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Moral Ambiguity in Frankenstein

 

            In the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the circumstances behind his horrific actions, such as his accursed fate and inability to find his place in the world due to his lack of humanity, his comparison to Lucifer in Paradise Lost and his relationship with his creator and the rest of mankind causes a morally ambiguous situation. The monster's rejection by his creator sets up his accursed circumstance, which causes him to commit horrific actions and add onto his case of moral ambiguity. From the moment it awoke, it was cast aside in horror by its creator who even said, "I beheld the wretch, the miserable monster whom I had created. He held up the curtain of the bed; and his eyes, if eyes they may be called, were fixed on me.".
             " The relationship between the monster and Victor from the beginning was instantaneously one of abandonment and horror; no parent calls their child (creation) a wretch or a miserable monster no matter how ugly it is. Unlike a true parent (or in this case a creator) who is supposed to have unconditional love, Victor can't look past the monster's flaws and see him for who he truly is. Additionally Victory further elaborates on his horror saying, "[the monster] jaws opened, and he muttered some inarticulate sounds, while a grin wrinkled his cheeks. He might have spoken, but I did not hear; one hand was stretched out, seemingly to detain me, but I escaped and rushed downstairs." This use of imagery by having Victor directly run out of the room in horror and the diction of wretch and miserable emphasizes the contrast of emotions that a parent or creator should feel when their creation or child comes to life, although the monster was reaching out to him Victor utterly rejects him. In response to this abandonment the monster seeks to get revenge even if it means committing horrible acts which displays moral ambiguity due to it seemingly being Victor's fault for the monster's actions.


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