Shelley writes the creature coming alive from Frankenstein’s point of view therefore it is very biased. Even though the creature is described in great detail, it is only described by its looks. Frankenstein becomes prejudice and claims the creature is a ‘wretch’ ‘grotesque’ and ‘vile’. Its features include ‘straight black lips’ and ‘yellow skin scarcely covering the work of muscle and arteries’. This gives us the impression that the creature is some kind of deformed monster. This is the point that Frankenstein finally faces reality and comes to know of his mistakes. However, he still makes another mistake – he doesn’t accept the responsibility for his actions and runs away. This is shown when he says ‘the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart’. Further in the chapter Frankenstein awakes from his nightmare to find the creature by his side with ‘jaws open’ ‘a grin wrinkled on his cheek’ and ‘one arm stretched out, seemingly to detain’. This gives us the impression that this hideous creature is violent and threatening to mankind. At this part in the story it appears the creature has no feelings or emotions. In this scene ‘the rain pattered dismally’ this reflects the mood, the disappointment and bitterness Victor Frankenstein is feeling. Shelley shows Frankenstein to be scared and anxious when ‘pacing the streets with quick steps, as if I sought to avoid the wretch’, which collaborates with the ‘dismal and wet’ morning with ‘rain which poured from a black and comfortless sky’ to create a tense atmosphere.
When the creature tells his own account of the story our feelings towards him begin to change. The creature uses a good range of vocabulary such as: ‘obliged’ and ‘distinguished’. This means that the creature is starting to think and learn without any support or guidance. The creature says ‘ a strange multiplicity of sensations seized me, and I saw, felt, heard and smelt,’ showing that it is maturing and can feel physical sensations. It noticed the different reactions to temperature and light and begins to adapt to its surroundings. We feel admiration for the creature, who even though left abandoned, has not lost hope and is still trying to understand life and fit in. Furthermore, we soon realise that the creature actually has feelings when it was delighted at the warmth from a fire left by wandering beggars that it naively thrust its hand into the live embers but quickly drew it out again with a cry of pain. This shows it is curious and willing to learn from its mistakes to become smart. This makes us feel sympathy for the creature knowing it is just as sensitive as any human. We feel even more sympathy for the creature when on his travels he enters a village to be welcomed by shrieking children, and attacks to end up ‘bruised by stones and many other missile weapons.’ The creature has now learnt to expect bad reactions knowing that humans are prejudice after just experiencing the ‘barbarity of man’. He starts to experience fear so seeks asylum, but is not at all aggressive. Shelley illustrates the creature to be appreciative and observant. This is shown when he saw the young girl ‘taking up the instrument and playing to produce sounds sweeter than the voice of the thrush or the nightingale. This shows he is empathetic and sees innocence in everything inconsiderate of how others have treated him. Shelley wants us to feel sorry for the creature because he wouldn’t be living under such horrible circumstances if people would take responsibility for their actions.
The creature becomes corrupted after various bad experiences such as the treatment from the peasants, Frankenstein, the DeLacey family and the father of the drowning girl he saves. His change in character is shown when he says ‘For the first time, feelings of revenge and hatred filled my bosom.’ He is angry because his creator Frankenstein, who has supposed to be like a father, left him stranded. The DeLacey family, who he helped so much, were so ungrateful and aggressive towards him. Then the icing on the cake, the man who shot him in the leg when he saved his daughter from drowning in the river! What a way of thanking some one? All these situations make us pity the good-hearted creature that hadn’t done any harm to receive such repayment. The creature has no other option but to treat people how they treated him, because that’s all he knows, that’s all he has learnt since he arrived on this planet.
The creature commits terrible atrocities such as the murder of Victor’s younger brother William, then framing the innocent Justine, which concluded in her death. And, later the attacks on Clerval and Elizabeth. Shelley gives the impression that the creature is commiting these crimes in revenge and through helplessness. It makes us think that the only way the creature will get justice is if Frankenstein suffers for what he has done. At this part of the story we begin to ask ourselves if what the creature is doing is right or wrong? The creature perceives himself to be stronger and have more power, this is shown when he says ‘Remember I have power, you are my creator but I am your master. OK.’ He now seems much more threatening and evil.
My final impression of the creature is rather ambivalent. Shelley portrays him as both a villain and a victim at different times in the story. However, The creature is a victim who has been pressured by society and discriminated against, therefore forcing him to commit the horrible atrocities. Frankenstein and Walton both learnt that confidence and ambition are good to a certain extent, its healthy until it leads onto obsession. You should also think before you do something as actions lead to consequences.
‘Frankenstein’ may have been written to make us think about issues such as the French Revolution, the gift of knowledge, science and human nature. Shelley was only nineteen years old when she wrote ‘Frankenstein’, some people say she was inspired by a baby that died. Around the time she was writing the book science was poorly understood and a new subject all together, scientists were trying to use electricity for reanimation. The French Revolution was considered to be a reign of terror and consequently named a ‘god less monster’. This is mirrored by the creation of the creature and his outrageous monstrosities. The French revolution was out of control just like the creature in the story. Burke describes it as ‘a species of political monster, which has always ended by devouring those who have produced it.’ Shelley might want us to see how Frankenstein abused God and so does science. The story makes us wonder if knowledge is bad? Knowledge provides us with good inventions but can also lead to bad consequences if misused.
