Revenge And Vengeance In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

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To kill, or not to kill. That is the question. Themes of revenge have withstood the decay of time and their influence has echoed throughout the course of literature. For example, the story of Hamlet transcends the boundaries between poetry and drama and is often remarked as one of the most influential pieces of literature. Additionally, the story of Frankenstein is a frontrunner in the horror and gothic literature genres. It is most known for its horrific imagery and dark plot. Revenge has played a prominent component in classical literature, but with such prevalence, revenge is never a justifiable action. The story of Hamlet is about a young prince who must deal with the uncanny death of his father and the new marriage between his mother and Uncle Claudius. Once married, Claudius seizes the throne and is crowned the new king. One evening, …show more content…

The story tells of a scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who uses his vast knowledge to reanimate life. He eventually is successful and Frankenstein brings a creature to life. With the new life he has created, Frankenstein becomes disgusted and abandons it. All alone, the monster must navigate the world and learn from experiences as he is faced with the prejudices the world throws at him. After many incidents, such as being shot at, kicked out of a village, or abandoned by family, the monster wages war upon his creator. During an occasion when the monster finds Frankentsines brother, the monster states that “Frankenstein! you belong then to my enemy – to him towards whom I have sworn eternal revenge; you shall be my first victim” (Shelley 171). With his unsatisfied desire for revenge, the monster goes on to kill every person in Frankenstein's life, from his best friend to his bride. Throughout the novel, Shelley demonstrates how neglect and solitude can drive a person mad, leading the to extreme means to seek