The Duality of Man Connections Between Victor and the...

The classic gothic novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley details the relationship between two significant figures, Victor Frankenstein, and his unnamed monster. The critical relationship between such characters causes many literary critics to compose the idea that they are bound by nature – inadvertently becoming a single central figure (Spark). This provides provoking thoughts on the duality of mankind, revealing the wickedness of human nature. The role of the monster as an alter ego to Victor is an ideal suggestion, as their characteristics in the story consistently change; from predator to prey, depressed to angry, pitiful to cruel, these are all characteristics shared between both characters at different times of the novel. These†¦show more content†¦The monster that Frankenstein built had become bitter and remorseful at being abandoned by his creator. This consequently results in the monster becoming a menace to the stability of Victor’s many companionships. The monster murders many of Victor’s loved ones, including the direct deaths of William, Henry, and Elizabeth, as well as the indirect deaths of Alphonse, and Justine. Victor had taken his companions for granted, ignorant to the threats the monster had declared. The monster shares with Victor this sense of ignorance in his confrontation of the cottagers. The monster knows of his horrid appearance, but still he desired companions. Eventually the monster approaches the blind De Lacey, hoping to take advantage of his lack of sight, and gentle nature. This is eventually disrupted by the intrusion of Felix, Agatha, and Safie. They are shocked at his appearance, and aggressively attack him, forcing him to flee. The contrast in these situations is evident, Victor seeks more than companionship, and the monster’s sole desire is a companion. The inner darkness within Victor Frankenstein may prove as major evidence of the connection between Victor and the monster. One can perceive the monster as an alter ego to Victor Frankenstein, much like Mr. Hyde to Dr. Jekyll in the novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The reputable and kind Dr. Jekyll takes a potion to transform into Mr. Hyde, a being free from moralShow MoreRelatedFrankenstein Novel Analysis Essay1664 Words   |  7 PagesMyrjun Angeles Ms. Ammendolia EWC4UI 10/13/17 Frankenstein Novel Analysis Frankenstein is partly an epistolary novel. In what way do the letters at the beginning of the text help frame the story that follows? The series of letters at the beginning of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley are from Robert Walton, and were sent to his sister, Margaret Saville. In each letter, Walton tells his sister of updates while he’s on one of many sea trips and to coincide with that, readers of the novel get a glimpseRead MoreThe Modern Prometheus Essays1585 Words   |  7 Pagesinitially title her work about Victor Frankenstein and his creation The Modern Prometheus solely because of the glaring similarities between their stories? That is a question that is often discussed, but a conclusion rarely arrives. One of the possible reasons for this could be because there are many different interpretations of the Promethean myth, which are mainly based on the ambiguous nature of the story. The parallels between the Promethean myth and Frankenstein are obvious, and that, in combinationRead MoreThe Victorian Era1706 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout history, cultures and societies across the globe have used mon sters or any sort of creature to exemplify anxieties and fears that they have. The same can be said for works of literature and art. These authors use these anxieties, personify them, and use them to exaggerate the fears of the readers. In short, the monsters/creatures that are created in each literary era depict and personify the biggest fears and viewpoints of the society that it was written in. In the case of the Victorian/RomanticRead MoreEssay on Psycho-Analysis in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein2375 Words   |  10 PagesPsycho-Analysis in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Sigmund Freuds studies in psychoanalysis are uncannily fore-grounded in the late romantic period. The works of William Wordsworth, Percy B. Shelley, Lord Byron, and Mary Shelley, all function as poetic preludes to Freuds 18th century field. Particularly, it is Mary Shelleys Frankenstein that creates a fictional rendering for psychoanalyst. In Frankenstein, Victors rejection of the Monster metaphorically represents the egos rejection of theRead More Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay1622 Words   |  7 PagesMary Shelleys Frankenstein Nineteen-year-old Mary Shelley didn’t know when she began it that her â€Å"ghost story† would become an enduring part of classic literature. Frankenstein is an admirable work simply for its captivating plot. To the careful reader, however, Shelley’s tale offers complex insights into human experience. The reader identifies with all of the major characters and is left to heed or ignore the cautions that their situations provide. Shelley uses the second person narrativeRead MorePolitics and The English Language: George Orwell ´s Literature3705 Words   |  15 Pagesquality of genuine concern for society which is echoed throughout his formulaic journey of writing in â€Å"Why I Write†,   the prophetic piece depicting politic’s influence on a writer’s conscience in â€Å"Writers and Leviathan† and in Orwell’s emphasis on the duality of politics and literature in â€Å"Politics and the English Language† which reverbe rates the transcendental message of his essays which shall be critically studied for years to come. As we delve into the unwavering style of Orwell’s essays, we experienceRead MoreScience and Progress in Frankenstein and Hard Times3785 Words   |  16 PagesLITERATURE MAJOR ESSAY SCIENCE AND PROGRESS IN FRANKENSTEIN ANDHARD TIMES The 19th century was a time of massive change socially, politically and scientifically. This time saw the rise of Imperialism and of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, seeing massive changes in the way industry was run. Also during this time the literary movements of Romanticism and Victorianism emerged. Romanticism dealt with the issues of reality versus illusion, childhood and man versus nature. The first book I will examineRead More Science in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Hard Times by Charles Dickens3626 Words   |  15 Pagesindustry was run. Also during this time the literary movements of Romanticism and Victorianism emerged. Romanticism dealt with the issues of reality versus illusion, childhood and man versus nature. The first book I will examine in this essay, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, comes from this literary period and focuses on the man versus nature theme, namely the theme of scientific development and it’s contrast to nature. The second bo ok I will look at in this essay comes from the Victorian period of theRead MoreRomantic Elements in Frankenstein and the Fall of the House of Usher3538 Words   |  15 PagesRomantic elements in Frankenstein and The Fall of the House of Usher Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, and Edgar Allan Poe’s short story, The Fall of the House of Usher, although published in different periods, on different continents, have in common many of the main ideas that stood behind the literary movement of Romanticism (the sublime, the Romantic hero, imagination, isolation), combined with elements of the Gothic (the mysterious and remote setting dominated by a gloomy atmosphereRead MoreMetz Film Language a Semiotics of the Cinema PDF100902 Words   |  316 Pagesdisparity between ten and twelve is caused by the fact that Chapter 5 was condensed out of three separate articles. As the title indicates, the articles included in this volume have been selected exclusively from the author s writings on cinematographic problems.* Since this is, therefore, a collection, I have not tried to eliminate or disguise the few inevitable repetitions. Similarly, I have not allowed myself to excise or replace passages that, as a result of the lapse in time between their original