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Edgar Sawtelle And Frankenstein Comparison

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1. Throughout the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, there is a paradox between how humans treat the creature and how the creature thinks of them before knowing the history of mankind. The creature thinks of humans in an idealistic and superior manner that causes it to aspire to be similar to and accepted by them. Despite the fact that humans repeatedly treat the monster in inhumane ways and judge it by its appearance first and foremost, the monster still has hope for the best in humanity. When the monster first encounters the family in the cottage, it “admired the perfect forms” and “longed to discover the motives and feelings of these lovely creatures” (113). Although previous experiences with humans are negative and demeaning, the monster is wonderstruck by the idea and presence of human life. However, the monster's opinion regarding mankind changes after he studies human history. The creature comes to the conclusion that humans lack humanity and sympathy for others despite being human themselves. After hearing the inhumane and violent history of mankind, the monster “turned away with disgust and loathing” (118). It becomes confused by the paradox, wondering how humans can be “so virtuous and magnificent, yet so …show more content…

In some aspects, Frankenstein is similar to The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. In both novels, playing God plays a key role in the storylines and has a significant impact on the characters. In Frankenstein, Victor tries to play God by creating life. However, this action winds up hurting him, since his abandoned creation seeks revenge on him for the injustice he causes in the monster's life. It is clear that Victor can not handle the responsibility of playing God, since shortly after finally creating the monster, “breathless horror and disgust filled my heart” and he is “unable to endure the aspect of the being” he creates. By abandoning his creation and having a mental breakdown, Victor demonstrates that he is mentally unable to handle playing

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Throughout Frankenstein, Shelley uses Victor to warn the reader of the dangers of aspiring to godliness, and the consequences one faces in the aftermath doing so, even going as far as to compare Victor to Satan, tempting the crew of Walton’s ship, in the book’s final pages. The Victor Shelley creates is very similar to the Satan created by Milton in his book, Paradise Lost, which explores the biblical tale of Adam and Eve. In Frankenstein, Victor speaks of his desire to create the Creature, saying, “I deemed it criminal to throw away in useless grief those talents that might be useful to my fellow-creatures.” (152). Shelley’s diction choices, such as the word “useless” exemplify Victor’s excessive hubris, portraying him as a man who creates his Creature for, in his mind, the good of society.

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Who Is The Monster In Chapter 15 Of Frankenstein

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The Creature's Acquisition Of Knowledge In Frankenstein

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In Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, the creature 's acquisition of knowledge leads to his diversion from benevolence to pure hatred towards mankind. The works of Victor Frankenstein, the monster was created by old body parts and strange chemicals, animated by a spark making him come to life. The Creature enters life as an eight-foot giant only to have been created with the intellect of a newborn. Abandoned by his creator and confused, the Creature attempts to integrate himself into society only to be shunned away in disgust by humanity. The Creature then makes his way and lives next to a human family which is essentially the start for the creatures detestation towards humanity.

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Prometheus And Frankenstein Comparison Essay

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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

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Victor Frankenstein Playing God Analysis

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Is Victor the Ruling God? One does not simply “play God” in this world, that role is more than just a dress up and act thing. Many people say that Victor in the novel Frankenstein tries to “play God” which is absolutely true. As the novel progresses the characteristics of the creator “playing God” become more obvious to the eye of the reader. Victor “plays the Lord” when he creates the creature, when he decides what to do with the orders of the creature, and when the monster creates the connection when reading the book Paradise Lost.

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Victor Is The Real Monster In Frankenstein

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Victor damages his mindset by allowing himself to go mentally insane. Because the sight of medical tools tortures Victor’s mind, he becomes psychotic and depressed. Secondly, this character devastates himself when he views his monster alive for the first time. Victor becomes ill for several months and eventually recovers; however, this ailment disturbs him for the rest of his life.

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Duality is shown in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, a gothic tale of a scientist whom looks to advance the life-giving qualities of mother nature. Through this novel, Shelley proves that good and evil in human nature is not always simple to define, and that everyone has both of these qualities within them. The duality of human nature is shown through the characters of Victor Frankenstein and his monster, who are both heroes in the novel while simultaneously displaying anti-hero qualities. Shelley forces the reader to sympathize with them both but also creates gruesome ideas of the two. Frankenstein’s creature places himself in a submissive position when he begs his creator to have mercy on him and asking the creator to “create a female for [him] with whom [he] can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for [his] being.”

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Perhaps, if a human such as Frankenstein had accepted the creature, onlookers would have had an easier time welcoming someone with his appearance into their presence. Society’s false perception of what makes someone “normal” is what altered their first impression of The Creature. People had a hard time distinguishing the difference between mind and body, which resulted in The Creature’s undesired abandonment and a gut filled with hatred towards his creator. In contrast, Victor Frankenstein refers to his family in a positive way several times throughout the novel.

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In this, Victor brought up things that no mortal should know about, such as: cloning, stem cell research, and IVFs. Examples of these were shown when the author states, “It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn… my inquiries were directed to the metaphysical… the physical secrets of the world” (43). Victor is knowingly tampering with knowledge that is essentially too great for man. He is also essentially trying to be like God, which is the original sin, and as a result, he is put in eternal despair.

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