Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

The creature in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is characterized in a controversial manner. Some people find the monster to be evil at heart, and others observe that he is truly a genuine creature. Shelley is able to use juxtaposition to tie both of these ideas together when the creature states, "My heart was fashioned to be susceptible of love and sympathy; and when wrenched by misery to vice and hatred it did not endure the violence of the change" (Shelley, 164). Shelley is stating that the monster began life as a loving and kind creature. Due to the creatures constant rejection, the creature began to feel hatred toward humanity. Therefore, the creature was morphed into the "wicked devil" that Victor portrays him as because of the evil humanity inflicted upon him. This juxtaposition proves that the creature did not intend to cause such distress in the lives of others, but did so in order for others to feel his pain. The creature felt pain and sorrow whenever he murdered one of Victor's loved ones, but he expressed even greater despair when he was labeled as an outcast. The creature just wants to return to his original, loving and sympathetic ways, rather than cause such heinous crimes.