Discrimination and Social Groups in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

834 Words2 Pages

Through the course of history many races, ethnicities and religions have been discriminated and threatened. Most of the times taken advantage of through economic and social means. This lead to their alienation from society because not accepted from the people. The cause was based on physical differences or their way of thinking. In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley various social groups are represented in a specific way to convey a precise message to the audience that characterizes the novel. The monster that the scientist Victor Frankenstein creates is alienated by society because of his monstrous appearance in spite of being intelligent and sensitive. The role of the women embodies the novel’s motif of a passive one as Elizabeth waits patiently for Victor’s attention. It's curious how the author being daughter of an important feminist represents the role of women weak under men's jurisdiction. At the time females were considered inferior to males for this reason Shelley portray women characters to have little substance compared to the male ones. Another important aspect is Victor Frankenstein's life before the realization of the monster. He segregates himself from the rest of the world and closes himself for a couple of years in his apartment to realize his project. Became a mastermind of chemistry and natural philosophy and his discovery will be responsible for his own death.
The author represents the monster as an eight feet tall creature and horridly ugly with subhuman features. His unnatural appearance will never grant him a seat in society and will never be accepted. His destiny is doomed to living a lonely life separated from the rest of the world. The monster is rejected by society. However, his monstrosity results ...

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...ends, studies, and social life and grows increasingly isolated and obsessed. The author represents this social group as segregated from society not being part of it. Their thirst of knowledge is so great that they will spend most of their time at the research of it instead of living a peaceful and happy life. The message is that only God can challenge mother nature and going against our own one will lead to death and suffering. Too much of anything may have a negative outcome.
In conclusion, society shapes our perspective on people which classifies them into various social groups. Each defined by different characteristics that can be physical, ideological or ethnical. This leads to a discrimination of them for their difference traits. For this reason in the novel social groups are represented in particular ways so the audience can reflect over stereotypical issues.

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