Appearance Versus Reality in Frankenstein By: Corbin Schmidt “The world is governed more by appearance than realities so that it is fully necessary to seem to know something as to know it” -Daniel Webster. One of the most important themes in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is appearance versus reality. This theme comes into fruition throughout the novel, most notably when Shelley provides insight into the characters of the story and how they are immediately judged by their looks in most cases rather than their personalities, such as the adoption of Elizabeth by Victor’s family.
The appearance of certain settings also has an effect on how the characters in the novel feel, this is evident the most in Victor since the book follows him and gives good detail into his thoughts and feelings at every moment. Despite Frankenstein’s creation being called a monster he does not seem to always appear to fit into that title and can be more human than some of the other characters. The monster’s true personality is shown when he is interacting with seemingly random people throughout the story rather than with Victor or those he knows.
When Victor’s family went to adopt a new daughter they instantly chose Elizabeth after they laid their eyes on her. They did not care what she acted like or what her personality was, they wanted a beautiful child and they got one. Victor thought that Elizabeth “appeared of a different stock” (Shelley 34) especially when compared to “the four others [who] were darkeyed, hardy little vagrants” (34). At first sight he thought that Elizabeth was so good-looking that “her lips and the moulding of her face [were] so expressive of sensibility and sweetness” (34).
Even though Victor and his family did not know Elizabeth they still chose her based off of her appearance alone. Further on in the story when Victor has gone off to school and has gathered the parts to create life as it is sitting on the table he begins to describe “the life-less thing that lay at [his] feet” (57). Shelley describes the atmosphere through Victor’s thoughts and he shares that “by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, shel saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs (57).
This description begins to show how Victor is already judging the monster despite it not even existing yet in a sense. He describes the monster as having dull yellow eyes and as just being a life-less thing laying at his feet, essentially stating that the monster is nothing but an object and will be treated as such. After giving life to the monster Victor continues to judge it even though it is just now waking up. Victor defines the monster as a “wretch whom with such infinite pains and care [he] had endeavoured to form” (57).
He continues on discussing that some of the beautiful features the monster has pale in comparison to “a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips” (57). Victor knows nothing about this monster other than how it will look once it is finally brought to life and yet he is making conclusions that are in a negative connotation, such as calling him a wretch.
Shelley describes the settings of Frankenstein quite well and this often leads to Victor providing his thoughts on them while in his depressed state so although something may appear bright and booming in his mind it will be dull and unfavourable. After the creation of the monster in his lab Victor can not stand seeing it anymore as it just brings up bad feelings for him. In an attempt to fix this “[Clerval] had also changed my apartment; for he erceived that I had acquired a dislike for the room which had previously been my laboratory” (67) but even with a new room layout Victor was still in a depressed state of mind as he visited his professors around the school.
It was not the sight of the room that was making him depressed, it was the situation that had taken place there and the subject matter which is why visiting his professors brought it back out in Victor. When Victor is travelling back home from school he sees the beautiful landscapes of his homelands and he cried, stating that “Dear mountains! my own beautiful lake! how do you welcome your wanderer?
Your summits are clear; the sky and lake are blue and placid. Is this to prognosticate peace, or to mock at my unhappiness? ” (74-75). Since Victor is already not in a pleasant state of mind seeing this sight does not make him happy as it should and instead he sees it as mocking him and his experiment. When Robert Walton is out exploring and thinking about giving up hope he sees and feels “this breeze, which has traveled from the regions towards which [he is] advancing, gives [him] a foretaste of those icy climes.
Inspirited by this wind of promise, [his] daydreams become more fervent and vivid. He tries] in vain to be persuaded that the pole is the seat of frost and desolation; it ever presents itself to [his] imagination as the region of beauty and delight” (15). The beauty of the nature surrounding him gives him hope and lets him know he is closer to his goal of discovery and allows him to persevere. The mere sight of the landscape gives him hope and inspiration, showing that his visions are close to becoming reality although they are not quite there yet. The story of Victor Frankenstein is seen to portray his creation as a monster when in fact he is oftentimes more of a man than Victor himself despite his looks.
When the monster “fixed [his] eyes on the child, [he] saw something glittering on his breast. [He] took it; it was a portrait of a most lovely woman. In spite of [his] malignity, it softened and attracted [him]. For a few moments [he] gazed with delight on her dark eyes, fringed by deep lashes, and her lovely lips; but presently [his] rage returned; [he] remembered that [he] was forever deprived of the delights that such beautiful creatures could bestow and that she whose resemblance [he] contemplated would, in regarding [him], have changed that air of divine benignity to one expressive of disgust and affright” (143).
The monster finds the women alluring and is captivated by her before suddenly realizing how hippocritical he is being since he himself wants to be treated fairly rather than judged by his looks and this fills him with distaste as he realizes he is becoming just like the humans who judged him in the first place.
Just like a human would imagine themselves being with the people they love the monster at one point does this exact thing, “[He] allowed [his] thoughts, unchecked by reason, to ramble in the fields of Paradise, and dared to fancy amiable and lovely creatures sympathizing with [his] feelings and cheering [his] gloom; their angelic countenances breathed smiles of consolation. But it was all a dream; no Eve soothed my sorrows nor shared [his] thoughts; [he] was alone” (131).
As the monster is dreaming about being surrounded by beautiful people that he could befriend he wakes up to realize that he is doing the exact thing he is against, judging by appearance instead of personality. The monster can also invoke feelings into other people rather than just fear, much like a normal human being. When Walton sees the monster standing over his friend he is frightened but also brave as “[He] called on him to stay” (218).
The monster while still frightening Walton is also empowering him and giving him the strength and courage to stand up to him as he needs to talk to him and discuss the matter at hand. Even with these points the monster is never truly decided as a real horror or just a scary looking human. Character versus presence is a main recurring theme in the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. The looks and personalities of the characters are often contrasting but this does not matter as the characters are judged off their looks alone.
Certain images and landscapes also affect the characters’ thoughts and emotions whether this be in a positive or negative manner. The monster may do some cruel things but he may not live up to the title of monster as he also does act in ways that a monster would not. “Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like. ” – Lao Tzu