Introduction
Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein is a novel characterized by complex themes related to humans’ obsessive desires to assume the roles of creators and the portrayal of outcasts in stereotypical society. The author uses different perspectives on the story, namely the Doctor’s and the creature’s, to demonstrate the distinction in their reasoning of humanity. This paper is designed to analyze the theme of humanity as portrayed in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, where the author demonstrates the limited nature of society’s perceived humanity.
Summary
The novel’s first volume depicts the story of Dr Victor Frankenstein, who created life from inanimate matter. Consequently, a hideous creature is born while the Doctor flees the scene. In a while, he is summoned to Geneva for a family meeting as his brother was mysteriously murdered. When the Doctor sees his creature at a murder site, he believes that the creature is guilty, while others suspect a servant. Unable to prove her innocence, the woman is executed while the Doctor is drowned in guilt.
The second volume illustrates the story from the creature’s perspective as it attempts to interact with humans. He found refuge close to the mansion of the De Lacey family, which he secretly supports, and by observing whom, he learned common knowledge. However, in an attempt to approach the family, he was attacked and chased away. In return, the creature destroys the mansion in a blind rage. After that, he finds the journal of his creator and visits Geneva to demand from him a female partner.
Thread
The first two volumes demonstrate the difference and double-faced nature of humanity. Volume one focuses on humans’ desires and how they haunt them. In one of the letters of Robert Walton, the author confirms this thread of dangerous obsession. In letter four, it is written, “you seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been” (Shelley and Smith 39). This line demonstrates that the author intended to demonstrate the gravity of obsession and its consequences.
This obsession is similarly seen in the creature made by the Doctor. It craves to know attention and care as it tries to interact with humans. Indeed, the creature tells Frankenstein: “you must create a female for me, with whom I can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being” (Shelley and Smith 120). Instead, it receives the penalty of fear and disgust, to which it responds with destruction.
Response
The thread of obsession allows for understanding the terms outcasts and outlaws similarly. Outcasts, in this case, could be described as people shunned from society and living in solitude due to their exceptional interest in the knowledge neglected by society. Quite often, to cope with the loneliness in their hearts, outcasts attempt to bury their attention in pursuit of their interests by doing what they solidify their social standing as outcasts. Consequently, they are people striving to satisfy their curiosity that is not understood by others. On the other hand, outlaws could be defined as an excessive form of outcasts. They are people who, in pursuit of satisfying their curiosity, overstep the boundaries of the law.
In the novel, Dr Frankenstein is both an outcast and an outlaw. He was dimmed as an outcast as his strive towards alchemy was not acknowledged by his family or university faculty. Indeed, he was aware of his status and willingly pursued it, illustrated by the following quote: “Increase of knowledge only discovered to me more clearly what a wretched outcast I was” (Shelly and Smith 109). He continued to satisfy his desire by abiding by the laws and averting his eyes from those that did not understand him. Being an outcast, he becomes a prisoner of his emotional state because he does not believe others can understand him and has no intention of sharing his feelings. In one of his letters, Victor shares that “when I am glowing with the enthusiasm of success, there will be none to participate my joy; if I am assailed by disappointment, no one will endeavour to sustain me in dejection” (Shelly and Smith 6). Thus, loneliness and isolation characterize outcasts as unfit for society.
Labeling allows for a clearer interpretation of any character in writing, which defines each character’s actions, thinking, and future. In this novel, labeling is essential to define the boundaries of humanity and its narrow-minded nature. Frankenstein and his monster are outlaws and outcasts; these labels define their nature and actions in the book. The monster is feared as an outlaw, which scars its newly created heart and pre-determines the future, progressing the whole story. Indeed, in one of the conversations, the creature fears being friendless, and the Doctor comforts him, saying, “but the hearts of men, when unprejudiced by any obvious self-interest, are full of brotherly love and charity” (Shelly and Smith 112). However, the creature responds that people are kind “but, unfortunately, they are prejudiced against me” (Shelly and Smith 112). A similar development is seen in Frankenstein, who could not receive care from his environment as a child. Thus, he succumbed to the stereotype of an outcast and created an unspeakable atrocity against God.
Conclusion
In summation, the analysis of Mary Shelly’s novel allowed for identifying the hindered nature of humanity as depicted through the characters of Dr Frankenstein and his creature. People’s excessive desire to be powerful results in their inability to handle the outcomes, while prejudice leads to isolation and inhumane actions. Thus, labeling and prejudice impose limits on humanity in people’s actions and beliefs, which depicts the problematic social issue recurring even in today’s world.
Work Cited
Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, and Johanna M. Smith. Frankenstein: Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism. 2nd ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2000.