Anna Gassett

World Lit Since 1600

Benjamin Reed

2 October 2020

Misanthropy, Monsters, and Society

The Underground Man is quite an interesting character in regards to how he views

himself among others in his environment. He believes himself to be above others when it comes

to intelligence and perception; however, he isolates himself from the outside world. Because of

his consciousness, he lacks all confidence in his actions. He functions through life second-

guessing everything he does. The Underground Man prefers the underground, which is astray

from society and normalcy. Even the notes that create Notes from the Underground are written

with no intent to be shared. “I write only for myself, and I wish to declare once and for all that if

I write as though I were addressing readers, that is simply because it is easier for me to write in

that form…I shall never have readers” (Dostoevsky 74). The Underground Man’s notes are his

outlet of communication with the outside world, and yet he intends his writing to be a solitary

activity.

Although Frankenstein’s “creature” presents a terrifying external façade, he is a

compassionate being. All he wants in life is to be included and loved by other beings. Because he

doesn’t get the human connection that he yearns for, violence becomes his source of therapy.

When he requests that Frankenstein creates a female creature to keep him company, the

creature’s request is denied. Because Victor fails to deliver this desire, the creature commits

several murders. The monster is lost and misunderstood. He longs for a being that can help and

guide him. An example of the creature’s lonliness is, “I had never yet seen a being resembling
me or who claimed any intercourse with me. What was I” (Shelley 97). The monster troubles

over not knowing who he is, which make him feel even more isolated from society.

Both of these antagonist characters are ostracized and viewed as aliens by others in

society. When comparing these two evil figures, we observe that Frankenstein’s creature is more

sympathetic than the Underground Man. An example of the creature’s sympathy appears when

he observes the cottagers and attempts to put himself in their shoes. “I had been accustomed,

during the night, to steal a part of their store for my own consumption, but when I found that in

doing this I inflicted pain on the cottagers, I abstained and satisfied myself with berries, nuts, and

roots which I gathered from a neighbouring wood” (Shelley 88). The monster shows that he does

have a sense of humanity and understanding of how his actions could hurt others. On the other

hand, The Underground Man exemplifies shear hatred from humanity in several instances

throughout the novel. One example of this is, “Of course, this trivial incident could not with me

end in that. I often met that officer afterwards in the street and noticed him very carefully. I am

not quite sure whether he recognized me…But I stared at him with spite and hatred and so it

went on…for several years! My resentment grew even deeper with years” (Dostoevsky 93).

Because the officer pushed him aside, The Underground Man explains that he will never forgive

or respect him. He hasn’t the morality and humanity to do so. Overall, The Underground Man is

the more persuasive monster. He consistently exudes hatred and disrespect upon everyone he

come in contact with and exhibits more “monstrous” qualities.