Joseph Overman

4th Period, Wilkinson

5-9-14

Monstrous both Inside and Out

The term “Monster” is a word commonly used in the context of all sorts of creatures.

“Monster” is usually used to describe someone/something based off of his/her/its outside

appearance. In the book Frankenstein, the most obvious monster would be the creature. This

conclusion is usually reached on the basis of the creature’s hideous outer appearance. In addition

to being a cliché monster on the outside, the creature is also a monster based off of its actions

and inner beliefs about the world.

Actions often speak louder than words, and are a compelling reason to consider the

creature a monster. William is the first of the creatures many victims. Unable to think rationally,

the creature is “urged by [an] impulse” and grabs William after seeing him (Shelley 112).

Ignoring the cries from the boy, the creature refuses to let him go. When the creature discovers

that William is related to Victor Frankenstein, the creature instantly decides that William “shall

be [his] first victim” (Shelley 112). Killing someone for almost any reason is ethically bankrupt.

Murdering Victor for what he did would not be acceptable, much less murdering William. When

the creature holds on to William and “grasp[s] his throat to silence him”, he passes the threshold

from disturbed to monstrous (Shelley 112). Regardless of the people or events that force the

creature into the situation, the murder of an innocent child volumes about the character of the

creature.

The creature’s own opinion on the matter is also a significant factor in determining it to

be a monster. Instead of likening his life with the creation of Adam in Paradise Lost, the creature

“consider[s] Satan as the fitter emblem of [his] condition” (Shelley 102). The belief that its life is

similar to that of the fallen angel leads to it becoming a reality. The creature’s understanding of

the world is largely influenced by Paradise Lost. It “applie[s] much personal to [its] own feelings

and condition” to the point that it begins to believe that it is living a similar story and is this

story’s Satan (Shelley 101). This leads to the justification of monstrous deeds, as the creature

believes that things like murder are expected of the villain.

Not only does the creature commit horrid crimes, but it also finds joy in them. The night

of Victor’s wedding, Victor finds Elizabeth “lifeless and inanimate, thrown across the bed”,

having been murdered by the creature (Shelley 157). The creature peers into the room through

the window to see the pain felt by Victor. When Frankenstein looks out the window, he sees “a

grin…on the face of the monster”, indicating that the creature finds comfort in the pain of his

enemy, even though Victor’s suffering has no tangible benefit for the creature. The murder of

Elizabeth could be arguably justifiable if it had been for the purpose of somehow fulfilling the

creature’s wish for a companion. As it is though, the murder was rationalized by the creature

simply to force Frankenstein to endure pain.

The question of how the creature came to be in its situation is irrelevant in determining if

the creature should be considered a monster. Victor Frankenstein’s actions can be considered evil

and most likely contributed to the creature’s terrible condition, but that does not change the fact

that the creature is still a monster. Despite the causes of, or reasoning behind the creature’s

decision to do monstrous things, the creature’s actions and opinions are still sufficient enough to

make the use of the term “monster” justified.