An Analysis of Isolation of the Creature in Frankenstein

2013-08-15 00:54李家阳
科技视界 2013年3期
关键词:刘兵弗兰肯邮电大学

1 Chapter One Isolation of Frankenstein’s Creature

1.1 Isolated Experience of being Created

The creature is isolated because of his hideous appearance,which unlike his inventor who chooses to be isolated.The first experience with the human society is when the creature opens his eyes,and sees Victor’s scared look.The creature’s own “father” rejects him.The second experience the creature has with human society is contacting with the villagers,while they throw stones at him to make him leave them.The third experience the creature has with human society is the rejection of the DcLacey family.The fourth experience with human society is that he saved a girl who fell into the rapid stream.However,it interrupted by the approach of a rustic who tearing the girl from his arms.Finally,he was hurt by rustic’s gun.The fifth isolated experience is the rejection of creating a female companion.

1.2 Isolated Environment

Environment is described in the novel expressed the isolation of the creature.An important place Mary Shelley uses to emphasize isolation is in Frankenstein’s laboratory.Victor lives in total isolation from his friends and surroundings.The shed where the monster decides to hide connects to isolation.The above shows the isolation of the creature and the results of it aggravate the isolation.

2 Chapter Two Results of the Creature’s Isolation

2.1 Being Created as Innocent as a Baby

In a few chapters of the book,Mary Shelley describes that when Victor was lying terrified in his bed,the creature was reaching out,as a small child does to their mother,but his ugly appearance only frightened Victor into running away.We can see from these details that at the moment of his birth,the creature is entirely benevolent.Like a child,he is filled with ignorance and wonder.

2.2 Developing more like Human than Expected

It is interesting to find that as much as the creature tries to separate himself from the human race in despair,he looks to reproduce the human state of marriage.Thus,he is much more human than he appears to be.Phrasing the accusation in this manner,however,is not so confrontational that it is more effective at evoking the sympathy of Victor.Often the creature refers to Frankenstein as “you,my creator” (Shelley,1989:147).These strengthen his arguments because he is emphasizing his state as the miserable,abused wretch.

2.3 Being Driven to be a Monster

3 Chapter Three Reasons for Creature’s Isolation

3.1 Isolation of Victor Frankenstein

Victor Frankenstein,who has created the creature,has the isolated experiences before and during the process of creation.During his childhood,his family’s wandering life made him almost have no contact with others.Even after his family had fixed in their nature country,he still didn’t communicate with others besides his family members and Clerval.Victor Frankenstein,to some extent,is the father of the creature.Such a place destines that the creature’s first experience with society is isolated.

3.2 Society’s Biased Judgement of Human Nature

The physical isolation,because of his appearance,and is very much alone in the world only because he is different.His appearance,as the author described:

But these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes,his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips.(Liu,48)

His appearance even horrifies his “father”,Victor Frankenstein.Although the creature tries his best to contact with people friendly,even saves the drowned girl,he can’t receive the justice judgement from people.“Mary Shelley wanted to show that the evil was not in the Monster at first;it grew because people were stupid,unfair and cruel”(Yang,6).

Sadly,vision is the primary sense of mankind and often the solitary basis of judgment.Without humans’limitations of the shapes,colors and textures of our overall outward appearances,the world would be a wonderful place.“For if there were no predetermined ideal models defining the beautiful possibilities of the human body’s variation,one would never suffer isolation due to one's disability,unattractiveness,or unusual physical attribute”(Oppapers,1).

4 Conclusion

This paper states that the theme of isolation is the common denominator in the character of the creature in Frankenstein.Meantime,this paper summarizes the reasons of the creature’s isolation and besides the isolation of Victor Frankenstein.We should not judge people by physical appearance.However,even in the modern society,the society’s biased judgement of human nature still exists.More and more people pay more emphasis on the physical appearance all the same.The beautification of the mind seems to be the thing being pursued in people’s heart,and few people put it into the practical action,so not judging people by appearance seems powerless and pale in face of reality.Facing the real society,we should try our best to judge a person by internal character.

[1]Hindle,Maurice.Mary Shelley.Frankenstein[J].London:Penguin Books Ltd,1994.

[2]Lawless,Stephanie. “The making of a monster-Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.”2007-08-12[OL/J].http://www.threemonkeysonline.com/als/shelley_frankenstein_making_monsters.html

[3]Oppapers.“Frankenstein-Theme Of Appearance.” 2006-02-10[OL/J].http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Frankenstein-Theme-Of-Appearance/14848

[4]Shelley,Mary.Frankenstein.Or,The Modern Prometheus.New York:Tom Doherty Associates,1989.

[5]Shelley,Mary.Frankenstein[M].合肥:安徽科学技术出版社出版,2002.

[6]玛丽·雪莱.刘新民.(译).弗兰肯斯坦[M].上海:上海译文出版社,2007.

[7]玛丽·雪莱.杨立君.(译).弗兰肯斯坦[M].上海:上海译文出版社,1999.

[8]王明月,刘兵.玛丽·雪莱国外研究述评[J].重庆邮电大学学报.4(2008):85-87.

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