Physical Appearance in Mary Shellys Frankenstein Essays -- Frankenstei

Physical Appearance in Mary Shellys FrankensteinIn Mary Shelleys Frankenstein we are introduced early in the story to one of the briny characters Victor Frankenstein and subsequently to his creation referred to as the monster. The monster comes to life after being constructed by Victor using body parts from corpses. As black as this sounds initially we are soon caught up in the tale of the living monster. Victor the creator becomes immediately remorseful of his decision to bring the incorrect creation to life and abandons the borne creature. Victor describes his emotions and physical description of his creation as followsHow can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavored to form? His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful Great God His yellow skin scarcely cover the work of muscles and arteries beneath his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing his te eth of a pearly whiteness but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shriveled complexion, and straight black lips. (Shelley 34)Left on his own to strike out in the world the monster soon experienced the prejudices of those he came meet. Prejudices based upon his frightful, or unusual, visual aspect and his inability to communicate initially. I quickly had empathy for the abandoned creature, despite the descriptions of his gruesome appearance, and felt mixed emotions about his actions towards others in the story. Were the waste actions of the monster towards others spawned from their violent rejection of ... ...-to-form illustration of cultural feelings about how citizenry should look and act in the context of what is normal. Anything outside of normal is perceived negatively, viewed with suspicion and capable of the worst actions towards others. In thi s case, it is no wonder the monster unleashes his violent wrath upon those that have shunned and disposed of him. He was just fulfilling his predetermined destiny thrust upon him at the moment he was conceived. I am being fairly sarcastic here, but I do feel that historically the ideas of what is normal can change. Unfortunately, as Shelley has drastically illustrated with the monster character, the monster is judged by his outside appearance and actions as it relates to what is considered normal.BibliographyShelley, Mary. Frankenstein. In A Norton Critical Edition. New York W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. 1996.