I remember all the times I hated this book without reading, thinking it was just another horror story but last year I realized it was not just horror story but a sci-fiction horror and first of its kind. It is like a fairy tale for those who aspire to become mad scientist, not many of those want that I am sure. Here when I say mad scientist are the people who self-educate themselves to the level to pursue impossible task in any sector passionately. Long time ago I also wanted same, to pursue and discover something really unknown, still do. This fairy tale is though tragic and now to think of it Mary Shelley wrote it for people who either have gone through some kind same tragedy or still going through it. She does not say you can take some moral points from this and prevent the tragedy but may be answer yourself about self-nature.
She puts an eligibility bar for readers
With sci-fiction horror genre, below eligibility criteria just understand it as simple horror and still enjoy it at that or not, but above eligibility criteria discover more than just horror or possibilities in science.
It is tragedy for the reason whenever someone tries to do different or is different in nature itself from common people, is treated as crazy or unacceptable. Monster starts out as a child with pure conscious but inability to deal with complex emotions. Moreover, he sees people and their affinity towards each other but hatred towards him, he suffers and yearns for their acceptance or at least acceptance of the creator. Till he eventually becomes vengeful, he murders victor’s brother but then feels the pain of committing it.
After this when Victor is suffering and tries to endure it through scenic journey in Mt. Jura and meets his creation. He tries to substitute or compromise by demanding the creator another one like him but female.
This point is important in story as I also questioned myself what I should have done if I would have been in his place, answer was I would have counseled the creature that to create a woman creature is not the answer, she would be horrid or not is question not important as the question will she love the creature or not! She will have her own free will. Forcibly we cannot arrange love, it has to take its own pace. I would have taken the creature with me, accepted him and put in society as my creation even if it would have been hard it could have been.
Mary Shelley’s book makes us find answers
At that point I understood, Victor was coward and he fails till his end even to admit that, eventually just because of threat he tries to create another one but abandons the project giving morals more importance at the same moment abandoning his friends one more time. First time he abandons his friends and be untruthful to them is not when he pursues his passions without answering any letters but when he creates the creature and fails to tell Clerval his friend real reason of his sorrow. As a fact till the point when everybody dies and he decides to take revenge he never tells he has done something like that. He never accepts himself nor does his creation. Monster, not saying he is better, tries to be better person still dejected by creator and everybody else in the end at least admits he has been bad and all people were his victims.
Mary Shelley’s book makes us find answers about the dilemma of choosing between passion and alienation. Seeking something so very passionately does cause alienation in society but this dilemma to be passion less and follow others or chose individual pursuit and be called crazy is not at all important through Shelly’s point of view.
She answers differently through the Waldon. Waldon has passion to pursue course at north pole and discover wonders there but due to the ship crew’s unwillingness to go further causes him to go back and what does he say- “I am a coward not to pursue further my ambition” This sentence is so important that many fail to notice and just why Mary Shelley can be called genius. Instead of blaming it on anybody he accepts what he is. These questions are futile when you accept what you are whoever you are. Monster in the end accepts what he is and becomes free, but victor does suffer alienation even when is surrounded by loving people. Author’s best thought through this novel is Love from somebody would not mend you, it is itself complete. Similarly, you can walk the path of peace but peace can never be your final destination.
