Who Is the Monster Here?

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Frankenstein is much more than a scary tale, for it explores the depths of human nature that are often too dark to acknowledge. In typical horror stories, monsters are the villains, wreaking havoc on people. Mary Shelley plays off of this notion, which results in a highly complex commentary on human nature. While it may be the most well known horror story of all time, to me the most frightening aspect of Frankenstein is not the Creature, but Victor Frankenstein himself. The characters are both tragic and at times wicked, but in the end I felt more sympathetic for the Creature, despite his vengeful actions. Victor Frankenstein, quite frankly, is an egomaniacal coward. Victor was raised in a warm, loving family, yet turns his back on them when he becomes obsessed with materializing his own genius. He becomes so absorbed in his studies and own intellect, that he ignores his ever-loving family’s attempts to contact him. He has no regard for the well being of others, until it is too late. His ego is so enormous he actually has the audacity to believe he can (and should) create new life.

 First of all, Victor created his “demoniacal corpse,” as he calls it, so he really should not be surprised by its rather grotesque appearance. I think his reaction reveals much about his character. He spends two years of his life in isolation, obsessed with creating new life. Immediately after he is successful, he essentially throws everything away simply because the Creature is scary looking. This reveals Victor to be incredibly superficial and shallow, concerned only with aesthetics, not ingenuity. Victor chooses to take life into his own hands, thus also accepting the consequences of his actions. Throughout the novel, the audience discovers the keen intelligence and good mannered nature of the Creature, despite his outward appearance. By abandoning his creation, Victor fails to learn about the successful aspects of his work until it is too late. Only after the Creature experiences discrimination by the townspeople does he begin to act violently. I argue that the Creature cannot be held accountable for his rage since he was not taught acceptable behavior and is left to discover the ways of the world completely on his own, in the face of adversity.

In many ways, Victor is symbolic of humanity; Throughout time, humans have attempted to impose control over aspects of life that should not be controlled, such as life itself. Victor exemplifies this complex aspect of the human experience. It is no secret that people fear the “Other,” or whatever strays from the social norm. The Creature looks like a “monster,” and therefore is treated as such. It is only after he is introduced to humans that the Creature becomes violent, a result of their negative reaction to his looks. The Creature blames Victor for his plight, and in this way Victor is responsible for his own fate and the fates of his loved ones. Shelley’s portrayal of the Creature as he observes the De Lacey’s has more humanity than any characterization of Victor in the novel. The Creature yearns to be accepted, but knows the only person who will be able to see past his appearance is a blind man. He wants to impress the De Lacey’s with his extensive knowledge and fine manners, but is not given the chance. Shelley’s characterization of the Creature is both sympathetic and tragic, and makes him relatable to the audience.

The Creature exemplifies many of the good aspects of human nature, while Victor’s actions explore the bad. I see Frankenstein as an allegory for the detrimental effects of discrimination. The Creature has a brilliant mind and good intentions, two human traits that are highly regarded. Despite this, he is ostracized from society because he looks different. This novel is expertly crafted to make this message obvious without preaching about the dangers of prejudice. Victor symbolizes the aspects of human nature that crave control but fear the unknown. I found Victor to be the most frightening character in the story because he represents humanity, which is not exactly a compliment.


-Hannah Casey