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ISOLATION


Mary Shelley's gothic science fiction novel 'Frankenstein' embeds the theme of isolation in the text, and explores it through both the characters Victor Frankenstein and his creature. However, they both experience different types of solitude; while Victor is isolated by choice in order to 'satiate' his 'ambitions', the creature experiences alienation because of its repulsive appearance. Throughout the play, Shelley suggests that isolation always ends with the same result: misery.

After learning about human history, Shelley presents the monster as a lonely outsider due to his physical appearance and abnormal 'stature', who realises that he has nothing that would make society value and accept him. This perhaps implies that he is forcibly ostracised, as he has no control over his appearance. This is brought to light through the quote 'Was I then a monster, a blot upon the earth, from which all men fled and whom all men disowned?' The use of the metaphor here perhaps conveys that the earth is a piece of paper, and therefore. While the use of the metaphor here illustrates the earth as a perfect piece of paper, the noun 'blot' perhaps juxtaposes to that idea, implying that the monster is akin to a spill of ink. He therefore is disrupts the balance of society and doesn't belong there. No one is willing to turn a 'favourable eye' on the creature, because of his 'miserable deformity'. At this point in the novel, he had been accustomed to being 'spurned' and 'hated' by everyone. Moreover, the verb 'fled' suggests that people instinctively run away from him, perceiving him as a threat. Shelley could be highlighting society's aggression through their prejudice, and therefore presents it as imperfect.

Victor Frankenstein, on the other hand, is presented as an outsider of his own choice. His determination to create life set him apart from society, as he 'toiled day and night to complete his work'. Initially, the reader can view this dedication to work is positive. However, Shelley shows us that his work becomes a burden, as he realises that it is detrimental, but is still compelled to continue on with his 'labour'. The verb 'toiled' has connotations of boredom, and a sense of wanting to do something else. Nonetheless, Victor still relentlessly works 'day' and 'night' in order to 'satiate' his ambition. Moreover, the nouns 'day' and 'night' connote to and euphoria and rest, both of which Victor willingly sacrifices in pursuit of his work. Contextually, the idea that isolation leads to misery could be in reference to the idea behind the novel itself. Mary Shelley decided to write Frankenstein in Lake Geneva, a remote location. However, it was only after seeing a vision at night that Mary Shelley was able to surpass her writer’s block and begin the novel. Therefore it was possible that Shelley reflected some of her own experiences of isolation from society on to Victor in the novel.

The notion of the creature being an alienated and outcasted character is enhanced through his physical setting. The creature's isolation resonates throughout the text, but is shown in particular when he is described as a character who is 'dwelling' in the 'caves of ice' and the 'desert mountains and dreary glaciers are his refuge'. Shelley creates a semantic field of 'gloominess' and 'darkness', perhaps implying that the creature is unwanted in society, and is only accepted in the places with the harshest conditions. Moreover, the phrase 'caves of ice' evokes connotations of frigidity, perhaps reinforcing the notion of his detachment from the warmth of human society. The creature's ostracism from society perhaps creates sympathy in the eyes of a modern audience, because of the conditions that he had to tolerate. Alterantively, the creature residing with the mountains could be associating him with Romanticism. Therefore, his isolation makes him a Romantic hero, aligning him with Satan of Paradise Lost, a theme that reverberates throughout the novel. In the Georgian times, this would have made Romantics such as Shelley and her husband sympathise with the creature because of his link to Romanticism through the sublime.

Towards the end of the storyline, Shelley implies that isolation causes tragedy. When Walton first encounters Victor, vivid descriptions of Frankenstein's dire physical state serve to portray him as a victim of his own actions, notably his self-imposed isolation. Walton observes that Frankenstein's 'limbs were nearly frozen, and his body dreadfully emaciated by fatigue and suffering... a man in so wretched a condition.' The semantic field of repulsiveness and unsightliness borne out by the words 'dreadfully' and 'wretched' can be seen as a representation of the physical toll that his isolation has taken on him. Alternatively, this ironically evokes parallels with the monster. At this point in the novel, both Victor and creature are in the same position, despite their differences at the beginning; perhaps because both of them have been isolated. This is apparent when Victor begins to receive worried looks similar to those the monster received, minus the fear. Meanwhile, words such as 'fatigue' and 'suffering' crystalise the detrimental impacts of isolation on people's welfare. Ultimately, Victor's weakened state here may be a reminder of the need for man to acknowledge the limits of his cosmological authority, and to recognise that such Faustian overreaching will see disastrous consequences for man.

In conclusion, Shelley presents isolation and its detrimental effects in 'Frankenstein' through both the creature and Victor. Throughout the novel, the symphathies of the reader alter between Victor and the creature. Shelley leaves ther reader with a lasting impression of the creature's inherent good nature and symphathies for the creature rather than Victor. Shelley, a Romantic explores the consequences of isolation and transgressing moral boundaries in order to steer her readers away from the Enlightenment.

How do I get this to level 9? Can I have more quotes / better vocab I can use? Just general feedback thankls