Archetypes in Frankenstein: Unmasking the True Monster

Introduction

Monsters, in general, are normally put under the category of a creature that possesses some form of inhuman qualities or some type of disproportion, is viewed as evil, and has no empathy for mankind. The term monster can also refer to a person who has done terrible things in life that poorly affect others around them. In the novel Frankenstein, many people label his creation as a monster because of only his visible appearance and Victor as a rejection of everyone around him.

Now, with the statement that the monster in the novel Frankenstein should be destroyed, I don’t agree with this. I believe that Victor is the true monster in this story as the creature is the outcast in society itself.

Victor Frankenstein’s Transformation into the Archetypal Monster

Victor’s unnatural obsession with creating life and wanting to become a God-like being ultimately leads to his demise and the death of his close loved ones. When Victor first brings the monster to life, he says, …breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room. Victor here acts as a monster because he views the life he created with disgust and refuses to assist it in the world. He shows no compassion or empathy towards him; Victor says, Begone! I do break my promise; never again will I create another like yourself, equal in deformity and wickedness.

Even though this entire thing is his fault, he refuses to accept the consequences of his actions. He is the reason that everyone he loves dies. By creating the monster, then rejecting it, and failing the one request of making a friend, the creature kills all of his loved ones, which is due to his lack of responsibility for accepting his creation. He then manages to destroy the creature’s life and his own because of his selfishness and poor acts. His poor life decisions are enough to call him the monster in this story.

The creature lives a life of rejection from Victor and society in general. He is almost always perceived as the monster in the story strictly because of his looks. Society is quick to judge before he is given the chance to express how he really is. All he wants is acceptance from Victor and everyone else, but only because he looks different; he is outcasted. He is rejected many times by Victor and the family in the woods. The old blind man in the woods has no issue talking to the creature because he’s not able to see his deformities. When the rest of the family came back to their house, Agatha fainted, and Safie, unable to attend to her friend, rushed out of the cottage¦ Felix..dashed me to the ground and struck me violently with a stick. The family in the woods is quick to judge based on his looks and never allows the creature to explain or speak for himself. The creature is a victim and an outcast who lives a life of rejection when he only wants good for mankind. He realizes this and says, I am alone and miserable; man will not associate with me. All he ever wanted and needed was for someone to take him and teach him the ways of life.

Conclusion

By only physical appearance, the creature is often perceived as the monster in Frankenstein, but he is just a mistreated outcast in society trying to only do the right thing. Society judges based on his looks and never gives his personality a chance. Victor is the true monster through his actions and personality throughout the story. Victor’s hostility towards the creature, obsession with creating life, and longing for a God-like status and power all truly reveal the inner monster Victor possesses. Victor is a real monster who destroys his life, while the creature is just an outcast in society who searches for affection and acceptance.

References

1. “Frankenstein’s Cat: Cuddling Up to Biotech’s Brave New Beasts” by Emily Anthes

2. “The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein” by Peter Ackroyd

3. “Frankenstein: Lost Souls” by Dean Koontz Dean Koontz

4. “Frankenstein: The 1818 Text” by Mary Shelley

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