Victor Is The Real Monster In Frankenstein

Words: 829
Pages: 4

By the end of the text, mankind (e.g. Victor Frankenstein), not the creature, are revealed to be the true monster in 'Frankenstein' through his collective prejudice against the creature. Discuss.
"His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries....his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but this luxuriance's only composed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes and his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips." Victor Frankenstein’s creation, in Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' is referred to as the "monster" due to its appearance, yet throughout the novel the reader is made aware of the compassion and morality that Victor’s creature possesses. Mary Shelley analyses vital issues in her novel in terms of being able to utilize
…show more content…
Though Frankenstein's creature revolts the community and causes immense fear, it is Victor and the society who are the true monsters of the novel. Victor is so engrossed with his search for the "secret of life" that he locks himself in his "dormitory" to discover it. Once he discovers the secret to creating life, he engenders "the creature" giving it a life. In several instances throughout the novel, Victor acts in a barbaric and antagonistic manner towards his own creation, despite the creature's initial kindness and innocence. Shelley utilizes dramatic irony when Victor is unable to discern the creature's obliviousness after the creature is born into the world, stating how the creature “muttered some inarticulate sounds, while a grin wrinkled his cheeks. He might have spoken, but I did not hear; one hand was stretched out, seemingly to detain me." Here, Shelley draws a parallel between the birth of a baby and the birth of the creature. The creature's attempts at speaking and his first smile resemble a newborn's actions. Shelley implements visual imagery, depicting the birth of the creature holding out his hand towards his creator, similar to the motion of a baby desiring contact with its mother. However, after being horrified and sickened by his own creation, he even went so far as to wish his creature was dead. He exemplifies his repugnance