The idea of monstrosity and what makes something or someone monstrous is an issue that society still is struggling to figure out to this day. In Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, the idea of monstrosity is explored as a central theme throughout the novel. The central figure that could be considered monstrous is the creation that Frankenstein created. While the creature is monstrous, there are also other entities in the novel that should be considered monstrous as well. The primary of these entities is being society as a whole for every action that they commit throughout the novel whether that action is towards things are considered different like the creature, or in the justice system like how Justine was treated.
The fundamental idea
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The first thing that the creature experiences after being created is the rejection and abuse from society, “The whole village was roused: some fled, some attacked me, until grievously bruised by stones and many other kinds of missile weapons, I escaped to the open country and fearfully took refuge in a low hovel,” (Shelley 103). This was one the first things that the creature experienced, being attacked for trying to search for food and shelter from the cold. Society continues this type of treatment of the creature throughout the creature's existence, like when it was shot for saving a little girl from drowning. Another way that society is a true monster is the way the justice system works. In the novel, Justine is found guilty of the murder of William Frankenstein despite the fact she is innocent, and eventually, she is forced to falsely confess to the murder. Everyone believes this confession and she is executed for something that the creature did. When Frankenstein arrives, he knows that she is innocent, but he is powerless to save her because there is nothing he can do after she was forced to confess to the