Character Connection is hosted by Jen of
The Introverted Reader every Thursday. It's a great meme to gush about the characters we love. Head on over and join up.
Frankenstein's monster.
Yes, I'm one of those picky people that get mad if you call him Frankenstein. He doesn't have a name and is known only as Frankenstein's monster in my favorite book ever! Frankenstein is Victor Frankenstein, the man and creator of this sad wonderful, and, yes, scary monster. Let's just not get them confused, okay?
He's portrayed as a monster. He's supposed to be scary, and he sort of is, but what I never expected going into this beautiful book years ago was that I'd get to read a good portion of the book from his perspective.
Seeing things through his eyes gave me insight into his evolution from rejected and feared creation to monster, and evokes such sympathy and understanding that I can't help but feel for, and pity him.
From the moment he is brought to life he is hated and feared, first by his own creator, then by humanity, and then, even by the family he watches for months and dares hope might accept him.
I can't even begin to do this character justice. You should hear it from the author's mouth. Enjoy the beautiful, passion evoking prose of Shelley and breathtaking art work of Bernie Wrightson.
Oh! no mortal could support the horror of that countenance. A mummy again endued with animation could not be so hideous as that wretch. I had gazed on him while unfinished; he was ugly then; but when those muscles and joints were rendered capable of motion, it became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived.
I was a poor, helpless, miserable wretch; I knew, and could distinguish, nothing; but feeling pain invade me on all sides, I sat down and wept.
My mode of life in my hovel was uniform. During the morning, I attended the motions of the cottagers; and when they dispersed in various occupations I slept: the remainder of the day was spent in observing my friends.
Like Adam, I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence; but his state was far different from mine in every other respect. He had come forth from the hands of God a perfect creature, happy and prosperous, guarded by the especial care of his Creator...but I was wretched, helpless and alone...Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust?
There was none among the myriads of men that existed who would pity or assist me; and should I feel kindness towards my enemies? No: from that moment I declared everlasting war against the species, and, more than all, against him who had formed me and sent me forth to this insupportable misery.
"You must create a female for me, with whom I can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being? This alone you can do; and I demand it of you as a right you must not refuse to concede. "
I thought with a sensation of madness on my promise of creating another like to him, and trembling with passion, tore to pieces the thing on which I was engaged...."Shall each man, "" cried he, "find a wife for his bosom, and each beast have his mate, and I be alone?"
The murderous mark of the fiend's grasp was on her neck, and the breath had ceased to issue from her lips.
Victor Frankenstein had created a man with his hands but by his actions, created a monster. Who can't help but feel sympathy? I hope you enjoyed the pictures and prose. I had fun searching through the book again and re-reading some of my favorite parts and I never get sick of looking at this artwork. So, do you think my sympathy for the monster is crazy?
