Appearance VS Reality
Victor Frankenstein is normal and human and has nothing gruesome about his features, but on the inside he is the opposite. Frankenstein created a being and neglected it right after it came to life. He was harsh towards the creature throughout the novel because even when the creature wanted to look for peace with a companion, Frankenstein wouldn't grant this wish. In contrast, the creature was gruesome and ugly on the outside but had more of a humane nature than Frankenstein did. The creature was kind and gentle before Frankenstein's actions caused him to change his heart and look for revenge upon every being.
The setting can also be used to portray this theme. The mountains that the creature had found a safe haven in were beautiful from the outside but within the walls of the caves in the mountain, it wasn't very comfortable to resourceful. The creature, being better than humans, still faced hardships within the mountains, showing how harsh even nature was to the creature.
Revenge
The theme of revenge becomes apparent in the last few chapters of the novel. The first time we begin to see this theme is with the creature that Victor had created. The creature asked Victor to create a companion for him so that he wouldn't be lonely in a world that everyone hated him in. Victor began creating his, the creature's, companion but then aborted his new creation. This event caused rage and hatred in the creature's heart. The creature then swore revenge upon Victor. In the novel, he said " You can blast my other passions, but revenge remains - revenge, henceforth dearer than light or food!" (155). The comparison of revenge to food and light showed how the creature could now not live without it.
Later on, when the creature killed Elizabeth, Victor's love, Victor declared that he would then hunt down the creature because of the crime he had committed.
Nature VS Nurture
The theme of nature VS nurture can be seen through the character of the creature and Victor Frankenstein. It can be argued that Victor's downfall is because of nature because he grew up in a house hold where the people of the home loved each other and others. For example, Justine was not a family member but she was treated well and Elizabeth was adopted but was given the families love. Victor should have taken care of and loved the creature if his personality was based upon his nurture, but he was disgusted and abandoned the creature shortly after creating it. The creature's downfall however seems to be due to nurture. Naturally, the creature was born and wakened with calm and loving feelings towards other beings. Through the creature's various experiences in the world and with other human beings, he learned to hate. A child he encountered had screamed and called him a "hideous monster" (117). This shows how even a being that is innocent and completely unaware of prejudice was capable of calling the creature hideous. The human beings treated him in a cruel way so he began hating them in return. \
Power of Temptations
This theme is evident through Victor Frankenstein's character. Victor Frankenstein was tempted by his knowledge and want for fame and fortune, the result of this temptation was the creation of a being that no one could stand and didn't belong in the world. His temptations made him challenge God in which he failed.
Intentions
In the novel, Victor Frankenstein's intentions when creating the creature were to gain fame and fortune. He wanted to create a being better than any other human being ever created. The intentions cost him because they were not good intentions to start with. He wanted to play the role of God and create something better than even God had created. Victor's intentions led him to create his creature but the intentions had cost him numerous lives.
Passive women
Women in the novel were not given much of a role. All women in the novel seemed to portray the same role of innocent daughters, mothers and/or wives. Women were to stay home, cook and clean, take care of the children and do everything the husband or man of the house ordered her to. Mary Shelly had to go through problems when she was trying to publish Frankenstein and had to get it published under a man because she was denied any right to publish her novel.This showed how she had to be dependent on a man just to have her work published. Women at the time were seen as possessions for men, protected by men and only useful when they carried out tasks of the house, such as taking care of children, cooking and cleaning. In Frankenstein, Caroline Frankenstein is portrayed as the perfect daughter, wife and mother. Caroline works only when her father falls ill and when he begins to worsen, she has to stop bringing in money and had to stay home to take care of her father because that was what was expected of her. After her father’s death, she is taken in by Alphonse, her father’s friend. He "rescues” her and eventually marries her, showing how she couldn't save herself and had to give in to marrying a man in order to survive. She was never given a real role in Frankenstein because she went from being the daughter of a man, who had to marry another man to survive and eventually became a mother of two boys before she adopted Elizabeth.
Justine is tossed back and forth between her family and the Frankensteins. Although she took care of the Frankensteins she was wrongfully accused of murdering William Frankenstein. Elizabeth had said during Justine’s trial, “She nursed Madame Frankenstein, my aunt, i her last illness, with the greatest affection and care, and afterwards attended her own mother during a tedious illness…” (72) Even though Justine’s mother had cast her out of her own home, Justine had attended to her during her illness and did not seem to hold any grudge against anything. When Justine was framed for the murder of William, she said, “God knows how entirely I am innocent. But I do not pretend that me protestations should acquit me; I rest my innocence on a plain and simple explanation of the facts…” (65). She explains how she completely and entirely helpless to save herself from the punishment of a crime she did not commit.
Another example is Elizabeth. Elizabeth was taken in by the Frankensteins at a very young age. When she was brought into their home, Caroline had said, “I have a pretty present for my Victor - Tomorrow he shall have it.” (27) This shows us how from the very beginning, Elizabeth was seen as a possession and a gift. She was a woman who took care of the house and the family. In the end of the novel she became another victim of the monster that Victor, the man who was supposed to love and protect her. Throughout her life with the Frankensteins, she brought an air of happiness only to be murdered by a creation of one those she cared about.
Dangerous Knowledge
Victor wanted to create something beyond human capacity and wasn't able to recognize human limits. He possessed knowledge that he could have used to make the world a better place, but rather he used this knowledge to gain fame and fortune and therefore didn't set any limits to his creation. His creation ended up being the reason of destruction in Victor's life. Victor told Walton that "It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn" (30). This knowledge that he later on received became the reason of all of his troubles.
Robert Walton was also on an expedition to gain more knowledge of what might be beyond anything that any other man ever discovered. He wants to discover lands that have never been visited by man. This was before he met Victor, but after hearing Victor's story, Walton does not give up until his crew asked him to turn around.
The creature also experienced the dangers of knowledge. He was so excited to learn the language that others could understand and he wanted to understand human emotions. He wanted to learn different things to fit in with society but later on realized that no matter what he learned, he couldn't like everyone else. Instead, this backfires and he begins searching for revenge.
Prejudice
Nearly every human character in the story thinks that the monster must be
dangerous based on its outward appearance, but in reality, the monster is
(originally) warm and open-hearted. Several times, the monster finds himself
assaulted and rejected by entire villages and families despite his attempts to
convey his kind intentions. The only character who accepts the monster is a blind
man, De Lacey, feels that the monster is right that mankind is barbaric, and
blinded by its own prejudice.
Lost Innocence
As a young man, Victor leaves for university with high hopes and ambitions.
His goal is to explore "unknown powers" and enlighten all of humanity to the
"mysteries of creation," but his success and his pride brings an end to his innocence.
He creates a monster that reflects back to him with many flaws within people
(want for love, a tendency toward violence, and a need for justice and
revenge) and also himself, he shows prejudice based on appearance. Later,
Victor's cruel "un-innocent" behaviour also ruins the monster's innocence.
Victor and the monster's losses of innocence lead to the deaths
of William, Justine, Elizabeth, and Henry, all characters that are portrayed as
gentle, kind, and innocent. The story shows that innocence will be either lost or
destroyed by the harsh reality of human nature.
Family, Society, Isolation
When Victor was studying, he removed himself from human society, and
therefore lost sight of his responsibilities and the consequences of his actions. The
monster turns violent, not because it's evil, but because its isolation fills it with
overwhelming hate and anger. The story shows that isolation from family and
society as the worst imaginable fate, and the cause of hatred, violence, and
revenge.
Sublime Nature
Depressed and sad after the deaths of William and Justine, for which he feels
responsible, Victor goes to the mountains to feel better. After a winter of cold and
abandonment, the monster feels his heart lighten as spring comes. The influence
of nature on mood is shown throughout the novel, but for Victor, the natural
world’s power to console him ruins when he realizes that the monster will haunt
him no matter where he goes.
Monstrosity
Eight feet tall and ugly, the monster is rejected by society. But, his monstrosity
results not only from his appearance but also from the unnatural manner of his
creation, which includes the secretive use of a mix of stolen body parts and
strange chemicals. The monster is only the literal monster within the story, but
the knowledge that Victor used to create the monster can also be an example.
The knowledge was dangerous. In some cases, Victor himself is a kind of monster,
as his ambition, secrecy, and selfishness distance him from human society.
Although he is ordinary on the outside, he may be the true “monster” on the
inside, as he is eventually hated by his creation.
Secrecy
Victor thinks of science as a mystery to be solved. Its secrets once discovered,
should be jealously guarded. Victor’s entire obsession with creating life is
surrounded in secrecy, because he creating the monster is a secret. Also, the
materials used to create the monster were also secretly taken. And his obsession
with destroying the monster remains a secret until Walton hears his tale.
Religion VS Science
In the beginning of the story “Paradise Lost” is talked about. The Monster
compares himself to Adam and Satan. “I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather
the fallen angel…” (p.106). The monster also compares his creator, Victor as God.
When Victor made Frankenstein, for an outbreak in science technology, he
wanted a companion that would obey him and would be good too. Victor didn't
create this monster to kill everybody. He wanted a friend because he was lonely.
When he made the monster, he would've never expected it to kill all
these people. After the Monster killed everyone, Victor has regret and wishes he
never created this creature. He thought it would be like a normal human in
the way he designed him.
Victor tried creating the monster for the good of his own sake and for the sake of
science. He doesn't deserve to be held accountable for the murders in this story
The Monster should be accountable because he is a being and has his own brain
so he can think for himself. Victor should not be rewarded for making the
creature that killed people, but he should not be punished for the Monsters
actions.
Romanticism and Nature
Romantic writers portrayed nature as the greatest and most perfect thing in the
universe and used words like "sublime" (as Mary Shelley herself does in describing
Mont Blanc in Frankenstein). Victor describes people as "half made up." The
meaning is clear: human beings have many concerns and have countless flaws
such as vanity and prejudice, quite pale in comparison to nature's perfection.
QUESTIONS
1) What caused the monster to seek revenge from Victor?
2) Why were the people scared of the monster,even if he tried to show kindness?
3) Give one example of how knowledge is dangerous in this novel?
4) If the monster had a loving family, would that have prevented all the tragedies from happening?
5) What was felt about women in the book? How were they portrayed?
6) Why is it important to have good intentions to start with?
7) Why are Elizabeth, William, Henry and Justine examples of lost of innocence?
Victor Frankenstein is normal and human and has nothing gruesome about his features, but on the inside he is the opposite. Frankenstein created a being and neglected it right after it came to life. He was harsh towards the creature throughout the novel because even when the creature wanted to look for peace with a companion, Frankenstein wouldn't grant this wish. In contrast, the creature was gruesome and ugly on the outside but had more of a humane nature than Frankenstein did. The creature was kind and gentle before Frankenstein's actions caused him to change his heart and look for revenge upon every being.
The setting can also be used to portray this theme. The mountains that the creature had found a safe haven in were beautiful from the outside but within the walls of the caves in the mountain, it wasn't very comfortable to resourceful. The creature, being better than humans, still faced hardships within the mountains, showing how harsh even nature was to the creature.
Revenge
The theme of revenge becomes apparent in the last few chapters of the novel. The first time we begin to see this theme is with the creature that Victor had created. The creature asked Victor to create a companion for him so that he wouldn't be lonely in a world that everyone hated him in. Victor began creating his, the creature's, companion but then aborted his new creation. This event caused rage and hatred in the creature's heart. The creature then swore revenge upon Victor. In the novel, he said " You can blast my other passions, but revenge remains - revenge, henceforth dearer than light or food!" (155). The comparison of revenge to food and light showed how the creature could now not live without it.
Later on, when the creature killed Elizabeth, Victor's love, Victor declared that he would then hunt down the creature because of the crime he had committed.
Nature VS Nurture
The theme of nature VS nurture can be seen through the character of the creature and Victor Frankenstein. It can be argued that Victor's downfall is because of nature because he grew up in a house hold where the people of the home loved each other and others. For example, Justine was not a family member but she was treated well and Elizabeth was adopted but was given the families love. Victor should have taken care of and loved the creature if his personality was based upon his nurture, but he was disgusted and abandoned the creature shortly after creating it. The creature's downfall however seems to be due to nurture. Naturally, the creature was born and wakened with calm and loving feelings towards other beings. Through the creature's various experiences in the world and with other human beings, he learned to hate. A child he encountered had screamed and called him a "hideous monster" (117). This shows how even a being that is innocent and completely unaware of prejudice was capable of calling the creature hideous. The human beings treated him in a cruel way so he began hating them in return. \
Power of Temptations
This theme is evident through Victor Frankenstein's character. Victor Frankenstein was tempted by his knowledge and want for fame and fortune, the result of this temptation was the creation of a being that no one could stand and didn't belong in the world. His temptations made him challenge God in which he failed.
Intentions
In the novel, Victor Frankenstein's intentions when creating the creature were to gain fame and fortune. He wanted to create a being better than any other human being ever created. The intentions cost him because they were not good intentions to start with. He wanted to play the role of God and create something better than even God had created. Victor's intentions led him to create his creature but the intentions had cost him numerous lives.
Passive women
Women in the novel were not given much of a role. All women in the novel seemed to portray the same role of innocent daughters, mothers and/or wives. Women were to stay home, cook and clean, take care of the children and do everything the husband or man of the house ordered her to. Mary Shelly had to go through problems when she was trying to publish Frankenstein and had to get it published under a man because she was denied any right to publish her novel.This showed how she had to be dependent on a man just to have her work published. Women at the time were seen as possessions for men, protected by men and only useful when they carried out tasks of the house, such as taking care of children, cooking and cleaning. In Frankenstein, Caroline Frankenstein is portrayed as the perfect daughter, wife and mother. Caroline works only when her father falls ill and when he begins to worsen, she has to stop bringing in money and had to stay home to take care of her father because that was what was expected of her. After her father’s death, she is taken in by Alphonse, her father’s friend. He "rescues” her and eventually marries her, showing how she couldn't save herself and had to give in to marrying a man in order to survive. She was never given a real role in Frankenstein because she went from being the daughter of a man, who had to marry another man to survive and eventually became a mother of two boys before she adopted Elizabeth.
Justine is tossed back and forth between her family and the Frankensteins. Although she took care of the Frankensteins she was wrongfully accused of murdering William Frankenstein. Elizabeth had said during Justine’s trial, “She nursed Madame Frankenstein, my aunt, i her last illness, with the greatest affection and care, and afterwards attended her own mother during a tedious illness…” (72) Even though Justine’s mother had cast her out of her own home, Justine had attended to her during her illness and did not seem to hold any grudge against anything. When Justine was framed for the murder of William, she said, “God knows how entirely I am innocent. But I do not pretend that me protestations should acquit me; I rest my innocence on a plain and simple explanation of the facts…” (65). She explains how she completely and entirely helpless to save herself from the punishment of a crime she did not commit.
Another example is Elizabeth. Elizabeth was taken in by the Frankensteins at a very young age. When she was brought into their home, Caroline had said, “I have a pretty present for my Victor - Tomorrow he shall have it.” (27) This shows us how from the very beginning, Elizabeth was seen as a possession and a gift. She was a woman who took care of the house and the family. In the end of the novel she became another victim of the monster that Victor, the man who was supposed to love and protect her. Throughout her life with the Frankensteins, she brought an air of happiness only to be murdered by a creation of one those she cared about.
Dangerous Knowledge
Victor wanted to create something beyond human capacity and wasn't able to recognize human limits. He possessed knowledge that he could have used to make the world a better place, but rather he used this knowledge to gain fame and fortune and therefore didn't set any limits to his creation. His creation ended up being the reason of destruction in Victor's life. Victor told Walton that "It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn" (30). This knowledge that he later on received became the reason of all of his troubles.
Robert Walton was also on an expedition to gain more knowledge of what might be beyond anything that any other man ever discovered. He wants to discover lands that have never been visited by man. This was before he met Victor, but after hearing Victor's story, Walton does not give up until his crew asked him to turn around.
The creature also experienced the dangers of knowledge. He was so excited to learn the language that others could understand and he wanted to understand human emotions. He wanted to learn different things to fit in with society but later on realized that no matter what he learned, he couldn't like everyone else. Instead, this backfires and he begins searching for revenge.
Prejudice
Nearly every human character in the story thinks that the monster must be
dangerous based on its outward appearance, but in reality, the monster is
(originally) warm and open-hearted. Several times, the monster finds himself
assaulted and rejected by entire villages and families despite his attempts to
convey his kind intentions. The only character who accepts the monster is a blind
man, De Lacey, feels that the monster is right that mankind is barbaric, and
blinded by its own prejudice.
Lost Innocence
As a young man, Victor leaves for university with high hopes and ambitions.
His goal is to explore "unknown powers" and enlighten all of humanity to the
"mysteries of creation," but his success and his pride brings an end to his innocence.
He creates a monster that reflects back to him with many flaws within people
(want for love, a tendency toward violence, and a need for justice and
revenge) and also himself, he shows prejudice based on appearance. Later,
Victor's cruel "un-innocent" behaviour also ruins the monster's innocence.
Victor and the monster's losses of innocence lead to the deaths
of William, Justine, Elizabeth, and Henry, all characters that are portrayed as
gentle, kind, and innocent. The story shows that innocence will be either lost or
destroyed by the harsh reality of human nature.
Family, Society, Isolation
When Victor was studying, he removed himself from human society, and
therefore lost sight of his responsibilities and the consequences of his actions. The
monster turns violent, not because it's evil, but because its isolation fills it with
overwhelming hate and anger. The story shows that isolation from family and
society as the worst imaginable fate, and the cause of hatred, violence, and
revenge.
Sublime Nature
Depressed and sad after the deaths of William and Justine, for which he feels
responsible, Victor goes to the mountains to feel better. After a winter of cold and
abandonment, the monster feels his heart lighten as spring comes. The influence
of nature on mood is shown throughout the novel, but for Victor, the natural
world’s power to console him ruins when he realizes that the monster will haunt
him no matter where he goes.
Monstrosity
Eight feet tall and ugly, the monster is rejected by society. But, his monstrosity
results not only from his appearance but also from the unnatural manner of his
creation, which includes the secretive use of a mix of stolen body parts and
strange chemicals. The monster is only the literal monster within the story, but
the knowledge that Victor used to create the monster can also be an example.
The knowledge was dangerous. In some cases, Victor himself is a kind of monster,
as his ambition, secrecy, and selfishness distance him from human society.
Although he is ordinary on the outside, he may be the true “monster” on the
inside, as he is eventually hated by his creation.
Secrecy
Victor thinks of science as a mystery to be solved. Its secrets once discovered,
should be jealously guarded. Victor’s entire obsession with creating life is
surrounded in secrecy, because he creating the monster is a secret. Also, the
materials used to create the monster were also secretly taken. And his obsession
with destroying the monster remains a secret until Walton hears his tale.
Religion VS Science
In the beginning of the story “Paradise Lost” is talked about. The Monster
compares himself to Adam and Satan. “I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather
the fallen angel…” (p.106). The monster also compares his creator, Victor as God.
When Victor made Frankenstein, for an outbreak in science technology, he
wanted a companion that would obey him and would be good too. Victor didn't
create this monster to kill everybody. He wanted a friend because he was lonely.
When he made the monster, he would've never expected it to kill all
these people. After the Monster killed everyone, Victor has regret and wishes he
never created this creature. He thought it would be like a normal human in
the way he designed him.
Victor tried creating the monster for the good of his own sake and for the sake of
science. He doesn't deserve to be held accountable for the murders in this story
The Monster should be accountable because he is a being and has his own brain
so he can think for himself. Victor should not be rewarded for making the
creature that killed people, but he should not be punished for the Monsters
actions.
Romanticism and Nature
Romantic writers portrayed nature as the greatest and most perfect thing in the
universe and used words like "sublime" (as Mary Shelley herself does in describing
Mont Blanc in Frankenstein). Victor describes people as "half made up." The
meaning is clear: human beings have many concerns and have countless flaws
such as vanity and prejudice, quite pale in comparison to nature's perfection.
QUESTIONS
1) What caused the monster to seek revenge from Victor?
2) Why were the people scared of the monster,even if he tried to show kindness?
3) Give one example of how knowledge is dangerous in this novel?
4) If the monster had a loving family, would that have prevented all the tragedies from happening?
5) What was felt about women in the book? How were they portrayed?
6) Why is it important to have good intentions to start with?
7) Why are Elizabeth, William, Henry and Justine examples of lost of innocence?
QUESTIONS
1) What caused the monster to seek revenge from Victor?
2) Why were the people scared of the monster,even if he tried to show kindness?
3) Give one example of how knowledge is dangerous in this novel?
4) If the monster had a loving family, would that have prevented all the tragedies from happening?
5) What was felt about women in the book? How were they portrayed?
6) Why is it important to have good intentions to start with?
7) Why are Elizabeth, William, Henry and Justine examples of lost of innocence?
1) What caused the monster to seek revenge from Victor?
2) Why were the people scared of the monster,even if he tried to show kindness?
3) Give one example of how knowledge is dangerous in this novel?
4) If the monster had a loving family, would that have prevented all the tragedies from happening?
5) What was felt about women in the book? How were they portrayed?
6) Why is it important to have good intentions to start with?
7) Why are Elizabeth, William, Henry and Justine examples of lost of innocence?