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Frankenstein
By Mary Shelley
Note: there are no spoilers in this article!
Frankenstein! We think we all know it. The story of a huge, terrifying, green monster out to kill us all simply because he can, right? Nope. Victor Frankenstein is actually a human being just like you or me. He's smart, has a loving family, and takes a huge interest in the Sciences. Frankenstein's Monster, on the other hand, fits my description a little better, but he's actually described as deathly white in the book (he is made out of fresh corpses, after all) and he definitely doesn't take pleasure in his killings as implied by the films. He's roughly 8 feet tall, white as a sheet, has piercing blue eyes and perfect teeth and his diction is impeccable. Not so terrifying now, eh?
I'll have to come clean here. I read Frankenstein because I had to for Sixth Form. I grudgingly downloaded it on my Kindle (for free, if you're interested) halfway through the summer holidays and set to work. I've tried classics before and, though I do get through them, I've never been a huge fan of Jane Austen or the Bronte sisters. Let me tell you now, my prejudgment of Frankenstein was completely wrong! I picked it up whilst on holiday and couldn't put it down until I'd finished the next day. There was drama, there was mystery, there was excitement. In fact, I was so thrilled by this book I downloaded Dracula the second I got home!
Now, the most obvious characters are Victor Frankenstein and his Monster. However there are actually a lot more people in the story than most readers are expecting. You've got Elizabeth who has lived with the Frankensteins since she was a little girl. Frankenstein sees her as a sister and they are expected to marry halfway through the novel (don't worry, that wasn't a spoiler. And yes, marrying your adopted sister was normal back then!). Elizabeth is beautiful, accomplished, and kind. Although I feel like I want to hate her because she's so perfect, her nature makes it impossible for me to do so!
Next you've got Henry Clerval, Victor's best friend and companion. He travels around with Frankenstein a lot through the book and is another kind, innocent character. Although he goes to University with Frankenstein for a bit, he clearly takes more of an interest in poetry and literature.
There are also some side characters such as Justine and William, Frankenstein's younger siblings (adopted in Justine's case), who are loved by all in the Frankenstein family. However their innocence clearly isn't enough to protect them.
I thought an extremely important theme running throughout the book is fear. Although this seems obvious, fear is the fuel for the Monster's hatred, and makes Victor Frankenstein act in the way he does as well. We have to remember that this was set in the early 1800s when the people were still practically fainting at the sight of an ankle. There was no television or film back then to make the public more acclimatised to scary figures (like we are these days), so when an eight foot man made out of dead bodies pops up, you can imagine their terror!
Another key theme is whether or not there is a villain in the book. When I got to the end of the novel I found myself extremely frustrated as I kept jumping back and forth when deciding who was in the wrong. The most obvious choice is, of course, the Monster. He chooses to become a killer and he murders innocent people to get revenge on his creator. However, would he have chosen to commit all those murders if Frankenstein had shown more kindness? After all, he was miserable because he just wanted a woman like himself to share the world with. Which leads me to my next point..
Nature or nurture? When Frankenstein sees what he has created he runs away and becomes unwell for a good six months. His Monster is then left alone in the world to fend for himself. He learns quickly, but he also sees that everyone who catches sight of him runs screaming when he just wants a friend. This hardens him and he soon becomes the killer that he is known to be. What is particularly interesting is that it is clear that he knows how to behave and he knows not to murder, but chooses to do so anyway. Why should he respect the human race when he owes them nothing? If he had been brought up lovingly, would he have been the monster that he becomes?
Anyway, I think it's fair to say I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone. Go in with an open mind (unlike me) and maybe you'll enjoy it more than you thought you would!
Want to try something similar? Try reading 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker or Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'.
Read this book yourself? Or simply want to suggest something new? Comment below!
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