Compare/Contrast Dr. Frankenstein and "The Monster".

Isaac Atayero
Sir John Campion
Advanced Placement English Language
05/07/12
Compare/Contrast Dr. Frankenstein and "The Monster"
Frankenstein is one of the more brilliantly written horror stories in all of English
literature. Mary Shelley’s novel about the man made monster has not ceased to
impress and compel reader all over for centuries . The novel tells the tale of the
very ambitious Dr. Frankenstein, who creates a distorted human - like monster
but fails to care for him . Doctor Frankenstein’s neglection of the monster
highlights the different personalities of the Doctor and the monster. Doctor
Frankenstein’s monster is a lonely creature that is rejected and despised by his
own creator. Doctor Frankenstein , on the other hand, is a very driven man who
appears to be very selfish and inconsiderate .

The dynamics of both characters in the story accents their obvious differences
without drawing away attention from the individuality of both the protagonist and
the antagonist . The Protagonist, Doctor Frankenstein’s Monster, is misunderstood
not only by the world around him but also by his own maker. The monster’s
grotesque features causes him to be seen as menacing and terrifying. All of these
qualities and more are wrongfully assigned to the monster by no fault of his own .
The reaction of society to him causes the monster to evolve into the being that
the people around him had prejudicially presumed him to be . The monster in
actuality is really a romantic man who turns evil due to the circumstances that
surround him .
Doctor Frankenstein is the self loving antagonist who takes on the role of God
but refuses to show love or compassion towards his own creation . Doctor
Frankenstein aspiration drives him to create the monster , which is why he
chooses not to identify with the monster. In the novel, it is clear that the egoistic
mannerisms of self - seeking Doctor Frankenstein cause him to be the true villain
.This can be seen best when he considers the experimentation of the human - like
existence . Doctor Frankenstein considers neither the emotions nor the livelihood
of the entity he was bringing into life . He creates the monster without giving a
thought to either the mental or emotional state of the monster .

Every evil that is inflicted on the monster throughout the novel is a direct
consequence of the Doctor’s failure to think beyond the success and fame that the
being would bring him. The affectionate monster is justified in every way to revolt
against his egocentric generator . Unlike Doctor Frankenstein , the monster is
rejected by all but still has god in him . Throughout the novel the monster exhibits
selfless behavior that separates him from the egotistical schmuck that is Doctor
Frankenstein. While both the monster and Doctor Frankenstein have a tendency
to want to show love but unlike Doctor Frankenstein, the monster’s affection is
never ever reciprocated .

Instead of respect, the monster’s loving affectations are always met with
disdain, disgust, despise, scorn and slight . Doctor Victor Frankenstein has been
accustomed to love and mutual respect nearly all of life .This is not the same for
Frankenstein , who has never really experienced friendship since he was created
till he commits suicide. Dr. Victor Frankenstein is a villain for many reasons
especially for not reciprocating the same love he has been privileged to
experience to the monster . Doctor Victor has a duty as a creator to nourish his
very own chef-d'oeuvre and his inability to nurture his creation proves to be the
true moral of the story. God is the ultimate exemplary of a creator because of his
ability to give and show love to his creation.

Mary Shelley has been showing her readers why man is not God and why God
is not man for decades. The relationship between Doctor Victor Frankenstein and
his monster is meant to show the readers how unjust and cruel humanity can
really be. The vile nature of the self centered creator and the child like nature of
the helpless creation in Mary Shelley’s master piece Frankenstein helps
contribrutes to the efficacy of the theme that Ms. Shelley brilliantly presents in
the novel .At the end of the day the real monster is Doctor Victor Frankenstein,
the perfect allegory for mankind .