Abandonment and society

• ‘One hand was stretched out, seemingly to detain me'


  prejudice, ignored by Victor from beginning. Marginalised by creator and society. Victor misinterprets the outstretched hand as detainment but he is reaching out for guidance
• ‘its hideous guest’


  monster does not belong. Guest suggest a temporary existence. The monster's aesthetic form is not designed to survive in society
• ‘enemy’


  Monster vs Victor
• ‘my own spirit let loose from the grave and forced to destroy all that was dear to me’


  recognises his connection to the monster
• ‘Be calm! I entreat you to hear me’


  when the monster and Victor meet, the monster represents reason. He does not want to be in opposition to his creator
• ‘I will not set myself in opposition to thee’


  contrast my enemy
• ‘vile insect… that I may trample you to dust’


  Earth to earth, biblical destruction, usurping God’s role
• ‘do your duty towards me, and I will do mine towards the rest of mankind’

  the monster highlights that Victor is still responsible and his abandonment has caused the monster to become a murderer.
• ‘some attacked me’


  Reactions to monster as he enters the village
• ‘grievously bruised by stones’

  Aesthetic form incites violence
• The monster learns love from the DeLacey family


  The monster watches the DeLacey family’s love. They show him what he does not have, causing him to form a connection and vicariously experiences human relationships, eventually for them to reject him based on the shape of his monstrosity. Whilst watching, he feels a growing injustice as he cannot participate.
• ‘a mixture of pain and pleasure, such as I have never experienced before’


  overwhelmed by empathy for the DeLacey family that is greater than pain
• 'gentle manner of these people'


  He idolises the DeLacey family. He has particular admiration for the father as he craves a farther figure. The DeLacey father is a temporary surrogate for the monster. It is the only relationship that is not forced by the monster. He is blind so without prejudice, the monster is capable of human relationships and interaction
• 'trait of kindness moved me sensibly’


  monster touched by kindness of other human beings
• Learning DeLacey family names

  A reminder of how he cannot connect
• ‘I admired the perfect forms of the villagers’


  In the eyes of the monster the DeLaceys are perfect due to their exclusive relationship. It makes them perfect as it is unreachable to the monster.
• ‘At first I stared back, unable to believe that it was I who was reflected back in the mirror’


  In Greek mythology Narcissus falls in love with himself. In Paradise Lost Book 4, Eve sees herself reflected in the water. She is beautiful and also falls in loves herself. Highlights how far removed the monster is from society. He believes that identity is tied to physical appearance.
• 'My protectors'


  the monster refers to the DeLacey family as his friends repeatedly as he does not understand the reciprocal element to friendship- he is naive and does not account for prejudice
• ‘it will afford me true pleasure' talking to the monster.


  The DeLacey father cannot understand why society would only 'behold a detestable creature' as he is blind so guided by the monster's eloquence. His voice is everything for his identity as the way that he has educated himself makes him essentially human.
• ‘You raise me from the dust with this kindness’


  to DeLacey father. Image of death. Kindness resurrects the monster direct contrast to Victors ‘vile insect’
• ‘rushes out of the cottage’


  when Felix and Agatha return home and see the monster they rush out, much like Victor’s reaction to the birth
• ‘he dashed me to the ground’


  Felix when he sees the monster for the first time.
• ‘I am alone and miserable, man will not associate with me'


  Monster wants a companion so he is not alone in the prejudice of society
•  ‘I will not consent’


  Victor does not create a female
• ‘Make me happy, let me feel gratitude towards you'


  monster is desperate for Victor to create the female
• ‘I was the slave of my creature’


  Victor is willing to embark on the dangerous journey. Even though Victor is in nature, he is still bound by the promise to make the monster a female. Irony as he is amongst nature, yet still being controlled and not free
• ‘enthusiastic frenzy had blinded me to the horrors of my employment’

  Victor blindly creates the female, ignorant to the consequences.
• ‘I could not sacrifice the whole human race’


  how Victor justifies killing the female