The Creature Is a Victim in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Essay Sample

In “Frankenstein” By Mary Shelley, Mary Shelley is more sympathetic towards the Creature. She shows more empathy to this character because she relates it more compared to the other characters, like Victor. Throughout the whole book, Mary Shelley relates the Creature back to her past life.

“What do we learn about the character through the words of the narrator?” In the novel, the Creature tends not to be accepted in society. Since Victor eventually abandons the monster, we find out that all the Creature wants is love and to have a relationship with someone who cares about him. “Satan had his companions, fellow-devils, to admire and encourage him; but I am solitary and abhorred.” (Shelley 126) We also learn that this character is vindictive. He will do anything to get revenge on Victor’s actions towards him “There was none among the myriads of men who existed who would pity or assist me; and should I feel kindness towards my enemies? No: from that moment I declared everlasting war against the species, and, more than all, against him who had formed me, and sent me forth to this insupportable misery.”(Shelley 81) The creature wanted revenge on Victor and declared war against his society to punish him for his actions of abandonment.

“ What do we learn about the character from the way others relate to him?” In the novel, the Creature is mostly on his own throughout the whole story since people do not accept him because of the way he looks. So he does not really relate to anyone in the story but does have similar characteristics to the man who created him, Victor Frankenstein. They are both selfish. Victor created the Monster for no reason and even abandoned it, he did not care about the Monster, and he didn’t even care about protecting anyone besides himself when the Monster started to kill his family and friends. “I should have thought, young man, that the presence of your father would have been welcome instead of inspiring such violent repugnance.” (Shelley 175)  This was Mr. Kirwin’s response to Frankenstien after visiting him to only see Victor curled up in a corner with a shotgun in his hand, for protection of himself and no one else. The Monster is also selfish because although he may not have known any better, he still killed people, even a little kid, just for revenge on Frankentstien. “William is dead!... Victor, he is murdered!” (Shelley 68) This is when Victor found out that William, his youngest brother, had been murdered. Once he got told this he knew exactly who murdered him but didn’t tell anyone because he did not want to come in contact with he Creature again.

“What can we infer about the character from the character’s thoughts, actions, and speech?” All the Creature wants in love. When he saw the Delaceys through the crack in the cottage he realized that that is all he needs in life. ”I cannot describe to you the agony that these reflections inflicted upon me; I tried to dispel them, but sorrow only increased with knowledge. Oh, that I had forever remained in my native wood, nor known nor felt beyond the sensations of unger, thirst, and heat!” (Shelley 116) The Monster is explaining to us how he literally has nobody, nobody to take care of him or too love. He barely has a shelter, even food and water. The Creature craves for someone to care and show love for him as much as he will share his affection. “ You must create a female for me with whom I can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being.” (Shelley 139) This is when the Monster begged Victor to make him a friend or even a lover, so he wasn’t as lonely. Victor started making him a friend because he knew he wanted to never see the Creature again, but something went wrong and he never made the female monster.

In conclusion, In “Frankenstein” By Mary Shelley, Mary Shelley is more sympathetic towards the Creature. She shows more empathy to this character because she relates it more compared to the other characters. The main idea is that all the Monster wants is attention and love.