Frankenstein vs Folktales

    As I read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, I began to notice the similarities and differences between my previous assumptions of the old tale and of what is really written in the novel. The story itself has numerous accounts that are different than the prejudices I had of this eerie story. The appearance of the creation was the most different aspect. The mad scientist did not stand up and exclaim, "IT'S ALIVE!" In fact, Victor's disposition changed rather quickly. For a split second, I did notice that Victor was proud of his achievement and creation. However, this quickly changed. "I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body...but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horrow and disgust filled my heart" (Shelley, 35). I had always believed that this character used his creature and admired it. On the contrary, Victor despised the monster in almost an instant.There was no sidekick to Victor either. Where is his evil, demented assistant, Igor? Similarly, the creature itself was described radically different than what I had imagined. Although the monster was said to be eight feet tall and huge, his skin was yellow. In every picture and movie that I have seen about Frankenstein, the monster is green! Not even this, but also the monster's name isn't even Frankenstein! My entire image of this common story was completely disputed by this one chapter in Shelley's novel. The stereotypical monster that I had imagined is almsot totally false.

   This story does contain one aspect that seems to coincide with my original beliefs. Victor Frankenstein is in fact a bit insane. He does have a bit of mad scientist in him after all. Victor spent two years creating this being and bringing it to life. During this time, he shunned himself from the rest of the world. He stopped communicating with his family, friends, and anyone at the institution. His health began to deteriorate and became extremely thin. Being without human interaction for so long, caused Victor to obsess over his project and experiments. He began to go crazy in the nicest of terms. "I did not watch the blossom or the expanding leaves-sights which before always yielded me supreme delight!-so deeply was I engrossed in my occupations...my enthusiasm was checked by my anxiety, and I appeared rather like on doomed..." (Shelley, 34). Victor felt he was doomed to unhappiness and maybe even to Hell. He needed a God send to bring him back to life. Ironically, Victor could bring inanimate objects to life, but could not safe his soul from death.