Isolation and Resentment in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay Example for Free

Isolation and Resentment in bloody shame Shelleys Frankenstein EssayMary Shelleys novel, Frankenstein, deals with two very distinct individuals the young-but-foolish lord Frankenstein and his creation, the whale. overlord is the main focus of the novel for the beginning chapters, while the rest of the work focuses more on the development and actions of the Monster. The characters of Victor and the Monster ar first brought together during the Monsters creation in Chapter 4 (34).It was Victors closing off from both his family and his peers that ultimately hotshot to his creation of the Monster, and it was the Monsters feelings of isolation and resentment towards Victor that go past to his violent episodes. While these feelings are evident in both characters actions throughout the majority of the novel, it was during the Monsters statements to police captain Robert Walton towards the end of the fable that drives home the fact that the Monsters actions were products of hi s repeated rejections when he try to be accepted by hunting lodge and as such are not indicative of his inherent nature.It was these feelings of loneliness and resentment that drove both Victor and the Monster to their actions, and it is safe to assume that some of Shelleys personal feelings of abandonment and resentment towards her mother bled through into her characters. These feelings are made evident by way of the diction of the characters, both elements of and deviations from the gothic stereotype, the development of the characters throughout the story and the lack of any definite closure to the text.Shelleys use of eloquent and elaborate vocabulary by the main characters could be construed as ironic, in that such well-spoken characters have sunken into committing the most terrible of sins, namely those of murder and hubris. It is this irony that makes the isolation and resentment that Victor and the Monster feel stand out in the readers mind two characters that are so arti culate in their speech are reviled for their differences from the rest of social club.The sophisticated diction of the Monster in the final pages of the novel helps to lend a feeling of bitterness and remorse to the text. However, the Monsters eloquent speech does not sway the Captain, as evidenced in the first line I was at first touched pettishness was rekindled within me. (154). This shows that no matter how well-spoken an individual is and how sympathetic that person might be, normal society tends to shun those that are viewed as different, whether these differences are bodily or in the way that they communicate.Such eloquence, as evidenced in the Monsters speech Once I falsely hoped to meetthoughts of admire and devotion (154), is a direct product of how a person was raised those that are raised in an environment where they are kept isolated, whether by choice or through the influence of society tend to develop such oratory skills as a way of hopefully being accepted by th ose around them. However, more often than not, such well-defined articulation of ones thoughts leads to such a person being further isolated from society, and as such feeds feelings of isolation and resentment.It was due to realistic depictions of societal reactions like these that helped to solidify Frankensteins place as a chivalric novel. Shelley uses many common elements of the Gothic novel in Frankenstein, and the themes of resentment and isolation can be connected to the characters through these elements. Victor is depicted as a weak hero, whose isolation from the world in the development of his creation leads him from an otherwise successful career as a scientist.It could be inferred that Victors resentment towards his creation, whom he subsequently abandons, stems not only from his disgust with himself and what he has created, but also from the opportunities denied to him as a result of his ir li able pursuit of bestowing livelihood upon that which should remain lifeless. Although Victor knew that creating life through artificial means would be considered taboo by his peers, he decided to proceed with the project regardless, letting his scientific curiosity overtake his sane intellect.After he brought the Monster to life, he was realized the irresponsibility of his actions. During this time, Victor had severe difficulties connecting to other masses, and he gradually worked to further distance himself from the rest of society, which lead him into an extremely depressed state (. Although there were points in the novel where Victor was able to experience a very temporary reprieve from his mental torments, in his mind he would never be able to fully experience mental peace until one of them was dead.In contrast to Victors kind of weak characterization, the Monster could be depicted as the hero of the story, in that even while he is committing murders that should sicken the reader, he is still portrayed as a sympathetic character, whose actions are dr iven by his feelings of abandonment, betrayal and resentment that Victor engenders in him through his various actions, as well of those of human society in regards to the Monster i. e. The Monsters episode with Felix.It is understandably unclear if any the characters can be definitively labeled as a hero or villain, for even though they both have committed acts worthy of abhorrence and disgust, in a sense, they could be considered to be victims of abuse and neglect as well. out-of-pocket to this, it can be argued that both Victor and the Monster are accurate representatives of the Gothic hero/villain. A final example of Gothic elements that Shelley incorporates into her novel is that of the heroine in distress, in this case Elizabeth.Elizabeth is a good example of a heroine because she is a strong female character who is independent and dedicated, especially to the Frankenstein family after Victors mother dies. However, she breaks the classic Gothic mold of a heroine by the fact th at she is a patient woman who almost never takes action for herself, and it is for this reason as well as Victors negligence on their wedding night that she ends up being killed by the Monster in the novel.Victors neglect towards Elizabeth on their wedding night could be due to his isolation during his developmental years, and as such was not comfortable in being even down to Elizabeth. Victor appeared to have developed in a fairly normal manner, due to the fact that he had experienced a childhood that would be considered normal for the noble class in that time. This continues to be the case until he takes it upon himself match the power of God and attempt to bestow life.From this point, his experiments and eventual creation bring forth his only obsession, and he can no longer interact with other people, even those that he sees on a daily basis while at the college. Victor is unable to communicate with other in any meaningful way during this time, as his mind is always preoccupied with thoughts regarding the monster he is responsible for giving life to. Based on this behavior, it gives credence to the chief if Victor ever matured any further as an individual once he arrived at the college.In contrast, the Monsters experiences during the period of his mental and emotional development were always abrupt and sometimes violent. This occurred when he realized that he would evermore be rejected by the human race, as his physical appearance was so ghastly that all those that came in his presence were immediately stricken with maintenance as evidenced by Even his creator, Victor, who to the Monsters understanding should love him even if others refused to, was so terrified of the Monster that he refused to fulfill his romise in making the Monster a companion. It is understandable that from that point on, all joy was but a mockery (116) to the Monster, and he decided that the sole purpose in his life was to destroy any and all the things that brought pleasure or co mfort to his creator. These events are similar because they both represent periods in which these characters no longer are able to have significant social interactions with those around them. During his development, the monster was able to have many of the same experiences as a human would.For example, he was able to feel a wide range of emotions, from pleasure to hate, even pride and remorse he developed intellectually through both his learning from books and his unpleasant interactions with society he learned much in the way that a child does to use his physical senses to tell him about his environment. However, because of his grotesque appearance, he was made to feel that he would never accepted as a member of human society, and many of his interactions with humans gave no reason to dissuade him from such a belief.In Captain Waltons final letter to his sister (154), he recounts the words that the monster speaks to him over Victors dead body. The eruption of angry self-pity the Mo nster displays brings into question the injustice of how he has been treated and compellingly captures and portrays the feelings of isolation and resentment he has experienced in regards to his interactions with society, providing both Walton and the reader a glimpse into the suffering that has motivated his actions.It was these feelings that lead the Monster to disappear with Victors corpse, presumably to avoid contact with any others of mankind until he eventually dies however, the ending of the text is rather ambiguous, so it is possible that the Monster decided to return to revenge himself upon mankind. At the closure of Frankenstein, Shelley does not provide a well-defined ending. The last line, reading He sprung from the cabin-window helpless in darkness and distance (156), leaves the reader responsible for deciding how they believe the story concluded.The ending can be regarded as having been left open because although the story does provide a conclusion in that it may be ass umed that the creature took his own life after departing Waltons ship, there is not enough cover evidence provided in the text to prove beyond a doubt that this is indeed what occurred. It is entirely possible that the Monster would be unable to let go of his hatred of Victor, and by extension, mankind due to his isolation.Just because his creator died does not necessarily mean that he could let his emotions go, and it is this possibility that shows just how differently people view things the reader can make of the ending what they will, but they will never know for sure how Shelley would have ended it otherwise. Through the speech of the characters, the Gothic elements applied in the text, the characters developments and the rather obscure ending of Frankenstein, it is evidently clear that Mary Shelley believes that isolation and resentment play key roles in how people bushel to others, and how they develop their own behaviors.It is through the medium of her novel that allows her to express these beliefs, and she provides plenty of evidence in her text to back up these beliefs. The feelings of isolation and resentment that Victor and the Monster both felt towards society were key aspects of their personalities, and were the main driving forces behind their various actions made through the course of the text.