Frankenstein And Poison Heart: A Comparative Analysis

It is hard to define art as it comes in many different shapes, sizes, and types. Essentially, it is the expression of creative skill and imagination that evolve into produced compositions that display beauty and emotion. Art is present in works such as literature, paintings, sculptures, poems and embodies many other forms. Although these creations are all different in genre and are possibly created centuries apart, their underlying messages often display overlap. In fact, this was the case for Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and the songs “Isolation” by Alter Bridge, “Obsession” by Animation, and “Poison Heart” by Ramones. When comparing Frankenstein with these songs, it is possible to find similarities between the two, as the themes of isolation,

For instance, the monster who was initially an innocent creature, transformed into a terrifying murderer due to the development of a strong sensation of hatred for Victor Frankenstein. Although the monster had initial feelings of awe for his creator, these quickly disappeared when he understood that Victor had completely abandoned him in a world in which creatures of his appearance are feared. This rejection prompted the monster to vow “everlasting war against the [human] species, and more than all, against him who created [it].” (Shelley, 116). Likewise, in Ramones’ “Poison Heart”, the artist vows to “Lock you in a dream, never let you go/ Never let you laugh or smile, not you.” (Ramones, lines 3 and 4). These lyrics relate to the monster’s promise as they represent how he imprisoned Frankenstein in his own personal nightmare – a terror where all of his loved ones perish. At the end of the book, the strong emotion that arises when the monster sees the dead body of his creator influences him to make another poor decision. Despite spending the duration of the last few years plotting ways to make Victor’s life agonizing, the creature asks for forgiveness when the realizes that his creator is deceased: “What does it avail that I now ask thee to pardon me? I, who irretrievably destroyed thee by

For example, throughout the majority of the novel, the monster desires to acquire human intelligence in order to be capable of forming emotional relationships with other beings. Therefore, the creature teaches himself to communicate by observing the human interaction amongst a family and then proceeds to imagine having interactions of his own; however, he quickly discerns that he was dreaming in vain, for no human can overcome his grotesque appearance to communicate with him. This series of events is well described in the song “Obsession” by Animotion: “My fantasy has turned to madness/ And all my goodness/ Has turned to badness” (Animotion, lines 45-47). Notably, when the creature realizes that his dream is impossible, his personality that was once eager transforms into one of a true monster. Moreover, dangerous knowledge does not only affect the creature, it also affects Captain Walton; in the beginning of the book, Walton is determined to explore the North – a quest that is doomed to fail for it is extremely dangerous. Despite clearly being knowledgeable of the possible consequences of such a quest, Walton states that he is determined to go through with it: How gladly I would sacrifice my fortune, my