‘I was to a degree self taught with regard to my favourite studies” Victor
The creature, like Victor, was also very intelligent in being able to absorb facts and philosophies so readily. Victor proves his intelligence in being able to create a human being out of body parts, and also excelling in his university despite having started with a disadvantage from other students because of the fact he had studied out dated books. Another parallel is drawn in the fact that the Monster was at a disadvantage in education also, having started learning in the adult state rather than the child, and thus their educations and problems with it were very similar.
In the field of education, Frankenstein starts learning languages when he abandons science after his disaster with the birth of his creature.
“The Persian Arabic and Sanskrit languages engaged his attention, and I was easily introduced to the same studies’ Victor
At the same time that Frankenstein is concentrating on these linguistic skills, his creature is learning how to speak languages at the house of his so called protectors.
“I thought not to make the attempt until I had first become a master of their language.” The creature, page 88. This is an example of them progressing in life together and in the same way, and demonstrates their similar life patterns.
Frankenstein lives in a society that places high value on beauty. People throughout the novel remark on someone’s beauty before anything else, for example, it was seen as a tragedy that William died because he was beautiful, and one can imagine if he had not been beautiful, people would have viewed his murder as a less tragic loss. Frankenstein appreciates natural beauty and the beauty of people.
“Clerval called forth the better feelings of my heart, he again taught me to love the aspect of nature, and the cheerful faces of children.’ Frankenstein p.55
He derives pleasure from sources of great beauty and beauty is seen to stimulate his happiness. This can be remarked upon as very shallow because beauty is not always permanent or necessarily good. The creature also gives great reverence to beautiful things and associates beauty with innate goodness.
“…was disturbed by the approach of a beautiful child…an idea seized me that this little creature was inprejudice…”
He thinks that because William is young and beautiful he will also be a pleasant child, but he fastly learns not to presume that physical perfection and loving souls go hand in hand. As a parallel to this Frankenstein believes that ugliness is associated with evil, and hence presumes the creature to be wretched and evil because he was deformed. Their opinions on this are similar and one can imagine that if their roles were reversed, they would behave exactly the same as each other, it is only their different situations that casts different lights of bias among them, not that their personalities are much different.
Frankenstein originally holds power over the creature, as he is the divine creator, and the creature’s fate is in Frankenstein’s hands. When the creature is born, Frankenstein abandons and rejects him, leaving him to fend for himself in the world, powerless and helpless without the familial support so needed in the youth. However, power changes hands many times in the novel after this point. The creature hold’s power over Frankenstein when he demonstrates his ability to murder and cause mischief for his father. He orders his father to make him a bride, clearly asserting his authority and dominance.
“Slave…Remember I have power.” The creature.
The way in which the couple abuse their power is similar, Frankenstein denies his responsibilities and runs from his authority and this can be seen as cruel. Similarly, the monster uses his reign for evil, cruelty and malicious murder. Their bad handling of power in a relationship along with the fact they both switch power could be interpreted as a parallel. The creature demonstrates his temper and lack of self control when he murders William. Revenge and anger grip him
“…anger returned, a rage of anger, and unable to injure anything human, I turned my fury to inanimate objects” The creature.
And his violent tendencies due to lack of good example on what is right and wrong lead to him eventually committing murders. The creature shares his youthful temper with Frankenstein.
“My temper was sometimes violent and vehement” Frankenstein
Their handling of situations that displease them are parallel, because both are unable to control their anger and momentary irrationality. This can be seen not only with violence but in every aspect of their personality. When they have their minds set on something, they continue even if they have had experience that tells them they are wrong. The monster regretted torturing Frankenstein at the end of the novel, and so although he must have realised what he was doing was wrong at the time, he continued. Similarly, Frankenstein failed to recognise that by giving the speech to continue on the mission into the unknown aboard Walton’s ship, he was ignoring everything he had learnt about suppressing dangerous and unknown ambitions.
The creature and Frankenstein are both obsessed by revenge, and in the final chapters of Frankensteins life, we learn how they both are only alive because they have the hope of seeking revenge on eachother.
“For this purpose I will live, to execute this dear revenge” Frankenstein
The creature vows eternal revenge on Frankenstein after his hardships
“to him towards I have sworn eternal revenge!” The creature.
This similarity is also arguably both Frankenstein and the creature’s downfall, they both thrive of their hatred for each other instead of trying to make amends for the wrongs they have both commited. They both call eachother, and indeed call themselves at various points, wretches throughout. By Shelley associating a particular word with both Frankenstein and the creature, we can see the parallel of their miserable and desperate situations.
“You…miserable wretch…” Frankenstein
Frankenstein and the creature are both referred to as spiritual beings. The creature is referred to as the devil, because the devil started out as an angel, but corruption led him to commit evil acts, just as the creature is born with a loving and pure heart, but malevolence grips him after hardship and pain.
“But it is even so; the fallen angel becomes the malicious devil!” of the creature
Similarly, Frankenstein is compared to God, because he created man and in the bible it states that only God can create man.
“When thus he is noble and godlike in ruin” of Frankenstein
Their comparisons to the universal powers are parallel. However, the extreme opposite of to whom they are compared with highlights a final point. The creature and Frankenstein are so very different in many ways. Although they have similar characters, because they are placed in such opposite situations generally, their personalities although similar are projected in a different light. The book highlights the importance of circumstances and environment in growing up and surviving the world as a good and balanced person.
