What Makes a Monster and What Makes a Man? Creator vs. Creature in Mary Shelley’s Frankentstein

Abstract

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, published in 1818, was born out of the author’s suffering and rejection from society. Her character, the Creature, represented these feelings and served as an example that humanity can be found anywhere. The aim of this paper is to analyse Mary Shelley as the Creature of her own life, Victor Frankenstein’s hubris and ensuing downfall, and the Creature’s pure desires and pain. These three topics will be studied thanks to a close reading of the novel and several academic papers to support these ideas. The paper also aims to point out prejudices and how they affect their victims, destroying even the kindest soul. Humanity had often been linked to beauty and charisma, but Mary Shelley tried to get readers to understand this characteristic could be found in anyone. Victor, believing himself to be superior, ruined himself and those around him, while the Creature, banished by all who encountered him, strived to maintain his hope and, in the end, repented for his crimes. Mary Shelley is now seen by many as a figure of change in literature and society thanks to Frankenstein, and the debate pertaining to the morality of its characters remains important up to this day.