Presentation
English Lit: AQA GCSE Frankenstein, topic 3.6.1
Theme: Monstrosity
Shelley is careful to present aspects of monstrosity in more characters than simply the Monster. She encourages the reader to question what it is that makes someone monstrous.
Victor's depiction of the Monster
- As soon as his creation awakes, Victor refers to it as a “miserable monster”.
The Monster
- In Volume Two, when Shelley presents the Monster’s narrative, the reader is surprised by how eloquent and intelligent he seems to be.
- This contrasts with Victor, who throws constant insults at the Monster and desires to engage him in combat.
Victor's monstrosity
- Victor is moved by the Monster’s appeal for a companion and agrees to create one.
- The Monster’s sensitive and well-thought-out argument at this stage heightens the reader’s sense of Victor’s cruelty and monstrosity when he destroys the companion.
The role of society
- When referring to himself, the Monster often seems to appropriate the same type of insulting language used by Victor.
- The Monster himself claims that it was “misery” which turned him into a “fiend”.
- This could be read as proof of society’s ability to create monsters through its treatment of others.
Test yourself on Presentation
What does Victor refer to his creation as, as soon as it awakes?