How Shelley and Fowles Present the Socially Excluded

How Shelley and Fowles Present the Socially Excluded

Men are numbered among beasts who renounce society, whereby they are

destitute of laws and the ordination of civility. Hence this ensures

that men, in creation are best, but when averse to justice and the

law, are the worst of all creatures.

(p.36 intro The Tempest by William Shakespeare, edited by Frank

Kermode 1961)

For the purpose of this essay, I shall focus my comparison on Victor

and Clegg and analyse the language they use. I will also explore the

form and structure used and give a personal response which will

include some commentary about the novels in terms of their

social/historical and literary contexts.

People's behaviour in social roles makes possible the life of a

society and its members.

Social roles are learned from culture, which defines how they should

be performed. They are not instinctive. However, people learn many

roles during childhood by observing their parents and other adults.

But on the other hand problems may result if the demands of one role

interfere with those of another. This situation is called role

conflict.

Victor and Clegg are excluded by society primarily because they have

transgressed society's boundaries, that is to say, Victor plays God

and creates "a new species which would bless him as its creator" p.52

; his male monster is built from old body parts and strange chemicals

because he is determined to learn about "the secrets of heaven and

hell"p.37. Ironically, Victor creates a "hideous wretch" p.73 which is

"an outcast in the world forever" p.129. However, this "filthy daemon"

p.73 is initially gentle and has a kind, baby-like nature, just like

normal humans. Paradoxically, the monster is actually ...

... middle of paper ...

...is a creation abandoned and shunned

by society and Victor his creator.

Therefore Shelley's use of letters enables the narrative to shift from

one character to another while remaining within the conventions of the

standard novel. Letters are also used to good effect as a means of

social interaction because characters are frequently out of immediate

contact with one another. Walton never encounters his sister in the

novel; his relationship with her is based wholly on the use of

letters. The same goes for Victor as he often isolates himself from

his loved ones but he does receive letters from Alphonse and Elizabeth

and this marks attempts to connect with him. Again, the monster uses

written communication in order to develop a relationship with Victor

when, at the end of the novel, he leads him northward by means of

notes on the trees and rocks he passes.