Family, Community and Social Relations in Frankenstein
Consider the importance of Family, Community and Social Relations in FrankensteinWhen Frankenstein was adapted for stage in 1823 the production's title was Presumption; or, the Fate of Frankenstein. A Victorian audience was concerned with the theme of a man's ambition to replace God by creating a new species. Equal emphasis was placed on this aspect of the novel in the 1831 introduction of Frankenstein, "It is Mary Shelly's critique of where such highly abstracted creative powers can lead when put in a 'realizing' scientific context and then driven along by 'lofty ambition' and 'high destiny' (p.204) that we see in the pages of Frankenstein" The novel was controversial in that it went against the traditional religious ideas of the time insofar as Victorian morality held that God was the Almighty Creator. However, as a modern reader, with less restricted moral boundaries to those of the Victorians, I feel Victor's main crime within the novel is the perverse way in which the creation is carried out and more importantly his failure to nurture the offspring; his crime is against the traditional framework of the family. Central to my argument is the fact that Shelley has created an almost entirely secular work, one which contains
Through Victor's neglect of his fatherly role he has succeeded in creating a truly satanic Monster. The Monster appears childlike, reaching out towards his creator and attempting to utter sounds. During the murder of William the Monster's heart fills with 'hellish triumph' (FTMP 138); it is rejection by both family and society which has turned him satanic. Shelley uses this family to perfectly illustrate the earlier example of human duality in society. Whilst Prometheus carries out his actions for the good of mankind, there is a feeling that Victor Frankenstein's motives are self centred. Victor's action of tearing up the female creation in front of his first Monster is a final rejection and a figurative statement by which the Monster realises that he will never be accepted by family or society and never have the means to create a community less alien to him. Victor's wedding night is the point at which Victor must confront his fear of normal human sexuality. Shelley uses the Monster's education to provide a powerful critique of society. It is important to consider Victor's hostile attitude to forming a relationship with his adoptive Elizabeth when discussing his rejection of normal human sexuality. Shelley places the Monster's attitudes towards social rejection within the inner most narrative frame of the novel. [with] the sportiveness of infancy'(FTMP 137). Again alluding to Paradise Lost Shelley creates a parody of Eve's discovery of her beauty as the Monster sees his reflection in a pool and is shocked by his appearance. The dream is a device typically used in Gothic fiction to present the inner most thoughts and desires of a character's psyche. In the Monster, Mary Shelley presents us with a character who is entirely rejected by those around him, a character who tragically longs for nothing but acceptance.
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Acceptance Essays
