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Theme of Relationships Comparison essay Frankenstein & The Handmaid's Tale
Theme of Relationships Comparison Essay Frankenstein & The Handmaid's Tale AO1, AO2 & AO3
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Alhena KasemRelationships can be described as the way in which two or more people or things are connected or
the way in which the way in which two or more people or groups regard and behave towards each
other. Relations can be bourn of friendship, kinship or friendship but they can also be based on
negative emotions such as hatred and resentment. Within the navels ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ by
Margaret Atwood written in 1985 and ‘Frankenstein by Mary Shelley written in !!! there are many
different characters who all have varying types of relationships with each other. Romantic
relationships can be seen through the relationships between Offred and Luke (as well as Offred and
the Commander in some ways) and Victor Frankenstein and Elizabeth respectively, just as
friendships can be seen through the bonds between the characters Offred and Moira in ‘A
Handmaid’s Tale’ and Frankenstein and Clerval in ‘Frankenstein. Negative relationships can be seen
through Offred’s interaction with the characters Serena Joy and Janine reflected in ‘Frankenstein’
through the relationship between Frankenstein and the creature. As such, the many relationships
within each novel all symbolise and represent different notions and provide different messages to
the reader depending on the type of relationship.
In both ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and ‘Frankenstein’ romantic relationships are presented as barren and
condemned. This is seen in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ through the protagonist Offred’s relationship with
her husband Luke from her memories before her entry into Gilead a theocratic extremist regime
which turned Offred into a handmaid as Rachel did in the Bible in order to obtain children. Offred’s
relationship with Luke is in many ways defined by the fact he was unfaithful to his first wife with her,
not only does this present Luke’s relationship with his past wife as condemned due to the actions of
Offred but it also paints a negative light on Offred and Luke’s relationship: ‘She disapproved of
Luke…of the fact that he was married. She said I was poaching, on another woman's ground’. The
verb ‘poaching’ implies that Offred is a thief and a criminal of sorts, making her guilty of ruining
someone else’s relationship for her own gain. The noun phrase ‘woman’s ground’ also presents the
theme of woman vs woman which is present throughout the novel due to Gilead eradicating the
feeling of trust and love, women in the novel have little feelings of sisterhood and companionship
between them and as such the relationships between women in the novel are for the most part
negative ones. The nature of Offred and Luke’s relationship is the reason why Offred is targeted and
turned into a Handmaid instead of being labelled as an econowife – because in the eyes of Gilead
infidelity and remarriage is a sin, this coupled with the fact that they have been separated with
Offred no knowing if he is even alive presents their relationship as condemned. Similarly, Victor
Frankenstein’s relationship with Elizabeth is presented as condemned due to Victor’s toxic
masculinity and ambition. It is clear from the very begging of the navel that to Victor Elizabeth is a
possession, simply an object which he owns and can thus do what he pleases with: ‘looked upon
Elizabeth as mine…as made to a possession of my own…since till death she was to be mine only’. The
possessive pronoun ‘mine’ shows that Victor sees Elizabeth as not someone to love and cherish
rather an object which he owns, this also seen through the noun ‘possession’. This in itself presents
romantic relationships as condemned but is further evidenced by the fact that Elizabeth is murdered
by Victor’s very own creation due to the relationship between them: ‘The murderous mark of the
fiend’s grasp was on her neck, and the breath had ceased to issue from her lips’. Elizabeth’s death at
the hands of a being which Victor created due to his deadly ambition and pride is symbolic, and
represents the fact that their relationship was doomed from the very beginning due to Victors
attitude towards women and the world – that he could usurp the positions of women, nature and
God. This is evidence to refute Godwin’s theory that if left alone men will make all the right choices
for the good of mankind. In both novels romantic relationships end in misery and suffering due to
the actions of the very people in said relationships.
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