Frankenstein or the Monster? (Frankenstein by Mary Shelley) Essay

In Mary Shelleys novel Frankenstein, the of import piece headmaster Frankenstein, becomes obsessed with the notion of bringing a adult male being to life. The result is the conception of a ogre only k this instantn to us as the heller. The monster is hideous, and is therefore spurned by Victor and by ball club to fend for himself. He soon commits many murders, as a result of his dejection, including Frankensteins younger brother, best friend and newly wed wife. He also luck up the killing of Justine. Frankenstein created the monster and then spurned him, but it was the monster who actually did the killings, who was to blame.To start sour with there ar obvious similarities between Frankenstein and his psychiatric hospital, both fork up been isolated, and both start out with bully intentions. However, Frankensteins ego conquers his humanity in his search for god-like powers. The monster is nothing but gentle until society rejects him and makes him an outcast on account of his deformities. The monster is to a greater extent sympathetic than his own creator because his immoral kit and boodle are committed in response to societys corruption, tour Frankensteins evil give out begins from his own selfishness.Frankenstein and the monster are abandoned by their creators at a young age, Frankenstein is left without his get under ones skin after her death, and the monster is rejected by Frankenstein. Frankenstein and the monster are also similar in that they are isolated and outcasts of society. Frankenstein is most likely an outcast when he consumes himself in work and is isolated when the monster kills those he loves, and the monster is obviously isolated as an ugly, deformed outcast of society. Therefore Frankenstein reckonms less human than the monster, he displays this by deserting the monster, declining to visit his family for two years and by declining to save Justine. Frankenstein starts out with good intentions, he is scarcely seeking to gai n knowledge of natural beliefs. Soon, his greed for god-like power overcomes him and he becomes consumed with the idea of creating life, Summer months passed while I was thus engaged, flavor and soul, in one pursuit (32).The monster also starts out with kindness, he tells his creator, Believe me, Frankenstein I was benevolent, my soul glowed with love and humanity but am I not alone, miserably alone? (66). However, after society refuses to accept him based on personal appearance, the monster becomes angry. The monster has an raise capacity to love as rat be seen in his admiration for the peasants, The monsters thoughts now became more active, and he longed to discover the motives and feelings of these lovely monsters he thought, that it might be in his power to set up happiness to these deserving people (77). The monsters display of care and compassion for the cottagers is more humane than most humans are. He retains the innocence and naive characteristics of a child. The monste rs grasp of human-like qualities allows the ref to possess sympathy for his situation, he is a victim and Frankenstein is to blame.A true monster would, by definition, fork out no emotions or remorse, while Frankensteins creation has a very natural, human desire to be loved and accepted, Once the monster falsely hoped to meet with beings, who, pardoning his outward form, would love him for the excellent qualities which he was capable of bringing forth(154). Another human characteristic that the monster holds is his conscience, as can be seen at the end of the book after Frankenstein dies. The monster tells Walton, It is true that I am a wretch. I switch murdered the lovely and the helpless, I have strangled the innocent as they sleptYou hate me, but your detestation cannot equal that with which I regard myself (155). Compassion, solicitude, desire to be accepted, and guilt are all very human emotions and characteristics that the monster displays.While Frankenstein is consumed in his work, he feels none of the emotions that the monster feels in his world-class years of life, Victor says of himself, Winter, spring, and summer, passed away during my labours, but I did not watch the blossom or the expanding leaves- sights which before always yielded me despotic delight, so deeply was I engrossed in my occupation (33). Frankenstein is obsessed with holding god-like powers, I ceased to fear or to bend before any being less almighty than that which had created and ruled the elements (78). At some(prenominal) points in the book Victor has the chance to prevent harm being done to others, but for each one time he is onlyconcerned with himself. It is ambiguous, but Victor could have warned the family, or gone to cheer innocent little William. More obviously, he could have spoken up about the monster and saved the life of Justine.Instead, Frankenstein chooses to let Justine die and wallow in his own guilt, Anguish and despair had penetrated into the core of hi s heart (57). After the monsters threat, Victor is concerned only about his own life and fails to see the threat to his bride Elizabeth. Victor is weak in love, he has difficulty expressing his feelings and controlling his impulses, and he is self-cantered. Many contrasts can be made between Mary Shelleys Frankenstein and Miltons Paradise Lost. Victors character is paralleled directly with Satans, both succumb to selfishness when they fall. Much like Satan, Victor is forced to carry his fretfulness with him constantly, Frankenstein bore a hell within himself which nothing could extinguish (57).The monster is a portrayal of evenings role in Paradise Lost. The monster is persuaded by the behaviour of others to take his fall into wickedness, more than like Eve was pushed by the serpent to eat the forbidden fruit. Shelley blatantly makes this comparison when Frankenstein gets a first glance of himself in a scene that mirrors Eves first look at herself. The monster tells Victor, I was terrified when I viewed myself in a transparent pool At first I stared back, unable to believe that it was indeed I who was reflected in the mirror, and when I became fully convinced that I was in reality the monster that I am, I was filled with the bitterest sensations of despondence and mortification (108). Despite their similarities, Victor and his creation differ greatly. Only after rejection does the monster turn to evil, while Victor acts out of greed. Victors self-centred behaviour affects everyone in the novel, he hurts his familys feelings, he lets those that he loves die, and abandons his own creation. Even the monster couldnt have committed such horrible acts before the effects of societys rejection.Frankenstein is in general to blame for what happened in the novel because he created the monster and then rejected it. If he had shown the monster more fatherly care, the monster would have been more kindly disposed towards the human race. We see the monsters admiration of the human race at first, withthe De Lacey family, but you can imagine how he must have felt, being excluded from any activity in the world involving humans. The fact that it is Frankensteins fault is portrayed in the monsters innocence and naivety early on. The monster however, did refuse to show human qualities in his mass murdering, he showed no guilt until the end of the book, when he realised what he had done.Frankenstein himself had many opportunities to stoppage what happened in the book, for instance by finishing off the monsters female companion. He had a chance to stop Justines death, but instead wallowed in his own misery. It is clear that although the monster showed abundant brutality with little guilt and did actually commit the crimes, Frankenstein is to blame for what happened in the book because he created the monster, rejected him, and failed to stop the events which resulted, although he had a chance.