelley’s original horror story. Branagh does deserve credit for having brought her work to a screen motion picture, through his artist perspective.
The fictional horror novel of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is driven by the accentuation of humanity’s flaws. Even at the very mention of her work an archetypal monster fills one’s imagination, coupled with visions of a crazed scientist to boot. Opening her novel with Robert Walton, the conduit of the story, he also serves as a character to parallel the protagonist’s in many ways. As the ‘protagonist’ of the story, Victor Frankenstein, takes on the mantle of the deluded scientist, his nameless creation becomes the embodiment of a truly abandoned child – one left to fend for itself against the harsh reality posed by society. On the other hand, Walton also serves as a foil to Victor – he is not compulsive enough to risk what would be almost
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein depicts the remarkable resemblance to the “modern” myth of Prometheus. The intertextuality used to connect these two stories, allow Shelley to bring out the most prominent themes of Power and suffering. As both of the characters deal differently with the struggle to resist the power that comes with creating life, the inevitable end for both characters are the same; they fall at the hands of their own creations. Shelley carefully utilizes the legend of Prometheus to express the connection between punishment and creation.