ipl-logo

The Good And Evil In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

1297 Words6 Pages

A condemnation of unfettered industrialism and the abandonment of human morality, Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein illustrates the Victor is the real monster. Constructing a marginalised and cruel childhood for the invention, Shelley builds her predominant argument crystallising the monstrous qualities of humanity. The subsequent condemnation of the unaccountable nature of Victor builds on her authorial intent that victor’s actions and intentions are in inhumane. Additionally, Shelley is realistic in acknowledging that absolute good and evil do not exist, and in pointing to moments where her cast deviate from their previous moral values, Shelley suggests that the creature and Victor both exhibit monstrous and empathetic qualities. Ultimately Shelley …show more content…

Shelley details the harsh and unjust isolation of the creature at the hands of his master and community in order to persuade us that Victor is the true monster of the piece. Immediately, Shelley deprives the creature of any form of family or company and evidently he is critically aware that “no father had watched infant days”, nor had any “mother blessed me with smiles and caresses.” In the …show more content…

Shelley is nuanced in acknowledging that a belief in absolute good or evil is an unrealistic moral framework of the world and in defining key points of unexpected moral reversal amongst her characters, Frankenstein can also suggest Both The creature and Victor display monstrous and humane qualities. The creature 's own killing spree is unable to be overlooked and especially his premeditated attack on Elizabeth, where he explicitly threatened to be with her "on her wedding night" illustrates that the monster also demonstrated monstrous qualities. Additionally, Shelley presents the destructive nature of her otherwise victimised creature, through the black marks that his murder imprints on the necks of Henry and Elizabeth. This symbolic manifestation of the lasting scars of unfettered industrialism perhaps evoke resentment for the monster 's lack of control and similarly suggest that Both The creature and Victor display monstrous and humane qualities. Moreover, it is Victor who appears transiently capable of consideration for the consequences of his actions who, as he aborts a secondary female creation, questions "had I right... to inflict this curse upon everlasting generations?" Victor concludes that such an action would be "only for my own benefit" and here Shelley explores the concepts of humane qualities. Further, Shelley sets the context of Victor 's actions in his consideration that "my mother was dead" and in this way, it could be portrayed that his

Open Document