Suffering and Misery in rankenstein Essay

I am malicious because I am miserable

Frankenstein or also known as The Modern Prometheus was published by Mary Shelly in March 1818. Mary had a life full of trouble and suffering. Her mother died a few days after she has born and two years later her father married again. At a very young age Mary married and had a baby which died a few days after birth. The origin of the model Probably Frankenstein is born from a Mary's anxieties abouth her role of mother, from the death that surrounded her life, but also from other stories such as Paradise Lost and The Bible . Shelley wrote Frankenstein as a series of framing narratives: one narrator's story told within the framework of another narrator's story, but within the story I feel that Shelly has padded the book a lot with bits that arent necessary.

When Frankenstein first had his plan to create the creature it was with the intention of creating life and although misguided was quite virtuous. To create the creature Frankenstein used many machines that he had built himself, to build his creation he used body parts stolen from church yards and brought it to life by using electricity at the height of a great storm.

Once the creature was alive, his first instinct was to reach out to Frankenstein seeking affection. Frankenstein was appalled at his first reaction to his creation was that it was something evil and quickly rejected the creature.

In the novel Shelly describes the creatures suffering in the first person. This makes the creatures story more real and allows the pain and misery of the creature to be described before the evil that he does. When the creature comes across Frankenstein in the mountains, again he is rejected by heis creator Begone, vile insect! Or rather, stay, that I may trample you to dust! However, the creature shows his humanity by pleading with Frankenstein to listen to his tale before condemning him I entreat you to hear me before you give vent to your hatred on my devoted head, Have I not suffered enough, that you seek to increase my misery? He begs Frankenstein to listen to his take as he believes himself that misery created the evil deeds that he did I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend. Frankenstein finally agrees to listen to the creatures tale urged by curiosity and the need to know if the creature was responsible for the murder of his brother William.

The creature begins his tale explaining that his first days are confused and indistinct. He explains his fair and his survival by instinct. Shelly again talks about the misery of the creature who at this point has done nothing wrong. I was a poor , helpless, miserable wretch slowly as the creature learned more about this senses he needed more comfort than just food and water. He describes some joy as he experiences first the moon, birds singing and the discovery of fire. Encounters with humans fuel his misery as he is scorned and driven from town. He is frightened and finds refuge beside a little cottage. Over the next few months he watches the family inside and grows in his ability to understand his feelings. He shows kindness to the family by collecting firewood for them and genuinely wants to have friendship and companionship from them but is frightened by the fear of rejection. During this time, as spring turns to summer the creature even has moments of joy. my spirits were elevated by the enchanting appearance of nature; the future gilded by bright rays of hope and anticipations of joy. However, as he learns more he becomes more sorrowful and longs to be accepted by the family. When he finally plucks up the courage to speak to the old man he is accepted as the blind old man is not disgusted by the creatures appearance and can only see who the creature really is on the inside compared to the outside. His reject by the rest of the family changes the creature so that this misery makes way to malice the mildness of my nature had fled, and all within me was turned to gall and bitterness. His first act of revenge was to burn down the De Lacey cottage although they had already fled. The creature is so angry with Frankenstein his rage turns to wanting revenge on Frankenstein. This is compounded when he saves the drowning girl only to be shot the feelings of kindness and gentleness that I had entertained gave place to hellish rage and gnashing of teeth. By the time he reached his destination he was extremely lonely and decided he needed a companion and friend. This may reflect Shellys own feelings of loneliness growing up isolated and not wishing to be rejected. At this point he murders the boy confirming Frankensteins view of the creature. Shelly however, portrays the creature as more sinned against than sinned as he would not have behaved in the manner he did if he had been treated with kindness from humans. Frankenstein however, sinned before he suffered where as the creature suffers before he sins.

The creature urges Frankenstein to create a mate for him so he will not be miserable and lonely anymore. His pleading wins Frankenstein round and the creature is contented that companionship would make him happy. Oh! My creator, make me happy; let me feel gratitude towards you for one benefit! his joy is short lived however, when his mate is destroyed by Frankenstein. This is the point were the creatures malice is at its worst. He abandons all traces of humanity and murders Elizabeth on their wedding night so that Frankenstein will suffer the misery and loneliness which the creature has felt all his life.

By the end of the novel Frankenstein urges Walton to kill the miserable creature. In reality however, Walton is unable to do so as he feels only pity for the creature. With the death of Frankenstein, the creatures misery is complete and he commits suicide in order to release himself of the pain of his miserable existence.

Shellys novel invokes a sense of pity for the creature as his miserable life led him to do malicious things. If he had enjoyed the love and companionship of others he would not have resorted to murder and the destruction of his creator.