Frankenstein Research Paper

Shelley’s Frankenstein: The Human Monster Shelley has in Frankenstein created complicated characters which make us question who the actual monster in this book is. Is it the so-called Frankenstein’s monster or Frankenstein himself? By closely observing their actions, we can notice great differences in how these characters act and think. This paper analyzes the differences between the actions of Victor Frankenstein and his creation and aims to prove that Frankenstein is the actual monster of this book. The first monstrous act of Frankenstein occurs when his monster first comes to life, and he makes the decision to abandon it. Frankenstein is at first amazed at his creation and deems it beautiful “His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected

This act is perhaps one of the worst things Frankenstein could have done. Giving a living being hope and later taking it all away could not be anything else but an act of monster. On the contrary, the monster does and feels various things that are uncharacteristic of a monster and could be described as human things to do. The first of these feelings is his love for nature and music. The monster claims, “I was delighted when I first discovered that a pleasant sound, which often saluted my ears, proceeded from the throats of the little winged animals who had often intercepted the light from my eyes.” Then also when he is observing the people in the cottage he seems to be enjoying music when the old man in the cottage starts playing “who, taking up an instrument, began to play and to produce sounds sweeter than the voice of the thrush or the nightingale. It was a lovely sight, even to me, poor wretch who had never beheld such beauty before.” Appreciation for music and nature is a thing attributed to humans, so how could a devious monster have the ability to appreciate its beauty? This gentle side of the monster makes it much more human than it seemed before. It also makes us question whether, had the monster been educated by Frankenstein instead of abandoned, all the unpleasant things done by the monster in the future could have been avoided. Secondly, the monster also shows a certain degree of care and empathy towards humans. While watching the humans it notices that they are unhappy and is deeply moved by that and later tells Frankenstein, “I saw no cause for their unhappiness, but I was deeply affected by it. If such lovely creatures were miserable, it was less strange that I, an imperfect and solitary being, should be wretched.” Then in the moment he realizes this is caused by poverty and their inability to provide enough food he ceases