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Human Nature In Frankenstein

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Human nature develops through time from its acquisition of new experiences and standards. Human nature is maintained and controlled by society, and they both work hand-in-hand to advance mankind. As society can help mankind as a whole, it can also hinder the individual. Society’s pressure through standards pushes the conformity of the individual; but as the individual is unable to meet these standards, they are faced with opposition. The opposition of society over the individual causes the corruption and change of the individual. In her novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley uses the mental growth and transition of the monster to prove the ideology of the noble savage and that man is corrupted by society.
The innocence of the monster is seen throughout …show more content…

When the monster first interacts with humans, he is met with opposition and hate. The monster states, “He turned on hearing a noise; and, perceiving me, shrieked loudly, and. Quitting the hut, ran across the fields with a speed of which his debilitated form hardly appeared capable. (74)” Humans are clearly terrified by the monster and see him as an evil threat. The human’s reaction surprises the monster as he is incapable of understanding why they act in such way towards him. The monster states, “...but how I was terrified when I viewed myself in a transparent pool!...and 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. (80)” This epiphany of the monster’s image reveals to him the reason why humans are afraid of him. This truth changes the monster’s personality as he is faced with the truth of his separation from human beauty. During his time at the De Lacey’s, the monster learns about the fall of man, which opens his mind towards good and evil. Paradise Lost is the pivotal poem which revealed the monster to human nature. The monster states, “Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition; for often, like him, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me. (94)” Satan parallels very well with the monster as they are both …show more content…

The monster, like man, was born innocent but tainted by societal pressure. The monster’s abandonment by Victor causes him to strive for acceptance. As the monster begins realizing his separation from man through his terrifying figure, he realizes his inability to be normal. The monster also loses his final attempt for happiness as he is denied a female companion. The epiphany of his failure causes his outrage and transition from good to evil. The monster’s change in nature is caused by society’s rejection of him. As the individual lives in the midst of society and learns about mankind, we become subject to opposition. The life of the individual is a constant struggle between individuality and

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