Frankenstein’s Ill-Fate Essay, Research Paper

Frankenstein’s Ill Fated Life

In both publications of Frankenstein whether it was the movie or the novel, we see

Frankenstein?s ill fated life. For a man who is extremely intelligent, he just can?t shake off

his bad fate. The reason I decided to select Frankenstein?s ill-fated life had a lot to do

with the differences between the book and the movie. The plot was entirely different

between the two but one thing stuck out and pulled the two dissimilar stories together,

was the depressing life of Victor Frankenstein and the beast that he created.

Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, classically symbolizes the struggle between

man and creature. The creature, created under selfishness, fights for acceptance by

society, and his creator Frankenstein, in turn destroying the lives of others. Both left to

live a dark, depressing life of isolation, Frankenstein’s existence with a healthy and sound

mind is hopeless.

As for the movie, we see similar but distingued differences. Although the creature

was created under complete selfishness, Victor(Henry), doesn?t feel the dression of

creating such a beast. Although he does feel sorrow for ?Fritz?, his handiman, he quickly

shroughs off the sorrow and feels that it was Fritz?s falt for agravating the creator.

Instead of depression, we see a substitude of anger on behalf of Victor. This anger is seen

by many as going insane.

The creature’s decline into the hate of all mankind is a ever-present theme

throughout this novel and the movie. The decline is a less gradual one in the novel but a

decline none the less. In the movie, we see hate for mankind right from the beginning.

Can we really blame the creator though? Never even named by his creature, his being of

unimportance, and his identity is worthless in the eyes of his creature Frankenstein. In fact

he has no identity, he is looked upon as a monster that was never given the opportunity to

transform himself as a being. We see a defenite theme throughout both the movie and the

novel of the creator never getting the opportunity of trying to fit in.

Frankenstein is fully aware of his mistakes. He knows the outcome of his actions.

He says in the book, “Rather let me say such the words of the fate – enounced to destroy

me ? thus ended a day memorable to me; it decided my future destiny”(Shelley 40). He

calls his dilemma, a hell of intense tortures.

Ironically, Frankenstein brought his disrupment upon himself. Frankenstein is

quoted “solitude was my only consolation- deep, dark, deathlike solitude”(71). The

relationship between the two Frankenstein and the creature is in a sense a combination of

power. Frankenstein forced the creature into a life of

solitude against his own will. “Hateful day when I received life? accursed creator?I am

solitary and abhorred”(106). Yet by creating him, he had pulled himself into the same path

of loneliness. His powerful use of knowledge of creation has in turn role reversed the

approval between leader and suppressor.

The creature’s monstrous build and frame has made him strong and evil. His

dislike for mankind has created a path of destruction and he now over powers

Frankenstein. “Slave? remember that I have power? you are my creator but I am your

master; obey!”(122). He now takes the dominant role within their abnormal relationship.

The creature is stronger than the creator. Frankenstein is fully aware that the creature

undertakes him. He states in anticipate, “?some accidents might meanwhile occur to

destroy him and put an end to my slavery forever”(115). He is in full realization that his

goal of creating a human form has been misjudge and has backfired.

At the same time, the creature is wretched with his own mess. “From that moment

I declared everlasting war against the species, and more all, against him who had formed

me and sent forth to this insupportable misery”(113). He lives a life of isolation that

leaves him friendless, alone, and scared. His predicament has left him to believe that he

rather be dead then continue to live that life he is living.

The creature’s inner disorder leads him to start a snowballing effect of destruction.

His conscious goal of ruining the life of Frankenstein is clear. “I will glut the maw of

death until it be satiated with the blood of your remaining friends”(80). Frankenstein has

violated his boundaries in playing creator. His monster, although filled with hate and

revenge, is more human then himself. We sympathize with the situation as a reader.

Frankenstein’s selfish invasion of science, and a lack of responsibility for the creature make

him a man of having no conscience, and no morals. His decision to create a life form is

greatly regretted. “I was seized by remorse and the sense of guilt, which hurried me away

to a hell of intense tortures such as no language can describe”(71).

Guilt and regret also seem to appear in the mind of Frankenstein. He is under

much threat by his own creation. “?And I am the cause of this- I murdered her. William,

Justine and Henry- they all died in my hands”(136). His sense of unhappiness has

destroyed his reasonableness. He is full of depression, rage and anguish. He knows that

because of his actions concerning the monster are his own fault, and feels everlasting guilt.

Frankenstein wishes that he had never even made the creature. “You reproach me

with your creation; come on, then, that I may extinguish the spark which I so negligently

bestowed” (80). He speaks to him with insults, only making matters worse. His constant

patronizing remarks anger the creature to the point of no return. “My rage was without

bounds; I sprang on him, impelling by all the feelings which can arm one being against the

existence of another” (80). There should be a caring relationship between these two

beings, but it is a relationship of detest between the two. They equally hate each other,

each plotting terrible outcomes of their lives.

The creature realizes that his life is worthless. His eminent path of destruction has

ended, for there is nothing left for him to harm. His goal to destroy his creator is a

success. In the process though, he has destroyed what he was living for. He realized that

he will never be loved nor accepted and this effects and saddens him greatly. His

loneliness is the only thing he has left. The only thing that is not discriminating against

him is indeed he. “No guilt, no mischief, no malignity, no misery, can be found

comparable to mine? I cannot believe that I am the same creature whose thoughts were

once filled with sublime and transcendent visions of beauty and the majesty of goodness?

I am alone”(158). Rejected by physical deformities, and fear, the creature lives a painful

life that he should of have never lived in the first place.

The creature’s term has come full circle upon Frankenstein’s death. He states, “In

his murder, my crimes are consummated; the miserable series of my being is wound to its

close!? I, who irretrievably destroyed thee by destroying all thou lovedst. Alas! He is

cold, he cannot answer me” (158). His existence is now complete. With Frankenstein

being dead, the future of the creation is non-existing.

He remarks on the destruction of Frankenstein in a sort of happiness. His

imagination will not haunt his thoughts anymore. “I have destroyed my creator, the select

specimen of all that is worth of love and admiration among men, to misery. I have

pursued him even to that irremediable ruin. There he lies. White and cold with death”

(161). Upon death for the two of them, happiness can only be found.

And so, the total destruction of lives has been complete. The creature is brought

down alone with his creator. Frankenstein’s wished to be happy and worthy, yet it was

forever imposed in his situation. The outcome of the creature was not the initial intension

of Frankenstein. However, through evil deeds and wrongdoing tragedy was destined to

strike. The life of Frankenstein was ill- fated from the begging of his plans to make a

creation, Frankenstein lost his loved ones and never got the chance to live a life full of

flourished goals and dreams. Rather a life of torture and self-destruction.

Frankenstein is loosely based on the novel by Mary Shelley. Gone are a number of key

elements of the written work: the endless arctic chase, the concept of a speaking monster,

the friendship with the blind man, and the creature’s desire for companionship.