Examples Of Villains In Frankenstein

Words: 659

Pages: 3

Open Document

Who was the true villain of the Gothic novel, Frankenstein? Was the primary evildoer Dr. Victor Frankenstein, or his creature? Some say that Victor is the villain because he is responsible for the creation of the monster. I think, however, that they are missing the point. In my opinion, the monster’s violent actions are inexcusable no matter his drive. The monster desperately desires love, but does all the wrong things in an attempt to obtain it. He is selfish, violent, and has no legitimate motive. Based upon the actions of both Victor and his creature, I believe that the creature is the true villain of the novel.
From the moment of his creation until his death, it is apparent that the monster is truly a tortured being. However, he is indubitably selfish, and wants others to share in his pain. He …show more content…
I disagree with this statement, because the creature’s behavior is morally wrong. Having a desolate, self-loathing backstory isn’t an excuse for manslaughter. Many common “villains” have a haunting backstory that explains, but does not justify, their ruthless ways. This is no different for the creature; he has had an agonizing upbringing that has made him into the what he is, a murderer. I do understand, however, the monster’s yearning for love, as can be seen when the monster says “… and where they ought to see a feeling and kind friend, they behold only a detestable monster.” (Shelley 114). Though the monster strives for companionship and love, he achieves just the opposite through the crimes that he commits. Whenever the monster is about to kill, he is presented with two choices. He could either kill the victim, or not. There’s nothing forcing the creature to commit these murders, he simply succumbs to rage and his irrational urges. The fact that the monster chooses the resentful route instead of the passive one reveals another element of his villainous

Frankenstein Essay

Frankenstein In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, adapted by Philip Pullman, the main character Frankenstein faces a problem that he cannot control his reaction. This problem and the way he respinds to it helped me understand the idea that it is damgerous to play god. Throughout the text Frankenstein plays god by creating the monster nut ultimately becomes the victim when he can no longer control his creation. A problem faced by Frankenstein in the story is that thinking of himself as playing as god…

Words 677 - Pages 3

Blind Ambition In Macbeth And Frankenstein

Blind ambition, a driving force in William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth and in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, eventually leads to the main characters’ downfalls. In Shelley’s Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein is an eager scientist, loyal son, and loyal friend; however, he does not stay this way throughout the book. In Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, Macbeth is introduced as King Duncan’s loyal soldier because he killed the wanted traitor, Macdonwald. Additionally, Victor is interested…

Words 783 - Pages 4

Nature Vs. Nurture In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

issue, one of these is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. In this novel scientist Victor Frankenstein creates a creature and must deal with the consequences of doing so. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Despite Victor stating that the creature is born evil, there is plenty of examples of the creature being shaped by the world around him.…

Words 627 - Pages 3

Why Is Gothic Literature So Popular During The Victorian Era

atmosphere of mystery, suspense, and fear. It also frequently features the supernatural, which is defined as any event or manifestation that does not follow the laws of nature (Burgess). Two famous Victorian works that used supernatural elements are Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. During the Victorian era, supernatural elements appeared often in literature and were used symbolically. There are many reasons why the Gothic genre became popular during the…

Words 1692 - Pages 7

Essay about Genre Studies

Science-fiction Westerns Horror What is Genre? Genre is a method of categorisation that is used to group literary works by either form (for example, diary entries, letters etc.) or content. Some examples of genres for fictional texts that are based on content include: Adventure Crime fiction Fantasy Historical fiction Mystery Romance Science fiction And horror Other examples of genre include- Biography- The story of someone’s life told by someone else. Autobiography- The story of someone’s life told by…

Words 829 - Pages 4

Macbeth Research Paper

is a concern for other people in need—a concern to defend a moral cause, knowing there is a personal risk, done without expectation of reward,” (What Makes A Hero?). Dr. Zimbardo also states that the same situations that cause people to turn into villains or bad people, are also the same situations that cause people to want to become heroes or good people. Yet one question still remains. How can the same situation instill someone to become evil and others to become heroes? Truth is there is no clear…

Words 1960 - Pages 8

Department of English Spring 2014 Course Descriptions Essays

begins with the Civil War—the traumatic event that birthed the modern American state—and ends with the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. In particular, we will attend to the ethics of representation, asking who is assigned the roles of hero, villain, and victim in the works we study, and why the writers and film directors have made the choices they do. The arguments made by these books and films are part of evolving conversation about the nature of organized violence, and our task will be to…

Words 9501 - Pages 39