Frankenstein and Marxist Theory
Frankenstein is written in the Regency Period when is between 1811 to 1820. The work was published in 1818 by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. The period is monarch of the Prince Regent who is King George III's son. The time plays an essential role in analyzing the work. Because Mary Shelley is inspired by the characteristic of the Romanticism Period in her work. This period emphasized individualism. Emotions, feelings, and senses are exceedingly significant for understanding the novel. In Frankenstein, the emotional distress of characters is intensely seen. Monster’s emotions states that 'All men hate the wretched; how then, must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things!’ (Shelley,83).
Frankenstein untitled The Modern Prometheus at the same time. As a second name, The Modern Prometheus is a meaningful choice. Both stories have related subtexts. Prometheus is the creator of mankind in greek mythology. So, there is both creator a living thing in both stories. Then he desires to give fire to mankind but Zeus does not accept it. Then he gives fire to men and Zeus is riled by this action. They are associated they both suffer from their decisions too. Frankenstein's era’s difficulty is capitalism and Prometheus time's problem is gods in his perspective. They both break natural order. Prometheus is tragically punished each day. Prometheus chained in a mountain and an eagle eats his liver every day . Clay is an indispensable part when two stories compared with each other. Prometheus generate men with clay. Surely, clay is an element of nature. It is unique that humanities created in nature. On the other hand,Victor originated the monster from dead bodies and it is the opposite of nature from the begginning of the story. Plus, the fire symbolized as electricity in the story. With electricity, people develop the science. It portrays the 19th century in that aspect. ‘Frankenstein's creation threads system of empire, the capitalism.’ Capitalism and science advanced in 19th century. The industrial revolution shaped social life. Mice and new machines became critical purpose. People needed quick works to gain quick money. A lot of people and mostly children worked so arduously. Nature was destroyed by these rapid changes. The main themes was scientific revolutions, nature, emotions, capitalism, religion, and individuals. In these aspects Frankesitein reflects these topics. Because Frankenstein is a member of bourgeoisie. He has status and he breaks the system . He became a mechanical leader. In that aspect, the nameless monster is the working class. Monster undergoes a lot in society and he does receive any help from Frankenstein. He feels happy but he does not keep pace with society. Everyone looks down on him. Even Frankenstein gets horrified by him. He does not accept his creation. Monster’s reply is ‘I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel.’(114). He desires to produce for the sake of science. The creature is not fitting for the market because he is hideous. This is why he is not accepted for the burjuvaise. He can not benefit the capitalist system by making money. Also he is created from dead bodies and the purpose was creating a living thing who can not die. The capitalist system needs body power. The system acquires workers for production. Also, the monster is beaten and gets lonely. He decides to go to nature. Shealy describes the monster that ‘I was a poor, helpless, miserable wretch; I knew, and could distinguish nothing; but feeling pain invade me on all sides, I sat down and wept.’(119) because society is not natural for him and he does not feel like an equal person. It created a huge alienation for him. He cuts himself off from the world. Marxian theory explains that the form of alienation with levels and reasons. For Marx the main concern for alienation is the deterioration of nature. Firstly, a worker must be the creator of the work. If she or he will be isolated. The second step is that alienation from work itself. Then there is alienation from other people. In the final step is alienation of the society. These steps create the whole allianteanition within the capitalist system. Alienation of characters and the relationship reshape the ideology. As a creator Victor faces these alienations. The step that he first suffered when he covets for the creation of the monster. He explains that’ My work became everything to me. I didn't write to my family, and I never went out with friends. I ate very little and began to lose weight’(22). The system wants us to produce more and more and we create that process unconsciousnessly. People are not aware that they become like a machine. The system produces classes. The problem is that these classes produce superiority between people. The othered one is alienated psychologically. Monster as a lower class lives the obstacle and says ‘Of my creation and creator I was ignorant, but I knew that I possessed no money, no friends, no kind of property.’(115). The two classes in the story never the same. Like the real world, classes do not have the same opportunity. The nameless monster learns education by himself and he does not understand the world first. Everyone has not right to education or for medical help if they do not have economic output. After all, the system turns up inequality in various aspects. Monster understands these inequalities and wants to be equal. It represented as Adam and Eva's story. Because he says ‘I ought to be thy Adam; but I am rather the fallen angel.' he wants to be happy and equal but the idea is sustainable growth for the capital market. He wishes a female but Victor does not create. It is represented as Victor wants to save the people. It is symbolically saving the capitalist system. As the Guy Debord theory, we are ling in spectacle society. It means that capitalist market’s wishes come fist for the production.
Marry Shelley portrays lower classes with a nameless creature. He does not have the same living standards as others. Because he is othered in the capitalist system. Victor has the same ideolog with governments. The purpose of financial growth and marketing. The story creates Marxian alienation and displays a conflict between an individual and society. Every individual has emotions, claims, desires. The important statement is human rights in the capitalist system. We want unnecessary objects as our needs. We do not realize that workers lost their identities for production. The story of Frankenstein is a model of the unconscious capitalist lifestyle.
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