After reading Frankenstein, and watching the 1931 film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s novel, I felt like it was interesting to think about which character is portrayed as the actual monster within the novel and in the film; Dr. Frankenstein or his creation. Within the 1818 novel, as a reader, I found myself struggling with the idea of which of the two characters I saw as the actual monster. The true monster, within the novel, could be Victor’s creation because he violently killed those around him while living within a whirlwind of hate and thirsting for revenge. On the other hand, the argument could also be made that Victor Frankenstein is the monster within the novel. Victor dropped out of school, completely cut off his family and friends, risked his own life, and ignored warnings from those around him, all to feed his obsession with immortality and creating new life. Ever since his mother’s passing, Victor consistently ran from his feelings and problems, with his newest creation being no exception. Victor left his young creation to die within the apartment in which he was formed, with no food, water, or guidance whatsoever. Throughout the novel, specifically when Dr. Frankenstein’s creation pulls him into the ice cave and forces him to listen to his story, we are given glimpses of emotion and aesthetic reflection from monster. Dr. Frankenstein’s creation tells about the rejection he’s experienced, his knowledge gained, and the extreme loneliness he feels. In doing so, he makes it hard for us, as readers, to dislike him and it makes his crude actions seem almost justifiable. While reading the novel, I began to sympathize with the monster, misconstruing my original thought of Dr. Frankenstein’s creation being the villain, and Victor taking the role. While watching the 1931 film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s, Frankenstein, I had a much easier time distinguishing which of the characters was portrayed as the monster, or antagonist, and who was shown as the hero, or protagonist. As we all know, the film is very short and provides little detail of the character’s lives. We are shown little, if any of Dr. Frankenstein’s background, and we do not get the experience of participating in his creation’s harsh rejection and heartbreak. Additionally, within the 1931 movie, Dr. Frankenstein can use the justification of using the “abnormal brain” for his creation, giving off the appearance that there is something wrong with the monster. The idea of him having an “abnormal brain” detaches the actual monster from having any feelings or justification for his actions; therefore I do not sympathize with him as I did in the novel. Finally, at then end of the novel when Dr. Frankenstein’s creation is killed, it seemed as though a hero was killing the villain within the story. It was as if the story came to a complete end when the actual monster died, and I did not question his death or mourn over it. Due to the lack of background provided within the 1931 movie, I had very different reactions when reading Shelley’s novel and watching this film adaptation about who the true monster within the story, and who to sympathize with.
Mary Wollstonecraft was a key advocate for women’s rights. She wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women. This was one of the earliest works of feminist theory. She broke down barriers that people had of gender roles. Being the daughter of Wollstonecraft, Mary Shelley was expected to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Her novel, Frankenstein, became widely known and has been read by many. While her mother objected the classic gender roles, Shelley had them weaved throughout Frankenstein. In the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to the many male characters within the story. Every story within the novel had a dominate male character; from Walton to Frankenstein to the monster. This could be due to the fact that Wollstonecraft died while Shelley was very young. Males influenced her life, which is reflected in her novel. The women roles in Frankenstein are there to support the men. These traditional roles go back to the idea that men are superior to women. Two women that these gender roles are given to are Margaret, Walton’s sister, and Elizabeth, Frankenstein’s love. Margaret is Walton’s sister to he write to in the beginning of the novel. She is there as a support for Walton and his journey. We learn nothing about Margaret and her life other than she is there to encourage and listen to her brother in his time of need. While Margaret has only a small part in the novel, Elizabeth plays a much larger role. She is the sister and fiancé to Frankenstein. While she is a big part of his life, she has no say in what he does. He does not take her opinion into consideration at all. She is once again there to provide support to Frankenstein and be submissive to him. While Frankenstein is the most important thing to her, it is evident that it is not the case the other way around. This is shown when the monster threatens Frankenstein and tells him that he will come on his wedding night. Never once did it cross Frankenstein’s mind that Elizabeth may be in danger he was only worried about himself. Feminism is also portrayed in the creation of the female monster. I believe that this is where it is shown the most. The monster learned from watching society and the DeLacey family. He was taught, unknowingly, that in order to be happy he needed a woman in his life. Without even thinking or considering what she would think or how she would feel, the monster promised that he would run away with her and leave Frankenstein alone. Throughout the novel, the women were shown as submissive and seemed to only be there for the men’s sake. In Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, traditional gender roles were portrayed.
When analyzing Shelley’s “Frankenstein”, you have to examine the validity of the character from which you are receiving the story—Robert Walton. This man was highly educated, had a very diverse background of studies and was incredibly alone. During this voyage he is driven by passion and execution of his lifetime of analyses. Now that this mission has reached a roadblock in the frigid cold, this stagnate is enough to drive anyone mad, nevertheless the leader who has devoted his whole fortune to this expedition. Now throughout the novel the argument of “well the crewmen on the ship saw Frankenstein enter the ship” has always been the key point into proving his existence, but did they actually see him? Or was it Walton making that up in his letters to his sister as well? The book Frankenstein has a very plausible theory of depicting a dissociative identity disorder through the eyes of the patient.
We learn that Walton knows he different from almost every person he encounters on this journey and throughout his early years. With that, he feels alienated and longs to feel a sense of companionship with another human (while his sister is somewhat of a companion, its safe to say Walton feels she is beneath him by the tone in which his letters are written—loving but almost demeaning). The parallels between Walton and the Monster are obvious but Frankenstein and Walton also share quite a few similarities. Such as engrossing taste for knowledge from an early age, “self educated” was a common phrase they both used to describe themselves. I think the key connection would have to be that they both have an almost physical need to attempt to accomplish the impossible, to change history.
Dissociative identity disorder is characterized by at least two distinct and relatively enduring identities or dissociated personality states that alternately control a person's behavior. Walton’s actions are altered when he is caring for Victor. The reason Walton could fibrate this intricate could be his subconscious warning him. His subconscious creates two characters that reflect him in some way and places them in an elaborate tale that shift his mentality to overlook his pride and essentially saves the crew from their unavoidable death if they were to proceed. This is clear evidence of the possibility that Walton went insane and made up the story in depicting it to his sister.
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ReplyDeleteThe concept of a “monster” or “monstrosity.”
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Frankenstein, and watching the 1931 film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s novel, I felt like it was interesting to think about which character is portrayed as the actual monster within the novel and in the film; Dr. Frankenstein or his creation. Within the 1818 novel, as a reader, I found myself struggling with the idea of which of the two characters I saw as the actual monster. The true monster, within the novel, could be Victor’s creation because he violently killed those around him while living within a whirlwind of hate and thirsting for revenge. On the other hand, the argument could also be made that Victor Frankenstein is the monster within the novel. Victor dropped out of school, completely cut off his family and friends, risked his own life, and ignored warnings from those around him, all to feed his obsession with immortality and creating new life. Ever since his mother’s passing, Victor consistently ran from his feelings and problems, with his newest creation being no exception. Victor left his young creation to die within the apartment in which he was formed, with no food, water, or guidance whatsoever. Throughout the novel, specifically when Dr. Frankenstein’s creation pulls him into the ice cave and forces him to listen to his story, we are given glimpses of emotion and aesthetic reflection from monster. Dr. Frankenstein’s creation tells about the rejection he’s experienced, his knowledge gained, and the extreme loneliness he feels. In doing so, he makes it hard for us, as readers, to dislike him and it makes his crude actions seem almost justifiable. While reading the novel, I began to sympathize with the monster, misconstruing my original thought of Dr. Frankenstein’s creation being the villain, and Victor taking the role.
While watching the 1931 film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s, Frankenstein, I had a much easier time distinguishing which of the characters was portrayed as the monster, or antagonist, and who was shown as the hero, or protagonist. As we all know, the film is very short and provides little detail of the character’s lives. We are shown little, if any of Dr. Frankenstein’s background, and we do not get the experience of participating in his creation’s harsh rejection and heartbreak. Additionally, within the 1931 movie, Dr. Frankenstein can use the justification of using the “abnormal brain” for his creation, giving off the appearance that there is something wrong with the monster. The idea of him having an “abnormal brain” detaches the actual monster from having any feelings or justification for his actions; therefore I do not sympathize with him as I did in the novel. Finally, at then end of the novel when Dr. Frankenstein’s creation is killed, it seemed as though a hero was killing the villain within the story. It was as if the story came to a complete end when the actual monster died, and I did not question his death or mourn over it. Due to the lack of background provided within the 1931 movie, I had very different reactions when reading Shelley’s novel and watching this film adaptation about who the true monster within the story, and who to sympathize with.
Mary Wollstonecraft was a key advocate for women’s rights. She wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women. This was one of the earliest works of feminist theory. She broke down barriers that people had of gender roles. Being the daughter of Wollstonecraft, Mary Shelley was expected to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Her novel, Frankenstein, became widely known and has been read by many. While her mother objected the classic gender roles, Shelley had them weaved throughout Frankenstein. In the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to the many male characters within the story. Every story within the novel had a dominate male character; from Walton to Frankenstein to the monster. This could be due to the fact that Wollstonecraft died while Shelley was very young. Males influenced her life, which is reflected in her novel.
ReplyDeleteThe women roles in Frankenstein are there to support the men. These traditional roles go back to the idea that men are superior to women. Two women that these gender roles are given to are Margaret, Walton’s sister, and Elizabeth, Frankenstein’s love. Margaret is Walton’s sister to he write to in the beginning of the novel. She is there as a support for Walton and his journey. We learn nothing about Margaret and her life other than she is there to encourage and listen to her brother in his time of need. While Margaret has only a small part in the novel, Elizabeth plays a much larger role. She is the sister and fiancé to Frankenstein. While she is a big part of his life, she has no say in what he does. He does not take her opinion into consideration at all. She is once again there to provide support to Frankenstein and be submissive to him. While Frankenstein is the most important thing to her, it is evident that it is not the case the other way around. This is shown when the monster threatens Frankenstein and tells him that he will come on his wedding night. Never once did it cross Frankenstein’s mind that Elizabeth may be in danger he was only worried about himself.
Feminism is also portrayed in the creation of the female monster. I believe that this is where it is shown the most. The monster learned from watching society and the DeLacey family. He was taught, unknowingly, that in order to be happy he needed a woman in his life. Without even thinking or considering what she would think or how she would feel, the monster promised that he would run away with her and leave Frankenstein alone.
Throughout the novel, the women were shown as submissive and seemed to only be there for the men’s sake. In Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, traditional gender roles were portrayed.
When analyzing Shelley’s “Frankenstein”, you have to examine the validity of the character from which you are receiving the story—Robert Walton. This man was highly educated, had a very diverse background of studies and was incredibly alone. During this voyage he is driven by passion and execution of his lifetime of analyses. Now that this mission has reached a roadblock in the frigid cold, this stagnate is enough to drive anyone mad, nevertheless the leader who has devoted his whole fortune to this expedition. Now throughout the novel the argument of “well the crewmen on the ship saw Frankenstein enter the ship” has always been the key point into proving his existence, but did they actually see him? Or was it Walton making that up in his letters to his sister as well? The book Frankenstein has a very plausible theory of depicting a dissociative identity disorder through the eyes of the patient.
ReplyDeleteWe learn that Walton knows he different from almost every person he encounters on this journey and throughout his early years. With that, he feels alienated and longs to feel a sense of companionship with another human (while his sister is somewhat of a companion, its safe to say Walton feels she is beneath him by the tone in which his letters are written—loving but almost demeaning). The parallels between Walton and the Monster are obvious but Frankenstein and Walton also share quite a few similarities. Such as engrossing taste for knowledge from an early age, “self educated” was a common phrase they both used to describe themselves. I think the key connection would have to be that they both have an almost physical need to attempt to accomplish the impossible, to change history.
Dissociative identity disorder is characterized by at least two distinct and relatively enduring identities or dissociated personality states that alternately control a person's behavior. Walton’s actions are altered when he is caring for Victor. The reason Walton could fibrate this intricate could be his subconscious warning him. His subconscious creates two characters that reflect him in some way and places them in an elaborate tale that shift his mentality to overlook his pride and essentially saves the crew from their unavoidable death if they were to proceed. This is clear evidence of the possibility that Walton went insane and made up the story in depicting it to his sister.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete