Revenge In Mary Wolstonecraft Shelley's Frankenstein

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Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, transformed her initial short tale of terror into an exceptional horror filled novel. While presenting the plot, she emotionally engages the reader by implementing literary devices throughout the story. Through the use of literary devices, she portrays the theme of revenge and its detrimental effects upon those involved.
Initially, the audience is presented with an eager, studious Victor Frankenstein and tags along on his journey to scientifically creating the creature. After the creature is created, however, Frankenstein is disgusted; he wants nothing to do with the creature. All the hard work Victor did would not reward him. After the creation, Victor and the Creature separate. When they meet again, the actions and outcomes of revenge become understood.
The author first hints at the theme when the Creature says to Frankenstein, “On you it rests, whether i quit forever the neighbourhood of man and lead a harmless life, or become the scourge of your fellow creatures and the author of your own speedy ruin” (Shelley 42). This quote alone foreshadows the demise of Frankenstein and also shows the nature of the beast. The creature is …show more content…

It is this experience that changes the Creature; he developed feelings of “rage and revenge” (Shelley 58). The Creature changed, he now hated humans. He “declared everlasting war against the species, and more than all, against him who had formed me and sent me forth to this insupportable misery” (Shelley 59). Later, the Creature would save a girl from drowning in a rapid stream. Despit the good deed, the girl’s father shoots the Creature. After this, the Creature “vowed eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind” (Shelley 61). Shelley’s thorough characterization of the Creature once again foreshadows the theme of revenge being detrimental to those

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