Walton is a traveller who wants to be the first person to discover the North Pole. Like Frankenstein, he also wants his name to be glorified by humanity.
Walton might seem monstrous because he is risking lives of people. “One mans life or deaths were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of knowledge.”
Frankenstein was interested in subjects like science and physics. He was fascinated in stuff like ghosts and spirits. “the raising of ghosts and devils was a promise liberally accorded by my favourite authors.” One of Frankenstein’s ambitions was to cure disease.
“If I could banish disease from the human frame.” He tries to be a hero. This is humane because it’s a gift that everyone wished they had.
Shelley read a lot of science books from H.Davy. This is shown through Frankenstein because he likes science as well. Frankenstein’s behaviour seems unnatural and monstrous because he talks about “raising spirits”
“No father could claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I deserve theirs.” This relates to the God complex. Mary Shelley imagined her lost child coming back to life. So there experiences are some what similar.
Frankenstein and Walton are similar in a way because they both have “self destructing ambitions” and both want to be “glorified” by humanity and mankind.
The way Frankenstein reacts with the murder of William and Justine’s death is monstrous and cruel. How can one man be that selfish and allow innocent people to be killed.
“I resolved to remain silent.” Frankenstein makes excuses for not testifying in the innocence of Justin. This is monstrous and selfish because his acts are being punished on a woman who is innocent and powerless.
“I was in reality the monster” this relates to Elizabeth saying “men are blood thirsty monsters.” This is actual fact makes Frankenstein the monster instead of the creation.
Frankenstein mentions Elizabeth the “purest creature.” It’s ironic because Elizabeth does not know the Frankenstein is responsible for William and Justin’s death.
It’s astonishing that the first time we meet the monster; he is civilised, generous and loving. He is like a God.
“These labourers, performed by an invisible hand greatly astonished them.” The monster helped and supported the labourers. He was like “good spirits” compared to god. This relates to how Frankenstein wanted to be a God like, but is just goes to show that what a monster can be a God.
The only aspect the creature might seem monstrous, is his ugliness and size. He is described “wretch” and “filthy daemon.” Apart from that, the creature has a heart of and angel.
The monster understands and knows about nature, and people are created by God. He is impressed with Gods creatures; however, Frankenstein does not know God creates us.
“How dare you sport thus with life.” This tells us that the monster is upset and disturbed and asks Frankenstein, why are you playing with life? If you have created me, then surely look after me and certainly don’t dessert me. The creature perceives Frankenstein’s behaviour to be monstrous. The monster does have feelings and is emotional.
“Thy creature, to whorne thou art beyond by ties only dissoluble by the annihilation of one of us.” He speaks eloquently and shows sophistication because he understands parental responsibility.
He shows he is sophisticated by reading “Paradise Lost.” He educates himself with this book and compares himself to Adam.
“Like Adam, I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence.”
He is like Adam because he is created and does not have any family just like the monster.
He becomes jealous of what status Adam had and what status he had.
“I will watch with wilderness of a snake that I may sting with its venom.”
This relates to what Frankenstein says about his ambition becoming a “serpent to sting him”. The fact that the monster speaks eloquently and wants friends makes him feel sympathetic.
The creation can be described as a romantic hero rather than a monster because he is suffering.
The way the monster has no name creates more sympathy. He calls himself “wretch” and Frankenstein calls him a “hideous” creature. This is callous because, it’s just his appearance that makes him seem monstrous.
The way the writer chose to make the monsters story central is effective because it is like the core of the book and like the main part. The monster gives his statements of what happened. That is the part where the creature changes from good to evil.
The first action that made the creation seem monstrous was when he murdered William. Frankenstein’s brother. The “wretch” did this because he wanted to take revenge on Frankenstein and saw that killing William would be a golden opportunity to get back at Frankenstein. When the monster is described as “gnashing” his teeth. It relates to when Frankenstein gnashed his teeth. This shows that they are both as worse as each other in that period of time.
Frankenstein refused to make another monster because he knew and leaned that if he were to perform that, then the whole world would be in danger that it could destroy humanity. It was not an easy decision to make because the monster had sort of threatened Frankenstein to make a friend for him. To some extent Frankenstein can be described as a romantic hero because he puts himself in danger for the sake of mankind.
Shelley is trying to warn us about, not playing with God. He creates your life and he ends your life.
The monster actually suffers the most because, it was not his fault that he was created with structural defects and considering his situation, he was actually a good person from the inside. Having been abandoned by your creator is something the monster cannot adjust to. Considering what he had to go through does make him seem a romantic hero.
Shelley’s purpose and message is to tell us that everyone can be good and try no to let your ambition destroy you.
