Theme Of Judgement In Frankenstein

"People are always searching for ways to better themselves. It is said that those who read fiction tend to be more understanding, empathizing, and open minded. Humans are naturally flawed but reading seems to improve people. One natural, unavoidable characteristic of humans is judgment. People have an initial instinct to judge those whom they have just met. While it is true that judgment impairs one’s perspective when it comes to others, generalizations are the true barriers that do not allow people to get to know one another.
The topic of judgment is greatly exemplified in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein as it becomes apparent that characters tend to generalize beautiful people, like Elizabeth, and ugly people, like Victor’s creature. The first

King Arthur judges the young knight, the protagonist, in court for the rape of a young maiden. This act exposes the ugly arrogance that the knight possesses and exposes King Arthur’s form of justice. King Arthur sentences the knight to death; however, Queen Guinevere proposes an endeavor that saves the knight’s life. King Arthur groups the knight with all other criminals and sees no worth in him while the wise Queen Guinevere does not judge so quickly and harshly. Chaucer also portrays the knight as judgmental and narrow-minded when encountering the old woman, his wife. The knight is angry and disgusted with his new wife whom he only sees as " ugly, elderly, and poor” (Chaucer. 1063). The knight has practically barred himself from being happy with her because of his close-minded, unchanged generalization and the wife is upset because of her judgmental, single-minded

However, to avoid judgment altogether is impossible for man. No matter what, humans will always have an initial judgment of someone or something. What truly determines our character is how we react to our initial judgment. When people generalize others as ugly, poor, or monstrous, people are only separating themselves from others as if to mentally and physically block them from their lives and to make themselves feel superior. Having a primary judgment is natural, but preventing oneself from experiencing human interaction because of some broad title is uncalled for and rude. Those who read fiction and mentally observe this socially constructed isolation tend to be more understanding, empathizing, and open minded. By using literature and even historical events to open one’s mind, one can surpass this subconscious animalistic judgment and break these metaphorical barriers of social