Who is the real ‘Monster’?

October 9, 2009 jyerkie3

Who is the real ‘Monster’?

Mary Shelly subtitled her novel “The Modern Prometheus.” According to the Greeks, Prometheus stole fire from the gods, and created life from clay figures. As punishment, he was chained to a rock, where an eagle each day plucked at his liver. Haughty Prometheus sought fire for human betterment to make tools and warm hearts. Similarly, Mary Shelley’s arrogant scientist, Victor Frankenstein, claimed “benevolent intentions, and thirsted for the moment when I [he] should put them in practice” In Shelly’s book, who is she referring to as exactly the real ‘Prometheus’? Why did Shelly use the name ‘monster’ to identify Frankenstein’s creature? Although the creature does show monstrosity its humane characteristics must not be disregarded. I believe Victor Frankenstein is the real Prometheus in this story, in the sense that both Victor and Prometheus selfishly steal ‘life’ in one way or another.

On a “Dreary night” Frankenstein creates life like god. Frankenstein “selected his features as beautiful” (pg.60), however when the creature came to life he described it as “The miserable monster whom I created (pg. 61). In Chapter 5, Frankenstein narrates his perspective on the creature, and does not let the reader empathize with the creature. Frankenstein himself believes that he has created “a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived” (pg. 61). The reader’s impression of the creature is already biased at this point. The reader may think that the creature is the ‘Prometheus’. Frankenstein states that the creature may be something ‘Dante’ could not conceive, would make the reader think the creature is a sin of god, or a horrible creature on earth.

One example of how Frankenstein’s creature does not show monstrosity is when Frankensteins creature first opened his eyes, Frankenstein ran away from it, thinking that it was going to strangle him, or kill him. The reader automatically thinks that the creature is a horrible monster, but if you take a step back and look at it in another perspective, the monster really is not showing monstrosity at all. In the novel Frankenstein states, “One hand was stretched out, seemingly to detain…while a grin cross his face” (pg. 61). To me, the monster acts like a new born baby, who needs his mother; the creature needs its creator. This does not show monstrosity to me, just a baby needing his mother. When Frankenstein flees’ from the creature, that is his way of stealing hope for the monster to live, learn, and love. Now, with no one able to help the creature, he is by himself, with no help from anyone. Frankenstein is stealing ‘life’ from the monster.

After the creature is created and he becomes the narrator; we get a better sense of his ideas, and feelings. He describes him self as a poor, miserable wretch, and recognizes his hideousness. The fact that it sat down and wept indicates its human nature. It is “overcome with joy’ when it experiences warmth from a nearby fire and howls with ‘pain’ as it ‘thrust [its] hands into the live embers” (pg. 97). It appreciates beauty in nature. The creature’s relationship with nature is incredibly similar to one of a child and its parents. It discovers life through its interaction with Mother Nature. It utilizes nature to acquire new skills and regards it as benevolent towards it.

Soon, all the creature wanted was to be loved, and wanted attention, and to not be steadily rejected. He wanted a companion, so in hopes that Frankenstein would create another companion for the creature he seeks out to find him. On the way there, the creature was so mad because Frankenstein had stolen this chance to understand life, that when he met up with some of Frankenstein’s family members, he killed one, and set up another to look like she killed him. When the creature finally met up with Frankenstein, Frankenstein promised to make him a companion. However, Frankenstein soon backed out on his promise. The creature wanted pay back. He was tired of feeling alone and useless; he wanted revenge on Frankenstein, “The modern Prometheus”.

Frankenstein rejected his creature from the minute he opened his eyes. He never looked back, and never wanted anything more to do with it. So why did Shelly use the name such as ‘monster’ to describe Frankenstein’s creation? Isn’t it true that Frankenstein could be described as the real ‘monster’ or the real ‘Prometheus’? It was really Frankenstein that motivated the creature to kill his own family, because he created life as in the creature, but never wanted anything more to do with it. So the creature was never really put into society the right way, how was he to know killing was a bad thing?

In my opinion, the true monster in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is Victor Frankenstein. Firstly, pretending to be God, Frankenstein has caused the chaos presented in this novel. The novel’s subtitle is The Modern Prometheus, which is relevant to the story and very significant to the outcome. Frankenstein ambitiously created a being using parts from dead bodies, just like Prometheus created life from clay figures. Both Frankenstein and Prometheus were punished for their actions, although in different ways. Frankenstein lost almost every member of his family because of his selfishness and ignorance towards other beings. Prometheus was punished by being tied onto a rock and having his liver eaten by an eagle every day. Prometheus was physically punished, while Frankenstein was mentally punished for his actions.

 

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