Loneliness And Isolation In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Words: 647
Pages: 3

Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley, is considered as the first science fiction in Western literature. It tells a story of an ambitious scientist Victor Frankenstein who creates a hideously ugly fiend after discovering the secret of life. Both Frankenstein and this grotesque monster experience loneliness throughout the novel. However, they have totally different feelings about going through lonely periods in their lives. As for Frankenstein, he enjoys being isolated from society because he can concentrate more on studying and doing experiments of creating life. As a horrified creation, fiend suffers from the loneliness and isolation that prejudice causes.

Both Frankenstein and fiend feel lonely in the novel, but they have the opposite feelings
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49). Frankenstein likes to be isolated. On the one hand, he can spend all his time acquiring knowledge that he obsessed with without any interference. On the other hand, he can be more focused on creating life and can speed up his progress. As for fiend, Frankenstein's grotesque creation, he expresses his feeling of loneliness and isolation throughout the play. For working hard on creating fiend, Frankenstein "deprives himself of rest and health" for two years (p. 35). However, when fiend wants to express his thankfulness to him, he escapes fiend right away because of his horrified appearance. Frankenstein never thinks about teaching fiend how to survive in the society; instead, he abandons him without any hesitation. Everyone else includes blind De Lacey refuses him to integrate into society. Without understanding fiend's situation and difficulties, all these people immediately deny his kindness only according to what he looks like. Since the time of being alive, fiend has suffered from prejudices that are present throughout society. He