frankenstein.. grade A piece of work - page 1
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By chetz on 22/04/2009
Level: A Level (Year 12) / AS Level
Page Number: 1 of 4 pages: 1 2 3 4Frankenstein
In this essay I am going to discuss Mary Shelly’s presentation of the creature and how Mary Shelley makes the reader sympathise with the character of the creature.
Frankenstein was written in 1816 and was completed in 1817. It took Mary Shelly a year to complete the novel. This novel was then published in 1818. The author Mary Shelly was born on 30th August 1797 in London. Mary Shelly was only 18 years old when she wrote “Frankenstein”. At a young age she was always surrounded by from the literary circle, which also encouraged her to write. Mary Shelly was the daughter of Mary Wolf Stonecraft who soon died after the birth of her daughter. Mary Shelly’s mother was a radical who was a campaigner for women’s equal right.
Victor is born in Geneva as the eldest son in a distinguished family. As described by himself in the novel, he has a very pleasant childhood mostly thanks to two kind and indulgent parents and Elizabeth. Even as a child he has a violent temper, vehement passions and a thirst for knowledge. His first interest is poetry but after some time his attention focuses on science. This interest quickly turns into an obsession: he is completely dedicated to learning "the secrets of heaven and earth". His obsession is marked by radical changes in his character and health. He changes from a gentle, kind and healthy man to a selfish, sickly being that even loses contact with his beloved family for several years. Later, Victor says that he had been "misled by passion" and that he was under "the evil influence" of "the Angel of Destruction, which asserted omnipotent sway over me from the moment I turned my reluctant steps from my father's door".
It is only after the creation of the demon that Victor starts thinking about the consequences of his actions. The obsession had apparently blinded him from doing that before. He does not, however, take responsibility for what has happened. Actually, he seems quite eager to forget all about it, but of course the monster will not let him forget.
One of the major themes in the novel is Prejudice. This theme reflects on how the monster feels when he is left alone to learn and adapt to a new world around him. The monster feels isolated because everyone judges him by the way he looks. His creator, Victor Frankenstein,
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