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Society Is The True Monster In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

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Society shapes the way we think, perceive, understand, and live our lives. Deeply ingrained social norms can influence us to commit heinous acts. In Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, the main characters, Victor Frankenstein and his creation, are no exception. Frankenstein’s irrational actions to abandoned his creation would lead to years of devastation and regret for his choices. In the novel, society is the true monster because the ideals established by society led Frankenstein to abandon his creation, leading to Frankenstein and his creation’s subsequent isolation, both self-posed and forced, resulting in the animosity they developed for one another. To begin, societies punitive stereotypes and ideals of beauty and its nature, led Frankenstein to abandon his creation. Frankenstein spent years of hard work to create the perfect being, but when his plans came to fruition, he abandoned it in an instant. On page 35, Frankenstein states, “now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream had vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.” (Shelley) Society classified the grotesque with …show more content…

They would drive each other to the ends of the earth in order to exact their revenge. The creation relates, “I gazed on my victim and my heart swelled with exultation and hellish triumph.” (Shelley 102) The creation cursed his creator and vowed revenge. Society’s ideals of beauty had pushed him to such a miserable state that he developed hate for Frankenstein. Accordingly, Frankenstein states, “I was hurried away by fury; revenge alone endowed me with strength and composure…” (Shelley 149) After the death of his best friend Henry Clerval and wife Elizabeth, Frankenstein swore his revenge. Society’s ideals would now push both characters to brink of madness in their search for revenge. Despite this, it can be said that both creator and creation were the true monsters of the

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