Frankenstein Essay

Humans naturally gravitate towards each other and form societies. Isolation from the company of others has serious negative repercussions. In Mary Shelley's gripping tale "Frankenstein," a passionate and fervent Victor Frankenstein oversteps the bounds nature has laid down and assembles a creature from an assortment of old parts. However, upon witnessing his grotesque form, he is repulsed and shuns him. Abandoned by his creator, the monster follows the destructive path of revenge and eventually destroys Frankenstein's friends and family. Swearing vengeance, Frankenstein follows the monster to the north pole where, weakened and near death, he meets Robert Walton who nurses him back to health. Though three distinct characters, the Monster, Frankenstein, and Walton all suffer the detrimental effects of isolation from society.

The monster, rejected by all who witness his hideous form, suffers from lack of social identity as a result of his forced isolation from society. After he runs from Frankenstein, the monster finds refuge in a hovel and spies on his human neighbors through a crack. When he observes the peasants from his hovel, the monster witnesses "kindness and affection," a foreign concept to him at the time (89). Though he is not physically separated from others, he has no one to care for him which creates a longing within him. Furthermore, learning the language that the cottagers speak and specifically their names is significant. He learned "the youth and his companion had each of them several names, but the old man had only one..." (93). In fact, every character has a name except for the monster. Their names contrast with the monster's namelessness. Throughout the novel, he is merely referred to as "monster." Devoid of any interaction with others and a name, the monster suffers an identity crisis. His longing for a partner spurs him to implore Frankenstein to create a female counterpart for him. Frankenstein's eventual refusal causes the monster to seek revenge against his irresponsible creator.

Frankenstein's naïve thirst for knowledge and glory causes him to isolate himself from others, which damages his well-being and the well-being of every person he cares about. He proclaims "I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation" (33). Frankenstein's solitary and self-absorbed way of thinking is demonstrated through his use of "I" which reveals his desire to complete the task alone. Without the wise counsel and concern from his family and friends, Frankenstein ends up creating a monster that becomes a plague to him and his family. While working on the monster, he is physically sickly. His "cheek had grown pale with study, and [his] person [became] emaciated with confinement" and "every night [he] was oppressed by a slow fever" (39, 41). In contrast, when he comes into contact with his friend Henry and reads a letter from his cousin Elizabeth, "[his] convalescence... [commences], and [proceeds] regularly" (51). His self imposed isolation not only elicits concern from those who care about him but also makes him ill. After the monster is created and begins to kill Frankenstein's family, the guilt of being the creator makes Frankenstein sick. However, he chooses to hide the fact of the existence of his creation and ultimately isolates himself from them. The consequences of his actions are irreversible, namely the death of his family and friends. First William, Victor's youngest brother, is murdered and Justine is blamed for it. Able to stop the conviction and execution by merely speaking up, Frankenstein chooses instead to remain silent and allows Justine to be killed. Finally, after his best friend Henry and his wife Elizabeth are killed, Frankenstein chases the monster alone, exhibiting the same solitary attitude as when he created the monster. Isolated again from society, Frankenstein's health suffers and he dies, but not before he relates his tragic tale to Walton.

As zealous as Frankenstein in his attempts to make a great discovery, Walton suffers loneliness as a result of his isolation from society. In his letters to his sister Mrs. Saville, he writes "I have no friend" and "I desire the company of a man who could sympathize with me..." (4). though surrounded by sailors, none of them understand him, and so he isolates himself from them when he says "I shall certainly find no friend on the wide ocean" (5). In comparison with his first two letters, the last ones which detail his interaction with the stranger (later revealed to be Frankenstein) are much longer. The change in Walton after meeting the stranger underscores his loneliness when he was isolated from others. Additionally, his correspondence with his sister highlights Walton's need for a companion and a link to society. Though suffering in different ways, the Monster, Frankenstein, and Walton all demonstrate some symptoms of the detrimental effects of isolation from society. For the monster, it is the lack of a social identity; Deteriorating health for Frankenstein, and loneliness for Walton. Through the suffering experienced through three key characters as a result of their isolation from society, the idea of the indispensability of human interaction is created. Through support and cooperation of others, many pains can be avoided.

Text quoted from "Frankenstein" 1831 edition.