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Abby Stephens

Ms. Dill

British Literature

23 April 2021

Moral Ambiguity and its Expostulation of Theme in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

John Cheever once stated, “wisdom is the knowledge of good and evil, not the strength to

choose between the two.” Mary Shelley discusses this idea greatly throughout her novel,

utilizing the behaviors of the creature in Frankenstein. A morally ambiguous character is one

who acts in a multitude of ways that prevents readers from labeling them as strictly benevolent or

strictly malevolent. Shelley shapes Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s creature in her novel into a

character that readers can view as morally ambiguous. Following his benevolent, innocent birth

into the world, the creature in Frankenstein has only good intentions. However, after becoming

accustomed to particular aspects of human nature, such as prejudice, revenge, and loss of

innocence, the creature becomes a morally ambiguous character with a plethora of evil intentions

after having solely kind-hearted intentions throughout his life thus far. Shelley utilizes the unique

dynamic, always battling between good and evil, of the morally ambiguous creature in order to

emphasize specific themes in her novel. Shelley portrays the creature as a morally ambiguous

character in Frankenstein to elaborate on the subjects of prejudice, revenge, and loss of

innocence.

Shelley’s creature in Frankenstein is not solely a “miserable wretch,” but a morally

ambiguous character. When the creature is first created, he feels nothing but benevolence for life

and the people around him, treating them with kindness, regardless of their reaction. Shelley

expostulates the creature in this manner so that the reader can picture him in a kind-hearted light.
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However, after the creature reaches his turning point and no longer has solely good intentions,

Shelly describes the creature as having malevolent intentions as well: “I, like the arch-fiend, bore

a hell within me, and finding myself unsympathized with, wished to tear up the trees, spread

havoc and destruction around me” (137). As there are multiple instances throughout the novel

where Shelley portrays the creature committing both acts of kindness and brutality, the reader

cannot strictly label the creature as benevolent or malevolent. Elaborating on this, Mary Ellen

Snodgrass writes that the creature “is capable of good, but mirrors the base, egotistical instincts

of his creator,” making him, in essence, capable of good and bad (“Frankenstein’s Monster”).

Snodgrass also evaluates the idea that the creature has the ability to complete acts of both

goodness and evil in the novel; moreover, this gives the reader the ability to view the creature as

morally ambiguous. In full, it is evident that the creature is capable of both good and evil;

therefore, readers can view him as a morally ambiguous character.

Furthermore, the moral ambiguity of the creature in Shelley’s Frankenstein emphasizes

the subject and theme of prejudice within the novel. As the creature carries out various acts of

kindness throughout Frankenstein, he only ever receives immediate prejudice in return, which

leads to the creature committing malign acts in retaliation. Notably, the creature shows a variety

of acts of benevolence towards the De Lacey family; however, when the creature introduces

himself to the family in person, “Agatha fainted, and Safie, unable to attend to her friend, rushed

out of the cottage,” while Felix “dashed [the creature] to the ground and struck [the creature]

violently with a stick” (Shelley 136). After anonymously showing a variety of cordial acts

toward the De Lacey family, the creature receives immediate, cruel prejudice based on his

physical appearance. In response to this prejudice, Shelley discusses that the creature kindles a

newfound hatred and hunger for revenge toward mankind, which emphasizes the creature’s
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ability to carry out acts of both goodness and evil, as well as expostulates the barbarity of

prejudice in mankind. Furthermore, Harold Bloom discusses that the creature believes in his

“ability to find friendship and compassion in other human beings”; however, when he meets with

relentless prejudice, the creature becomes “filled with hopelessness and a sense of loss,” along

with anger, that provokes the creature into committing acts of horror (“Frankenstein 1”). The

creature believes that if he is kind and generous toward humans, they will treat him the same in

return, yet he soon comes to realize this is not the case. The only reason he begins to commit acts

of terror after only carrying out good deeds thus far, allowing the readers to view him as morally

ambiguous, is because of the prejudice he faces. The creature confirms his suspicion through his

encounters that man is blind and barbaric through their prejudices, and this allows Shelley to

expose the realities of human prejudice through the creature’s moral ambiguity. Overall,

prejudice has a large part in the moral ambiguity of the creature in Frankenstein, which, in turn,

Shelley uses to highlight the blindness and barbarity of prejudice, which is a major theme within

the novel.

Additionally, the creature and his moral ambiguity accentuate the theme of revenge

within the novel Frankenstein. The only thing that originally prevents the creature from taking

complete revenge on mankind and its barbarism is his creator’s promise to make him a

companion of the same species. Halfway through the completion of this second project, the

creature’s creator, Victor Frankenstein, abandons his work, which leaves the creature with a

hunger for revenge on humans, especially his creator: “You can blast my other passions, but

revenge remains ---- revenge, henceforth dearer than light or food!....Beware, for I am fearless

and therefore powerful” (Shelley 173). Shelley uses this scene to emphasize the creature’s vow

to carry out revenge against humankind, specifically his creator. In doing this, the creature
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abandons nearly all the strong morals he once had; revenge becomes the only thing he has left.

The hatred and isolation the creature receives from society shuns him into a life of revenge and

wrongdoing as opposed to his original life of kindness, a stark contrast to the prior life of

benevolence that he lived. The creature’s inclination toward revenge causes a large aspect of his

moral ambiguity, which Shelley uses to accentuate the theme of revenge and its vigorous control

on a person. Moreover, in her writing about Frankenstein, Virginia Brackett discusses how the

creature consistently feels overwhelming emotions of anguish and revenge that consume his

day-to-day life after his exposure to the hateful humans he comes into contact with over time

(“Frankenstein 2”). When the creature is first created, he has a soul filled with generosity.

However, he soon resorts to a destructive life of revenge and evil, which shapes him into a

morally ambiguous character, and shows how detrimental and transformative revenge can be for

a person. Shelley describes that the urge to take revenge burns so vigorously within the creature

that it transforms him into something that represents the horrors that come with a life consumed

by the burning grips of vengeance. In general, the creature’s moral ambiguity in Frankenstein

allows Shelley to emphasize the theme that relates to the effects of a vengeful lifestyle that can

consume a person if not kept under control.

Similarly, the actions of the morally ambiguous creature portray the theme of loss of

innocence within Frankenstein. Prior to experiencing any human encounters, the creature enters

the world with a heart and soul of benevolence, just as any human being would. With this being

said, the creature also feels that every being in the world shares the same, warm heart that he has.

Over time, the creature becomes comfortable around the De Lacey family, whom he lives next

to, and decides that it is time to formally introduce himself to them. After he attempts to do this

and the family responds with shock, horror, and immense cruelty, the creature flees the cottage
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and takes shelter in his hovel. After this occurrence, Shelley describes the monster’s thoughts:

“Cursed, cursed creator! Why did I live? Why, in that instant, did I not extinguish the spark of

existence which you had so wantonly bestowed? I know not; despair had not yet taken

possession of me; my feelings were those of rage and revenge” (137). The creature experiences

his turning point in this scene of the novel. Here, the creature loses his innocence and belief that

solely benevolence fills the world. The creature begins to make the decision that he would live a

life of evil rather than benevolence, which his rage inspires in response to the cruelty he faced

from mankind. In other words, he begins to live a life that readers can interpret as a morally

ambiguous one rather than a strictly good or strictly evil one. The creature’s moral ambiguity that

partially stems from his loss of innocence expostulates the theme that the realities of human

nature destroy innocence. Additionally, Daniel Morse Ryan discusses that one of the most

frequently seen examples of loss of innocence in literature, specifically in Romantic-era writing

like Shelly’s Frankenstein, is the change from “the optimism of childhood to the realities of

adulthood” (“Innocence and Experience”). Although the creature never experiences common

childhood development, he still has the optimism and naivety of an innocent child. As he loses

his innocence due to the realities and cruelties of human nature, the creature not only begins to

lead a life seen as one of moral ambiguity, but Shelley uses this plight to show that loss of

innocence is inevitable and brought about by realistic human behavior. Collectively, Shelley

highlights the loss of innocence as one of the causes that leads to the creature’s moral ambiguity,

thus, highlighting the promised destruction of morals and innocence through human nature

within the novel.

In conclusion, Mary Shelly uses the morally ambiguous creature in her novel,

Frankenstein, in order to elaborate on the subjects of prejudice, revenge, and loss of innocence.
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In doing so, Shelley creates not only a morally conflicted character that intrigues the reader, but

she also manages to emphasize lessons about life that she wants the reader to learn. For instance,

Shelly describes the creature as benevolent and kind-hearted early on in the novel; however, her

description of him changes to portray him as set on malice as he experiences prejudice from

humans. The moral ambiguity that the creature develops, partially because of this, allows the

reader to realize how destructive the realistic barbarity of man can be when shown as blinded

prejudice from humans. Additionally, Shelley discusses the lesson that revenge can consume

one’s being if not controlled, much like it did the creature in Frankenstein, as revenge is a

driving factor in his moral ambiguity. Lastly, Shelley portrays the creature’s loss of innocence as

yet another one of the driving forces of his moral ambiguity after he lived a life of solely good

intentions thus far. Therefore, she is indirectly teaching her readers that the innocence of a gentle

person lacks longevity due to the cruel behaviors of humans. Through the usage of the morally

ambiguous creature in Shelley’s work, she highlights themes that convey the unsightly realities

of human nature in order to bring attention to them and to forewarn her readers about their

dangers.
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Works Cited

Bloom, Harold. “Frankenstein 1” Frankenstein, Chelsea House, 2007. Bloom's Literature,

online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=17176&itemid=WE54&articleId=1834. Accessed

14 Apr. 2021

Brackett, Virginia. “Frankenstein 2” Critical Companion to Mary Shelley, Facts On File, 2012.

Bloom's Literature,

online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=17176&itemid=WE54&articleId=480976.

Accessed 14 Apr. 2021.

Ryan, Daniel Morse. “Innocence and Experience.” Encyclopedia of Themes in Literature, Facts

On File, 2020. Bloom's Literature,

online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=17176&itemid=WE54&articleId=38426. Accessed

14 Apr. 2021

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Tom Doherty Associates, LLC, 1988.

Snodgrass, Mary Ellen. “Frankenstein's Monster.” Encyclopedia of Gothic Literature, Second

Edition, Facts On File, 2014. Bloom's Literature,

online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=17176&itemid=WE54&articleId=91212. Accessed

14 Apr. 2021.
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