Frankenstein

Chris Bond wrote of his interpretation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and how it is about more than the danger of scientific experimentation. His claims included it being about divine ambitions, the overthrow of the female, aesthetic disappointments, and ostracism. Of these claims, I agree with ostracism the most. In this story, not only do you find the two main characters dealing with periods of isolation throughout the story, you also find there are several background characters who are also dealing with isolation as well. Ostracism as we know means to be isolated, banned, or excluded. We find Victor and his monster both at times to be dealing with these feelings of solitude; although one is not by his own choosing while the other one is by choice. In every occurrence, the exclusion is self-inflicted, led by ambition.

The beginning of the story is being told through the letters of a captain who is on a lonesome journey to discover new land among the North Pole, “I shall satiate my ardent curiosity with the sight of a part of the world never before visited, and may tread a land never before imprinted by the foot of man.” (Shelley, 6) This captain, R Walton, sustained over six years of expeditions all the while feeling alone, even though he was surrounded by sailors. He ostracized himself; “I shall certainly find no friend on the wide ocean, nor even here in Archangel, among merchants and seamen.” (Shelley, 9) It is Captian Walton who introduces us to Victor Frankenstein. Walton is eager to end his feelings of abandonment as he seeks friendship with Victor but only to be left in vain as Victor tells him of his story of grief and disappointments, “But I – I have lost every thing, and cannot begin life anew.” (Shelley, 16)

Victor Frankenstein although born of a loving family with siblings and extended family and friends leads a life of isolation at a most critical time in his life. After his mothers’ death, when he should have stayed