Isolation as a Key Theme in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

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Isolation as a Key Theme in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

A key theme of isolation is The Modern Prometheus. Prometheus was a

son one of the last Titans. He was isolated like Frankenstein's

creature, as Prometheus stole fire from Zeus and gave it to a man, one

of the sons of God. Victor Frankenstein gave life to the monster and

was isolated for his creation, as God only creates life. In the Modern

Prometheus, fire was a gift from Zeus similar to life as a gift from

God in Frankenstein. Both Prometheus and Frankenstein had to face the

consequences for their actions. Prometheus was tied to a cliff where,

his eyes were pecked out by vultures, left isolated. Victor was

isolated from society and family for not excepting his responsibility

of his creation.

A character that is a centre of isolation is the monster, rejected by

society for his appearance. Frankenstein described him as hideous;

"his yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries

beneath". He gives an image of a cold corpse with its skin barely

covering the muscle and vessels. The monster has "straight black lips"

and "his teeth were pearl white". This gave an unbalanced nature of

his face with his "limbs were in proportion" making his complexion

"shrivelled". With his "watery eyes" the image of him scared people

around him. It was for this that society did not except him, as he was

not part of the natural order, he was different, inhuman and this may

be one of the reasons the Frankenstein isolated his creation, as he

was scared of what he had created. A reason why society might not

except him be due to religion over the fact that God can only give

life and cr...

... middle of paper ...

...reated the creature, by

playing God. If Victor had taken responsibility and parented the

creation he would not have lost his wife, Elizabeth. Victor realised

that it was best at home, "how much happier that man is who believes

his native town to be his world". This showed that he missed his home

and his love, Elizabeth. Victor described Elizabeth as "saintly soul"

and "celestial eyes". Elizabeth hoped for "placid contentment" with

Victor.

Unnaturally, Frankenstein felt that he had the right to kill the

monster and of that process he lost his wife, by not creating a mate

for the monster who did not want to feel lonely anymore. The laws of

natural philosophy had been turned upside down and the consequences of

this indicated by terrible sad images of the isolated monster finding

peace only when it was totally alone.

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