Mikayla B.
asked • 01/20/16What statement is Shelley making about human nature in Frankenstein? Is it as simple as asserting that all humans are capable of being vicious and cruel?
It would be great if there were some textual evidence to support the answer
More
1 Expert Answer
Still looking for help? Get the right answer, fast.
Ask a question for free
Get a free answer to a quick problem.
Most questions answered within 4 hours.
OR
Find an Online Tutor Now
Choose an expert and meet online. No packages or subscriptions, pay only for the time you need.
Xena C.
Through the creature’s experiences with the De Lacey family, Mary Shelley exposes the limits of human love, which may not extend beyond the family.
The creature, which is not really human, shows a greater capacity for forgiveness than any of the human characters in the novel. For example, after the De Lacey family drives him away, the creature still makes an effort to rescue a drowning girl.
The monster’s love of nature gives him a compassionate and caring heart. The monster expresses his love of nature, and it comforts him at several points in the story: “My spirits were elevated by the enchanting appearance of nature; the past was blotted from my memory, the present was tranquil, and the future gilded by bright rays of hope and anticipations of joy."
As the monster gets closer to humans, he grows more despondent: "I had admired the perfect forms of my cottagers—their grace, beauty, and delicate complexions: but how was I terrified when I viewed myself in a transparent pool!"
Before the monster meets humans, he feels a universal love for living things. He chooses to be a vegetarian. It is only when he encounters human hatred that he loses his love and compassion.
11/09/17