Isolation In Frankenstein Essay

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Throughout Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, isolation presents itself as a formative experience for both Victor Frankenstein and his Creation. Be it willingly, unwillingly, permanent or temporary, both characters find themselves in situations where they experience complete isolation from all of mankind. The effects of this isolation can be only seen as a destructive experience for both characters. During their respective experiences in isolation, hatred and violence embeds itself within them. The development of these emotions leads to the death of both characters, making isolation the driving force behind the destruction of both Victor and his Creation.
During Victors time at university, he devotes himself to a life of isolation and creation,

This sickness shows the first effects isolation has had on Victor, as it has developed fear and sickness within him. In this state of isolation, Victor manages to succeed in his work and creates what he sees as a monstrosity. The creation of this monster, while it is indeed a success in science, is the beginning of his demise. By having created this abomination in his state of sickness, induced by isolation, one can assume the Creation is in fact a product of Victor’s isolation. This deduction makes isolation the factor which sets in motion the death of both Victor and the ones which he holds dear. In an interesting choice, arguably the result of lack in Victor’s skill, Victor chooses to forever segregate his creation by bestowing it with a hideous form. Its gargantuan and vile appearance forces the Creation to be isolated from society, as anyone who saw him would be horrified. Victor is no exception to this fact, as when he sees his creation for the first time, he flees in a state of horror, abandoning his creation to fend for itself. In doing so, Victor has left his creation without a connection to the world, as it no longer has its creator and is unable to interact with society. This creation’s immense isolation from birth embeds within him an everlasting sense of disconnection with humanity, which will in time evolve into

own. After departing from the laboratory within which he was created, the creation explores the wilderness, learning basic knowledge about the world around him. While wandering about the wilderness, he discovers his hideous form in the reflection of a ...In his travels, he stumbles upon a cottage, upon the side of which is a small shelter that he takes refuge in. For some time he lives there, learning the language and history of the cottage dwellers. He develops a connection to this family, whom he sees as kind and generous people, and begins to help them by bringing them firewood. Developing a deeper sense of affection for the inhabitants, he decides to approach the blind old man who lives within while his children are away and win his favor. The Creation must approach the blind man when he is alone so he does not frighten the family, as knows of his hideous form; “I had sagacity enough to discover that the unnatural hideousness of my person was the chief object of horror.”(Pg 91) The creation believes if he can earn the old man’s affection, who will be unaware of his deformity, then he may be accepted by the blind man’s children in spite of his monstrous form. However, this plan goes horribly wrong, and when the children return early they are appalled by the Creation, physically