In the first Volume Mary Shelley then presents the creature to be a murderer. We hear of this through the voice of Frankenstein rather than the creature, so we have no back story as to the build up or to what made the monster wish to kill William. The reader may begin to feel angry with the creature here as an innocent woman, Justine, is being trialled and found guilty for his doings. I found myself feeling more frustrated with Frankenstein himself though, as I think Shelley intends. His cowardly behaviour in not stepping forward with information about the creature at Justine’s trial, shows how weak willed and afraid he is. It also begs the question as to who is guiltier, the creature or the creator? Although not stating it blatantly, Frankenstein’s attitude indirectly shows the reader that he could blame himself also. He says things such as ‘I was a wretch’, which is what he also refers to the creature as. Linking the two together makes the creature seem more human and Frankenstein more monstrous.
The creature’s first words become as a shock to the reader as he is so well spoken and sounds extremely intellectual. We learn of his struggles and how he progressed from being an empty shell to a very human like thing. The way in which he learns through watching and listening to people makes him seem very childlike, making the reader see him as quite vulnerable and harmless. When we hear how he is rejected by all humans we sympathise with him, and resent Frankenstein for creating him this way. His requests for a companion and a content life are small, and humble, where as throughout the novel we have not seen humans being fully happy and content despite the fact that they ‘possess every luxury’.
When the creature recollects when he murdered William I think Mary Shelley tries to make a link between the two. The creature thinks that due to William being a child, he should be less corrupt and judgemental of his appearance. We see this isn’t true when William shouts ‘Hideous monster!’ and begs for him to let go. We see that he is already corrupted by the human instinct to fear and hate the ugly. This corruption is mirrored by the creature, who began enjoying gentle, simple things such as birds singing. The earth has changed him and he now hates and experiences sad emotions. The link between the two creates sympathy and understanding of the monsters feelings and how the world can so easily change a person.
Although the reader may understand the creature’s feelings, it is difficult to understand murder in any circumstance which I think is why Mary Shelley had him murder people rather than something less intense. It makes the reader think more about what in life should be valued, and how victor dismissed his family and friends when creating the monster. It is almost as if he deserves it, as he made the monster, rejected his family for years, and then refused to do as the monster said to secure his family’s safety. Could it be that Mary Shelley wants us to see Victor as the murderer and the monster, rather than the frustrated and lonely creature, who was simple unfortunate to be born, and especially in his form.
I think that Frankenstein’s short comings in courage and morality make the reader sympathise with the creature, as he did not ask to be born, he simply was, due to Frankenstein’s need to create science.