Deformity in Frankenstein

as representation of evil

Andrea Grazioli
 Introduction
There is a word in English, in Italian, and in other Western languages, having the same
etymology and referring to “the situation in which a part of the body has not developed
in the normal way or with the normal shape”, that is deformity. It comes from the Latin
word deformitas which has two meanings: the first one is the state of being deformed,
imperfection, blemish and the second one is dishonour, shame, infamy. This two
acceptation of the word are explicit in Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein; or, The
Modern Prometheus.
Mary Shelley was the only child of Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin.
Unfortunately she has never met her mother, because she died giving birth to Mary. The
relationship with her mother became morbose. In fact, she used to read her writings at
her graveside. Her father tried to create a perfect family for her. He married another
woman, but that was the beginning of the hell for Mary Shelley, above all the cause of it
were her stepmother and her stepdaughter, Claire Clairmont. Mary’s desire of having a
child had her write the novel, in which a scientist tries to give life to an inanimate thing,
breaking the laws of nature. The entire book represents the anxieties of the author about
her reproductive capacities and pregnancy. According to various literary critics the
novel lays out Shelley’s fears about whether her child is deformed, if she could love it
or wanted to kill it. She doubts her love for a child, the possibility of raising a healthy
one.
The focus of this essay is about the concept of deformity in Mary Shelley’s
novel, by analysing its link to malice in the book and in history, amiming to deny it.

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 Analysis of deformity

The title of this book refers to an ancient Greek myth: the Titan Prometheus, who
created the man from clay and stole the intelligence and the memory from the goddess
Athena to give men. Furthermore, he stole the fire from the gods so that human beings
could survive. He was punished for his offence. This myth was one of the most famous
during the Romantic era in Britain, the same period in which the novel was written. The
character of Prometheus is seen as someone who goes beyond the limits established by
the Greek Gods. For this reason Doctor Frankenstein is compared with him. He tried to
bring to life a dead body breaking the laws of nature. The punishment for his
transgression is the repugnance towards his creature because of its deformity.
In fact, the prejudice against deformity had already started in ancient Greece, in
which it was considered the opposite to kalokagathia καλοκαγαθία “the beautiful and
the virtuos one”, that is the chivalrous ideal of the phisical and morality human
perfection. A child born with some defomities was seen as a punishment for the parents,
who had gone beyond the limits. They were expected to despose of the child.
Unhealthy babies were thrown over the mountain top. They were rejected by society for
their problem. Throughout history one can see how the second meaning of the word
deformity has continued almost until now.
To Frankenstein, the Creature is a thing, not a human being, and certainly not his
child. The monster is made out of various parts of dead bodies. It has everything a
human body needs, but it is deformed. The development of its intelligence follows the
same process that takes place in a human baby. When it is hidden in a hut, it learns the
language just looking and listening to the neighbours like a baby does. Despite its
deformity, it, or better he, is a human being. He is desperately looking for love and no
one gives it to it. When a child comes into the world, it is because he or she is the result
of love. Also this is the first emotion he/she feels thanks to his/her parents, who protect
and take care of him/her. The love from parents means not only giving plenty of goods
to children, but above all, they need to understand them. The absence of love makes
people sad. Since the beginning of his life, the Monster has not had a mother and his
father has been horrified by his creation. He runs away. He do not want either a son or

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to be responsible. He wishes his son were dead and people never knew that he is the
creator. Actually the first emotions the monsters feels in his father’s eyes are panic, fear,
and discouragement. The expression of all the monster’s rage, caused by his father
rejection, is seen when he meets his creator again:
Believe me, Frankenstein, I was benevolent; my soul glowed with love and
humanity; but am I not alone, miserably alone? You, my creator, abhor me; what
hope can I gather from your fellow creatures, who owe me nothing? They spurn
and hate me. […] Yet you, my creator, detest and spurn me, thy creature, to
whom thou art bound by ties only dissoluble by the annihilation of one of us. You
purpose to kill me. How dare you sport thus with life? Do your duty towards me,
and I will do mine towards you and the rest of mankind.

Taking care of a child with deformities can have negative effects on one’s body
and mind. Many parents feel a severe depression, fear, anxiety. It can affect the entire
family, if they are not treated. Parents think that they are unprepared to take care of a
child with special needs and doubt their emotions and whether they can afford and
organise everything.
Throughout the story, the monster faces always the same situation: when he tries
to approach people, everyone reject him. Its terrible look is the first thing people see
when they meet him and that is what provokes fear in them. The monster hopes that he
can have a better life with the De Lacey family, the people who live in the house near
where he hides. The creature, aware of their possible rejection, analyses the situation
and thinks that he can introduce himself to the old blind man. He is considered the link
between the monster’s loneliness and a possible long-lasting friendship full of love. It
trusts its communicative skills, because the only thing the monster can do with the old
man is to talk. For these reasons, he waits until the man remains alone. As the monster
had thought, the old man cannot judge him for his appearance. They start a conversation
that could have led to what the monster wanted. Unfortunately, when the other family
members return home, they have the same reaction that other people have when they see
him. Necessarily he escapes and decides that there is no future for him in this human
world. He knows that he cannot share his life with a normal woman. He needs someone

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in his same situation, with a similar deformed body. In fact, he asks Victor to create a
female-monster. This is not just a solution the monster is asking for his sadness, but also
the consequence of his experience and knowledge of human beings.
When the monster meet Victor’s brother, William, even the little boy is scared by
the creature:

As soon as he beheld my form, he placed his hands before his eyes and uttered a
shrill scream; I drew his hand forcibly from his face and said, ‘Child, what is the
meaning of this? I do not intend to hurt you; listen to me.’
‘He struggled violently. ‘Let me go,’ he cried; ‘monster! Ugly wretch! You wish to
eat me and tear me to pieces. You are an ogre. Let me go, or I will tell my papa.’

Shelley does not comment this moment, but we, the readers, should ask ourselves where
and when the boy has learned to link the external deformity and the malice. His
language is so strong, despite the fact he is an innocent little boy. Even though the
creature tries to explain his good intentions, William does not trust him. The child’s
crying, the monster’s rage and discouragement, and the fact that he is Victor’s brother
lead to the tragedy. We live in a world where we link this two things as William did. The
image of perfection is surrounding us nowadays. The same situation has been happening
since mankind started his existence on Earth. Furthermore, this is something
unconscious inside us as William shows. Even the monster realises his appearance is
abnormal. The same unconscious conception of perfection is in the monster’s mind:

‘I had admired the perfect forms of my cottagers—their grace, beauty, and

delicate complexions; but how was I terrified when I viewed myself in a
transparent pool! At first I started back, unable to believe that it was indeed I who
was reflected in the mirror; and when I became fully convinced that I was in
reality the monster that I am, I was filled with the bitterest sensations of
despondence and mortification. Alas! I did not yet entirely know the fatal effects
of this miserable deformity.

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 The connection “deformed = evil” is not a good reason why the creature is evil.
According to Mary Shelley, the moment when the doctor abandons his creation is very
significant. She was the supporter of the theory of education. It claims the importance of
educating a child, the presence of loving parents in his/her life; something Victor has
not done. The doctor’s refusal to take care of it is the central point of the novel. From
that moment onwards, every single action made by the monster is a consequence of
Victor’s abandonment. An abandoned child becomes violent and vindictive, and the
rejection of others may provoke this attitude. Human beings need to belong. Human
beings are extremely social, more than other animals. When people are alienated and
excluded from the community, the results are harmful not only to individuals but also to
the entire community. This is what Mary Shelley thought, but several tests have proved
that. The monster has become ill because of being abandoned by his father and being
rejected by society. Being deformed has been always believed to be related to the devil,
even if it is not.

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 Conclusion
Mary Shelley starts writing her book by basing on the concept of pregnancy and
express her fear about the future child. In fact, doctor Frankenstein should be considered
the monster’s father. Being the creature a made-up thing, he appeared to be deformed.
He is abandoned, because his father is horrified by his aspect. The only thing the
monster is looking for is love. Unfortunately, his father does not give it and he has not
got a mother. Victor’s reaction is understandable. Many parents could behave like him,
because of the situation. Neither the De Lacey accept him. He is forced to live a part
from the society. He must hide himself due to his deformity. Desperate the monster asks
his creator to make a female creature, in order not to be alone any longer.
Unfortunately, Victor refuses. The concept of deformity in this book is seen as related to
the malice. Throughout history, beauty has been seen as one of the most important
qualities. Being ugly, or even deformed have been considered a curse. The book is a
pure reflection of the society’s mindset, no matter on which time we focus.
Despite the view on the relationship between deformity and evil is so strong,
even unconscious inside us, this research attempts to provide evidence to deny it. When
Victor abandoned the creature starts the real novel. The monster’s actions are linked to
that moment. Victor’s behave has generated the monster’s. If Victor had been a good
father, the novel would not exist.

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 References
Shelley, M. (1818). Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus. London, UK:
Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones.

Florescu, R. (1996). In Search of Frankenstein: Exploring the Myths Behind Mary

Shelley's Monster. Boston, USA: Little, Brown and Company.

Baldick, C. (1987) In Frankenstein’s Shadow. Myth, Monstrosity, and Nineteenth-

century Writing, Oxford, UK: Claredon Press.

Virginia Commonwealth University. (2018). Social rejection is painful and can lead to
violence. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 17, 2019 from
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180614212911.htm