07.12.2021
Notes:
Creature is learning about the true nature of human beings, learnt about pleasure, pain,
light, darkness, love, hunger and thirst.
The old man cheers up when his family comes home, family makes one happy – ‘appearance
of his companions he assumed a more cheerful air’
‘science of words or letters’ - Communication and language
Theme of Prejudice – despite the fact that they are such a ‘perfect family’ they still reject the
creature. Shelley is making a comment about humans inherent prejudice against others.
Themes of Isolation, Family, Communication and the Self/Other
‘dared not’ – he’s learnt fear and what it feels like to be rejected ‘barbarous villagers’.
All of the family works equally, ‘love and respect’ – highlights the cruel abandonment of the
creature, ‘benevolent smiles’.
Creature is learning about empathy, doesn’t understand why they are unhappy, because he
has nothing and what they have seems like paradise to him. The creature devotes time to
learning – trying to enlighten himself unlike Victor who just wanted power.
Discovers that they are poor. Learning about hierarchy in society, ‘distressing degree’, ‘pangs
of hunger especially the two young cottagers’
‘I abstained’ – he has developed a moral conscience, learning about cause and effect. Finds
nuts from nature, not affecting anyone else. Learning to be selfless and altruistic unlike
Victor a bit like Alphonse.
‘I observed with pleasure’ – gains happiness from others happiness, he is learning about the
domino/knock-on effect – acting like a scientist in his learning, but unlike Victor he is doing it
to have a positive effect of the world.
‘articulate sounds’ – language ‘pleasure or ‘God-like science’ – the creature acknowledged
Gods place in the world.
John Locke ‘God furnished man with language which was to be the great instrument and
common tie of society’, Language = Power. Language is at the heart of social culture. God
designed humans to be a sociable creature like Adam and Eve
‘ardently’ – The creature and Victor are doubles in their passion and ambition and eagerness
to learn. Creature struggles because he wasn’t fashioned by God, which is why he struggles
to study language and language is a social study. Children learn language from their parents,
and the creature is missing both a mother and his ‘paternal’ figure.
Shelley is making a comment about society – how we shouldn’t judge others.
Creature is perseverant – so happy to be able to learn the language. Learned from being
close to the family sphere, Shelley is making a comment that we learn best with family.
‘possessed a method of communicating’
‘few human beings beside them’ - ‘harsh manners and rude gait’ – learning that if you are at
a disadvantage like poverty then people are rude to you, learning about prejudice and
inequality in society.
‘encourage his children, he would talk in a cheerful accent’ – the man endeavours to make
his children happier.
‘I improved, however in this science...whole mind’ ‘master of their language’
‘knowledge may might enable me to make them overlook the deformity of my figure’ – he’s
learnt that he is ugly and knows that the fact that he doesn’t look like other people (conform
to human/societies beauty standards) leaves him at a disadvantage and men will be cruel to
him because of it..
