Assignment
Name: Asha R. Dhedhi
Roll no: 02 (Two)
Semester: 02 (Part-1)
Year: 2019-2020
Paper No.: 5
Paper: Romantic Literature
Topic: Theme of Appearance vs.
Reality in Frankenstein
Reality in Frankenstein
Enrollment No: 2069108420200010
Email ID: ashadhedhi1806@gmail.com
Submitted to: Smt. S.B.Gardi
Department of English
(MKBU)
Introduction
"Do not judge a book by it's
cover page"
As we all know, this famous and popular saying around the world refers to the judging of people. Mostly we see that people judge a book by its front cover, similarly they used to judge people by their outer appearance without bother to know their actual reality. Have you ever imagined how it looks when you make a statement on people by their different looks and what kind of effect it creates? Judging people becomes common and as literature is 'Mirror to Society,' So it also tries to highlight the Theme of Appearance by creating different characters. For example…
1) Othello, Shakespeare creates a character who is Black Moor always judged by people because of his dark skin color. In contrast Iago who hides his real nature by showing honesty and trust by all.
2) 'The Hairy Ape' play by Eugene O'neill also centered around a man who is called 'Filthy Beast'(Scene-3) by the rich daughter of an industrialist named Mildred Douglas. Because of his outlook he suffered from the crisis of Identity and sense of belongingness.
In contrast Shakespeare creates most of his characters which are good from outer appearance but they are black by their heart. What appears is not the true reality. The idea that people, things, events are not what they seem, which we can also find in 'Frankenstein' that the appearance of Creature is only hideous that doesn't mean he is Monster. For example…
'A Midsummer's Night Dream' and 'The Tempest' are basically about confusion between what is real and what is not. The theme of Appearance vs. Reality runs through many of Shakespeare's plays also. The Famous statement by Shakespeare in his play "The Merchant of Venice"...
"All that glitters(glisters)
is not Gold."
It refers to the external appearance of things that are not always reliable.In the same manner we can say All the things or people who are dim, faint, dull, dark and ugly are not always Monsters or Dangerous. So, This is how the different writers deal with the Theme of Appearance vs. Reality in their respective work.
So, Social prejudice is often found on looks on the basis of Skin Color, Clothes which were worn by people and the way in which a person carries himself or herself. Instant Judgement which can be found in society and which we can highlight through the literature, found in every era from Shakespeare to Mary Shelley's time to Modern society as well. So, Here in this particular assignment I am going to deal with the theme of Appearance vs. Reality which is highlighted by the Character of Monster-The Creature of Victor Frankenstein. Some of the objectives of my Assignment are…
- How is Human Judgement based on Outer Appearance?
- How can an Individual change because of this kind of Judgement?
- How Appearance plays a vital role in determining one's place in Society.
- The common archetype "Ugliness is always portrayed as Monstrous."
Frankenstein-The Modern Prometheus
Frankenstein is a Kind of Gothic Fiction or Scientific Novel written by Mary Shelly Wollstonecraft first published in 1818 during the Romantic Age. After the Publication of the novel The name 'Frankenstein' itself is used to demonstrate Monster. The Novel got worldwide acclaim and still remains as the most readable novel. Which we can see through the chart of Ngram Viewer…
Frankenstein's creature is identified by various words in novel like...Creature, Monster, Daemon, Wretch, fiend and it etc.. Speaking to Victor Frankenstein, Monster says that…
"I ought to be his Adam, but I am rather the Fallen Angel"
The following statement which ties to Lucifer in Paradise Lost, which the monster reads, and which relates to the disobedience of Prometheus in the book's subtitle. The story is written in Letter Form and begins with Captain Walton writing letters to his sister. We can see the Box within the box and different narratives by different characters..
- Captain Walton's Introductory Frame Narrative
- Victor Frankenstein's Narrative
- The Creature's Narrative
And at last while talking with Walton Victor dies with his last words "happiness in tranquillity and avoid ambition." Creature is abandoned by his Creator just after his birth only because of his ugly look. After that continuous rejection by society without any fault encourages Creature to take revenge with his Creator. Creature's suffering because of his dangerous look became hardest and at last after his father's death the creature also choose to accept death and rather than to live, before anyone could know the existence of Creature. So soon he "Lost in darkness and distance."
Themes used in "Frankenstein'
"Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden changes"
Frankenstein is a story of a Scientist whose strong desire to solve the mysteries of life and wants to create life. His strong dedication towards his willingness ended with the creation of 'Ugly Looking Monster.' Which suddenly changed his life in totality. He himself doesn't like his own creature because of his hideous look. So this is how human life unfolds within some sort of time and he failed in his experiment to challenge the Law of nature. So let's see some of the major themes which are used in the novel 'Frankenstein'...
- Fear of Industrialization and Science (electricity)
- Mental Illness (Rejection)
- The theme of 'Unwanted Child' (Designer Baby)
- The Juxtaposition between Science vs. Nature
- The Lacking role of Women in Society
- Gothic Fiction
- The Class system in Society
- Theme of Appearance vs. Reality (through the character of Monster)
Theme of Appearance in 'Frankenstein' novel
"Monsters have existed in Myths, Legends and Folklores for thousands of Years"
-From Monsters (2013) by Jon Eppard
The following statement refers to the fact that Monsters existed in Myths, Folklore or Legend and as we know that myths is a Form of Oral Tradition which passes from generation to generation through storytelling, not found any strong evidence for its truthfulness. So It can be proved that Monster is a Human Creation. Monsters are not actually monsters, but it is a human way of portraying some people as monsters by their Looks. Same thing which we can notice in the 'Frankenstein' novel also. Creature is not Monster by Birth. He is like a child in the form of Big body because of the creation done by mingling various body parts. But actually he is like an innocent child. It is the 'notion of Beauty' prevailing in society which considered him as a monster without knowing his morals. So, The character of Monster shows the Theme of Appearance in the way the people consider him.
1) Physical Deformity with Monstrosity
In society a man with some physical default, or physically ugly always connected with Monstrosity. The Creature looks terrifying because of stitches over his body and Huge head with big hands and Foot. So, Society assumes that he must be a Monster. Monster because of his outer appearance not considered as Human being and people are also not ready to accept him as human being or also have some humanity. The creator of Creature himself stated that…
"Its gigantic statue and the deformity of its aspect, more hideous than belongs to humanity."
-Victor Frankenstein
The Creature is like a newborn baby not aware about societal struggle and the notions of beauty and ugliness. Without doing anything the Victor considered him as Monster. By his outer look Victor assumed that Creature is horrible or dangerous. When Victor created Monster he didn't find anything dangerous in him and after his birth suddenly he felt fear and tremble because of the looks of Monster, which shows how the Physical Deformity in a person is always considered as Monstrosity. People also used to throw stones on him and start hitting him approaching Creature as Monster.
2) Societal Prejudices
There are so many prevailing prejudices in society. One of them is the notion of Beauty. That every person who is beautiful is always good and ugly people are considered evil or bad human beings. There are two opposite sides of Human beings…
- Outer Appearance
- Inner Appearance
Outer shapes, colors, textures are the pillar of bravado, cuteness and sexual attention. While Inner Beauty of Moral and Intelligence are always sided by society for making judgement on people, which directly seen through the character of Creature in 'Frankenstein.' People always look at people through their outer appearance and neglect their inner beauty. Outer appearance overpowering inner beauty. The same thing we can find in the character of Creature, who is very kind hearted but his outlook is hideous so wherever he goes he is Monster without doing anything, without harming anyone and with creating any chaos. Monster himself says…
"Was I then a Monster, a blot upon the earth, from which all men fled and whom all women disowned."
-Creature
After continuous rejection he himself doubted that truly I am a monster? and it all happens because According to societal prejudice all men and women started hating him and consider him as Monster. From childhood, we teach a very notion of beauty. Even a small playing child is also aware about what a Monster is. Here we can see the character of William, brother of Frankenstein also rejects Creature by calling him monster and ugly wretch…
"Let me go, he cried, Monster! Ugly Wretch! You wish to eat me and tear me to pieces, you are an ogre. Let me go or I will tell my Papa."
-William Frankenstein
So, From following statement by William we can make the conclusion that the importance of appearance is deeply rooted in society and even small kids are also woven from childhood in believing this kind of prejudice.
3) Visual Sense-Strong point of Judgement
"When one shuts one eye, one does not hear everything."
Vision is the primary sense of mankind. On the basis of vision we make so many decisions which are full of prejudices. There are possibilities of two opposite sides like coins. What we see may be true or may not be true. But as it is popular saying that "First Impression is the Last impression" and on that basis we make our judgement. So, Visual sense is the strongest sense of judgement of mankind. Everyone in 'Frankenstein', who sees the monster's ugly look, started criticizing him as an evil. Without looking on the other side of his behaviour he became the prey of Human beings Visual sense. We can see the example of Creature's first interaction with human beings, when he enters into the hut of shepherds…
"The Shepherd shrieked loudly and ran across the field with a speed of which his debilitated form hardly appeared capable."
This statement manifests that the shepherd literally ran away as fast as he could and as far as he could. So the only fear of the shepherd is the sight of the monster, his outer appearance. When a monster walks through the streets Children scream, women faint and whole villagers start throwing stones at him. This inhuman behaviour of people shows their Visual sense that the person with ugly look must be a monster.
There is also one De Lacey family, One Old Blind Man, unaware about his outer appearance accepted him because of his blindness. But other family members, and their reaction towards the creature is like Agatha typically faints down, Sadie runs out of the cottage and Felix immediately starts hitting him. So, here we can see the contrast that Blind Man behaves calmly because of his blindness and people with vision started attacking him. So, Visual sense also played a major role in categories of people by outer look as good or evil.
4) Racism
Racism is also an idea which discriminates against people on the basis of skin color.
"Beauty is only skin deep."
As this old saying refers to, Beauty is the notion which can be identified through the color of skin. White people with blue eyes are considered superior and others with dark skin are inferior. So this is the basic standard of beauty. On that criteria one if good and another is an evil or monster.
Frankenstein may also be analysed in its portrayal of different races. The novel is "written from the perspective of a narrator from below." Monster who is considered as Negro or Back man with immorality or insignificant creature. Victor says…
"His(Creature) yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles."
-Victor Frankenstein
Upper quotation states that creature is yellow skinned is denotes the constructed meaning of yellow skin is that to threatening others-whether troll or giant, gypsy or negro. So, this is how the outer appearance of Creature is also connected with the very idea of Racism and how the creature is neglected because of his skin color.
Conclusion
"I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
-Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King's dream remains as a dream and we can't find any change in society about the prejudices of Outlook. Not Shakespeare's time and not even Shelley's time and not even Martin Luther king's time and even in the present world also people judged by their External beauty. So, we can see how on the basis of Appearance how people are judged and evidence of this social injustice can be found as a record in literature as well in the following quote of Martin king Luther. Throughout the novel Creature is judged by his Outer look. First by his own creator, after that by society, and at last by De Lacey family and then he decides to take revenge because of continuous rejection. So, the very notion of Good Appearance affects the whole life of Creature, and his all further action is based on others behaviour with him. He is not born as a monster but there are situations and environments which forced him to become evil. So continuously people treat him as an ill and he will become wicked. So. It was the theme of appearance which can be studied throughout the novel Frankenstein and the ultimate effect of this can be found on monsters and he moved towards taking revenge with Victor for creating him as a Monstrous Figure.
Works Cited
- Brannstorm, Carina. “An Analysis of the Theme of Alienation in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.” C Extended Essays, 2006.
- Eppard, Jon, "Monsters," Minneapolis, MN:Bellwether Media, Inc., 2013.
- Guerin, Wilfred L; Earle Labor; Lee Morgan, Jeanne C Reesman; John Willingham, A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature. Fifth ed., Oxford University Press, 2005.
- Hamilton, Sue L. "Monsters-The World of Horror," ABDO Publishing Company, 2007
- Hindle, Maurice, "Mary Shelley-Frankenstein," 1994, London Penguin Books Ltd, 1994.
- Lindsey, Kristina, "Frankenstein: Appearance vs. Reality." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 27 Mar. 2011. Web. 5 Mar. 2020.<http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Frankenstein-Appearance-vs-Reality/96881>
- O'neill, Eugene. "THE HAIRY APE" A Comedy of Ancient and Modern Life In Eight Scenes. The Project Gutenberg Ebook, 2001.
- Shakespeare, William (1823). Measure for measure. Comedy of errors. Merchant of Venice. As you like it. Collins & Hannay. p. 171.
- Skalasova, Zaneta, “Monster and Monstrosity in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein,” 2015, pp. 1–61.
Thank You....
Post a Comment