11.02.19
The Creatures Story
The gothic “other” – Victor Frankenstein as well as the creature as they both have elements of the dark and mysterious unknown.
How does shelley explore notions of identity?
What effect does the use of the doppelganger have upon our awareness of the multifaceted nature of identity and notions of certainty? How does Shelley’s use of mirroring force individuals (characters and readers) to confront less favorable aspects of personality?
1) The duality (doppelgangers) and the interchangeable nature between the accused and accuser forces us to examine the multifaceted nature of individuals and groups
· The audience becomes more aware of aspects of personalities that may only be evident to the person when the characteristic is evident in another character
· Allows the reader to understand the reflective nature of personal traits
· Challenging concepts of individuality as by having a doppelganger you lose an element of self through
· “when I saw the filthy mass that moved and talked, my heart sickened, and my feelings were altered to those of horror and hatred.”
· “He was the murderer!” - PG78
· “But it is even so; the fallen angel becomes a malignant devil. Yet even that enemy of God and man had friends and associates in his desolation; I am alone.” - PG223 ( the creature speaking)
2) By having Frankenstein and The Creature mirror each other, Shelley exposes Frankenstein’s hypocrisy and contradiction as he calls The Creature the “devil”. She also further emphasizes Frankenstein’s hypocrisy by contrasting The Creature’s physical murders to the emotional and mental ones Frankenstein inflicts upon his creation, and his suppression of any sense of self or individuality he may possess.
· By displaying the negative aspects one has on another character it sheds light on the impact these characteristics can have on the world around them and encourages the character to be more aware of their attributes and the effect they have.
Group 1: How does Shelley explore wider issues of social responsibility in her depiction of the creature’s story? What social and historical influences are evident? How’s does the creatures story represent predicaments and ideas of individual and groups in periods of upheaval? Does the creatures story offer prospects of solace, justice or restoration?
· Creature as parallel to story and French revo. People in positions of power, whether inherited or gained, love and responsibility to care for those beneath them a serial, civil, oral responsibility.
· Social progress comes with social responsibility scientific progress gives us great power, moves as a great ate and out ethical/novel responses are sometimes lagging or react...
