Frankenstein, By Mary Shelly - 2635 Words

In the novel Frankenstein, A Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelly conveys a warning of the potential dangers of creating a new life form, or â€Å"treading in God’s domain.† However, when Victor Frankenstein creates his monster and it comes alive he believes that he has constructed an abominable to the human race. As soon as the being wakes Frankenstein abandons it, because he cannot face or cope with his creation. Victor immediately assumes that his creature is an evil beast, but contrary to this idea the nameless creation is not evil in nature and possesses what every human has; a soul. The being may not be human but has a soul because he emits the qualities of a human being; these are the moral or emotional nature of a being or identity, the†¦show more content†¦Because society expects him to act like a monster, he inevitably becomes one. The being is clearly a victim of a self- fulfilling prophecy. Expert Naomi Hetherington, a critic of Frankenstein, agrees tha t â€Å"The monster is undoubtedly placed in unusual circumstances . . . And yet his situation is not unique the way he claims . . . All men have moments when they feel different, when they feel themselves inadequate to mixing in society, when they sense some form of ugliness standing between themselves and other human beings. The monster s fear of not being accepted because of being different is, paradoxically, a very human fear† (Hetherington). Just as the being’s external features are heightened, the being also exhibits heightened internal qualities of man, shown by his altruistic attitude toward humanity. The being tells Victor that his â€Å"soul glowed with love and humanity† (Shelly 91). The being enjoyed helping others. This is evident because he risked his own life and saved a little girl from drowning. All the being wanted in return was companionship and acceptance, neither of which he received, the creation says, â€Å"Let man live with me in the interchange of kindness; and instead of injury, I would bestow every benefit upon him with tears of gratitude at his acceptance† (Shelly 125) it is clear that initially the being was only monstrous in