Sickness in "Frankenstein"

Paper Summary:

The paper examines the theme of sickness in Mary Shelley's novel, "Frankenstein" and why the character of Victor Frankenstein and his dear ones fell ill so often in the novel. The paper describes how Victor suffers from physical as well as emotional illness that results from his isolation from the world. The paper also highlights how sickness in the novel can be perceived as a force fighting against the evil ambitions of Victor one the one hand, while, on the other hand, it can also be perceived as a compassionate force trying to restrain Victor and encourage him to learn from his mistakes.

From the Paper:

"Frankenstein is one name that everyone who has ever read a book would be familiar with. The name has become synonymous with monstrous desires and pure evil. Many often use it synonymously in place of the word monster but the truth is that Victor Frankenstein was not the monster; the monster was the creature he created and never gave a name to. Why would a man create a monster? Well that was never Victor's intention but whatever his intentions were, they were definitely not approved by God. And thus Victor continued to suffer all his life. In simple words, Victor was sick. He had a serious sickness of mind and heart that did not allow him to think like a normal happy human being. He was obsessed with doing something different and in conquering the world of science. And this pursuit led him to create a human being that turned out to be a ghastly error. Nature continued to act against Victor as he continued to rebel against God and that is why sickness is a very common theme in the novel."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Anne K. Mellor, " Making a "monster": an Introduction to Frankenstein," The Cambridge Companion to Mary Shelley, ed. Esther Schor (Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 2003) This book deals with the analysis of the novel from varius aspects. The book contains essential essays and one of the them was making a monster where Mellor has focused on the role of nature in the novel.
• The Mary Shelley Reader, eds. Betty T. Bennett and Charles E. Robinson (New York: Oxford University Press, 1990). This book also offers in depth analysis of the novel through many different essays and articles. The book was used only to understand the concept of sickness in the novel
• Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Frankenstein Or, the Modern Prometheus (New York: Collier Books, 1961). This is the novel itself.
• Martin Heidegger, The Question Concerning Technology, trans. William Lovitt, ed. David Farrell Krell (New York: Harper and Row, 1977), 289-317. The essay offers an insight into the role of technology and how it plays a role in Frankenstein. It was used to see how playing God was connected with advancement of technology.

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• Comparison Essay # 138159 : "A Comparison/Contrast of Dickens’ Estella in Great Expectations and Mary Shelley’s Monster in Frankenstein: Making Monsters out of Humans (or Parts of Humans, as the case may be)"

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