Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

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Archetypal Characters inside Frankenstein

The novel “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley involves the complex issues with the creation of life through an inanimate life. Shelley uses these character archetypes to develop a deeper meaning of the characters intentions. Shelley does an excellent job at allowing the reader to have a peak at the characters inner thoughts and feelings. The archetypes presented in Frankenstein allow readers to identify with the character's role and purpose.

The foremost archetypes inside of Frankenstein were Victor Frankenstein’s creature has many archetypes that show throughout the story. In the narrative, the creature is shown to be the monster. The Monster is the character who has the intentions to destroy the hero’s journey. The monster’s main goal is to oppose the hero on his or her’s quest. The monster in Frankenstein represented this archetype in the way that he did everything he could to destroy Victor’s life. Victor’s life was his journey and the monster wanted to be the main obstacle, so he could have the miserable life that the creature was living. For instance, he killed many of Victor’s loved ones. Most importantly, the monster killed Elizabeth. "A grin was on the force of the monster, he seemed to jeer, as with his fiendish finger pointed towards the corpse of my wife" (Shelley 204).

Victor’s life was made miserable after creature killed every person he loved. Creature was also seen as an outsider with a lack of self-identity, which can explain many of his actions. This archetype is shown through the monster because every person rejected him. The monster was excluded because of his appearance and was banished from every place. For instance, at the Delaney’s home, Felix attacked the m...

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...elley proves Victor’s Promethean archetypal through her use of symbols and actions such as knowledge and punishment. Victor and Prometheus were both given knowledge, were punished for it, and suffered from it.

The novel “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley involves the complex issues with the creation of life through an inanimate life. Shelley uses these character archetypes of the monster, the scientist, and the anti-father and developed a deeper meaning of the characters intentions. Shelley does an excellent job at allowing the reader to have a peak at the characters inner thoughts and feelings. The archetypes presented in Frankenstein allow readers to identify with the character's role and purpose and allow the characters to become three-dimensional.

Work Cited

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Signet Classics, 1963. Print.

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