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Frankenstein Chapter 1 Passage Analysis Essay

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There are many types of monsters in this world. Some conceal themselves while others use lies to build a facade, but the most dangerous are those unfit to wield power. Mary Shelley’s classic novel, Frankenstein, uses this passage to highlight the shattered relationship between Victor and his creature. In doing so, inversion is used to shift power from the creator to the created. Throughout Chapter 17, Shelley arms the creature with ethics and reason, illuminating this philosophy by inspiring empathy for the monster. Shelley introduces depth and conflict between roles by masterfully weaving this pivotal point in the novel through complex diction and syntax and by foiling Victor, the incompetent god, and the creature, the logical monster, both …show more content…

The first instance of irony is Victor’s attempt of solace by hiking into the Alps led him to face the creature that, up until this point, has been characterized as barbaric and inhumane. The following instance of such irony is when Victor is faced with the creature, expecting meaningless words and savagery, yet he receives a logical explanation to the creature's misery. Shelley illuminates this shock with diction, describing how Victor was “bewildered, perplexed, and unable to arrange [his] ideas” (Shelley CHXVII). This initial phrasing characterizes the incompetence that Victor has as a creator, unable to fathom his very own creation’s accomplishments. Additionally, it introduces how power shifts from Victor to the creature as he develops a line of reasoning. The negligence of Victor amplifies the message of the incompetent creator that he portrays. The creature has trekked, followed Victor because he has become victim to the human condition of companionship and identity. Longing for a friend he tries to reason that Victor “must create a female… with whom [he] can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for [his] being” (Shelley CHXVII). Furthermore, Shelley uses tone to characterize the creature as someone who has reason and logic, inspiring …show more content…

When the creature was first created, Victor trembled with rage and horror, and a sense of terror ran through him, causing him to flee. The diction used early in the novel characterizes Victor’s dread when facing the monster, his very own creation. When the creature and Victor interact for the first time since the creation, the creature says to Victor that he is tame and mild to his natural lord and king, the one who gave him life in the first place. Shelley emphasizes the creature's power dynamic and touches on the themes of creation, responsibility, and abandonment. It implies that the creature feels Victor owes him a responsibility of care, and this notion is crucial to the novel's investigation of the implications of playing god and ignoring one's responsibilities to the things one makes. Despite this, Victor is characterized as having power over the creature by the usage of words like lord and king. This is the first instance where Victor’s attitude towards the monster is aggressive and domineering as he attempts to take swings at the creature. Additionally, the creature argues that he was once good and benevolent, but the misery and treatment from the world turned him into an outcast. This isolation caused him to act out in violence highlighting the issue of the consequences of societal

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Shelley uses distinctive vocabulary to describe the imagery, theme and tone of the story through Victor’s actions and emotions toward the monster. The words used gives us the knowledge of what message Shelley was trying to convey. Even though victor was very ecstatic about creating a man it turned out to be bad and his carelessness lead to the monster getting power and the ability to harm. Being able to clearly understand Shelley shows how effective the words Victor is saying can paint a picture for us to see without physically being there.

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With this quote, Shelley shows Victor's lack of empathy for the creature, whom he has created without considering the implications for his life and

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(Shelley 55). Even Victor recognizes this “unremitting ardour”, meaning his intense passion and enthusiasm for bringing the creature to life. He knows that it has overtaken him as the most important thing in his life, and his ambitious intent will guide him towards his goal. His ambition is not his key flaw, however, it is his egocentrism. Victor is so full of himself, valuing himself over anyone else, even his loved ones, and it

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By telling the creature directly that he refuses to even try and listen to what the creature has to say, Victor is isolating the creature from connecting with people, because Victor won’t even let him explain his side of the story. Victor refuses to see things from the creature’s perspective because he is unwilling to understand the creature and his struggles that he’s faced. By writing Victor as an intolerant and quick to judge character, Mary Shelley demonstrates the prejudice that the creature faces because of his

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This carelessness is exhibited when he finally creates life in his being. Because of his immense fear, shown in his interaction with the horrifying monster, Shelly excellently alters Victor’s character as very careless. Victor tells of this confrontation by saying,

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1266 Words | 6 Pages

When psychologically wounded and losing the innocence of purity and naivety, it can play a big part in the development or downfall of an individual. In the novel, there are many examples of loss of innocence in both Victor and the creature. When the creature sees his reflection for the first time in a puddle of water, he is absolutely petrified. Up until this point the creature has only perceived his appearance as unsightly based on the reactions he has received. The creature states, “... 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” (Shelley 94).

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456 Words | 2 Pages

Without the guidance of Victor the creation has no means of obtaining answers to questions he desires. As The Monster finishes his story he “demands a creature of the opposite sex”(Shelley 135). The Monster demands Victor to comply to his solution so that the turmoil Victor causes him can end. Victor by neglecting his creation is responsible for the turmoil and suffering that the creation

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692 Words | 3 Pages

He creates a new species that he abandons and does not take accountability for. In the novel, Mary Shelley communicates that having a lack of responsibility can have negative and permanent consequences. After successfully creating his creature, Victor leaves in fear and never thinks to turn back. He ignores the creature's existence and avoids taking responsibility

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1288 Words | 6 Pages

In this instance, Shelley wanted to reveal to the reader how upset the creature was and to investigate the thought of whether it is Victor's responsibility as his

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1106 Words | 5 Pages

Yet the creature only causes the destruction it does because of Victor’s rejection. Shelley demonstrates that culture must not superceed empathy for the fellow man because if it does then it leads to

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The creature’s sudden emergence from the dead was difficult for Victor to process because he was not sure what the creature would do next. This uncertainty ignited the persistent fear that he had of the creature, reiterating Shelley’s assertion that it is natural to be fearful of

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1154 Words | 5 Pages

The use of syntax when stating that the creature is “content to reason” shows a great deal of maturity from the creature, as well as a great emphasis on Victor’s neglected responsibility. Shelley’s use of words such as “miserable” when referring to the creature’s actions emphasizes the creature’s sense of hopelessness and loneliness, which was experienced as a result of Victor’s rejection of him. Overall, with the use of diction and syntax, Shelley expresses the two different tones coming from the creature and Victor, and shows the flipping of the relationship between the creator and the creation. Victor slowly falls into a pit of insanity, as he ultimately realizes his

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1360 Words | 6 Pages

Upon approaching Victor, desperate for a female, the creature is shut down by Victor. Shelley elaborates on his fear for the future of mankind by provoking ignorance in Victor’s response. The creature explains to Victor that even though he abandoned his duties to nurture him, Victor still holds a moral responsibility to provide the creature with essential needs including happiness. Victor contemplates whether his loyalty swings more towards the safety of mankind or the happiness of his creation, as for him to “create another like yourself, whose joints wickedness might desolate the world”, imposes a huge fear for complying to the creature’s ask (Shelley 156). The creature promises that no harm will come to humanity as they will isolate themselves, but Victor is still hesitant for he does not know what the readers know.

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934 Words | 4 Pages

(Hühne 76), is shown in the book when conflict arises between Victor and the Creature. We see Victor emotional and confused when thinking about,(3) “‘[How] strangely are our souls constructed… Destiny was too potent, and her immutable laws had decreed my utter and terrible destruction’” (Shelley 27). Another idea we can study is the debate of nature vs nurture.

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603 Words | 3 Pages

Conflict is an important part of this story. An example of this is when Victor and the creature are trying put each other in pain because of what they have done. Victor says, "I devote myself, either in my life or death to his destruction"(Shelley 148). He also says, "Again do I vow vengeance; again do I devote thee, miserable fiend, to torture and death.

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