The Protagonist in Frankenstein

Thuyen Vo

Prof. Bruce Brogdon

ENGL 2333

April 22, 15

The protagonist in Frankenstein

        In the classic horror novel, Frankenstein, Mary Shelley neither claims Victor Frankenstein or the creation to be protagonist; therefore, readers have a chance to experience the novel in different ways. Many of them might think of Victor as the protagonist of the story, however, I would argue that the creation or we could call him- the monster is the protagonist. I enjoy his perspective more and he is definitely the focus of the novel. Since the word “protagonist” is not defined as “good person”, I find myself siding with him more than any character in the novel. I find at him the pity, the effort to be like a mankind, and the loneliness.

        The creation is the stress of the novel, firstly, by his appearance which is described by his creator, Victor, “His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost the same colour as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion, and straight black lips”(810). How disgust and horror that face is! Even if he were a real human, it’s hard for him to get along well with the society. However, despite the ugly appearance and before he started turn into a monster by killing people, he began with a good heart. For example, when he started realize that stealing food makes the family at the cottage painful, he “abstained and satisfied myself with berries, nuts, and roots”(834) from the wood. And he even saved a girl from being drowned. Therefore, he might not be good but we still cannot accuse that he is bad.

It was Victor Frankenstein and society who make him into a monster.

        The desire to be a human gives him lots of effort. Abandoned by his creator, he attempted to explore that world and not too long after that, he discovers how he is different from others, “when I became fully convinced that I was in reality the monster that I am, I was filled with the bitterest sensations of despondence and mortification” (844). He tries to learn everything with the thinking that people will accept him and he yearns to communicate with them. He also starts reading, trying to education himself about the world. In return, there are just the insults, scream, yell at him.