Frankenstein's monster (Literature)

Frankenstein's Monster (Often mistakenly referred to as Frankenstein) is an artificially constructed humanoid from the classic literary novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818) written by Mary Shelley.

History
The Frankenstein's Monster was created on a rainy November night in the late eighteenth century Ingolstadt, Germany, by the medical student Victor Frankenstein. Frankenstein is so horrified by his creation that he flees the house, leaving the Monster to his own devices. The Monster takes a jacket to clothe himself, and eventually wanders off into the wild. He spends a lengthy period of time learning to survive. Any humans he comes across are so frightened by his appearance that they run from him, just as Frankenstein had done.

The Monster eventually takes up abode in a small hovel that abuts a cottage. He listens to the inhabitants, the De Lacey family, through a chink in the wall and learns to speak and read from their example. His first reading materials are several books that he finds in a castoff suitcase, including the works of Milton, Plutarch, and Goethe. The Monster also reads a series of papers he found in his jacket, which turn out to be Frankenstein’s notes.

Through these he discovers his origins, and learns that Frankenstein lives in Geneva, Switzerland. The Monster grows to love the De Laceys during his time as their "neighbor", and decides to reveal himself to the blind father while his grown children are out. However, the children return and discover him with their father, and drive him from the house. Enraged at how the whole of humanity has treated him, the Monster sets fire to the cottage, and swears revenge on Frankenstein for bringing him into a world that hates him.

Traveling to Geneva, he meeting a young boy whom he tries to befriend. The boy, who is Frankenstein's brother William, shrieks that he will send his father, Judge Frankenstein, after him. Upon learning that the boy is a Frankenstein, the Monster strangles him to death and takes a wallet, which contains a portrait of Frankenstein's mother. The Monster moves on and finds a young woman, who is asleep in a barn. On an evil impulse, the Monster places the locket in her pocket. It is only after the police arrest her for William's murder that the Monster realizes that she is Justine Moritz, the Frankensteins' servant. Justine is blamed for William's death and hanged for murder.

In order to collect his thoughts, Frankenstein ascends into the Alps. The Monster confronts him there and pressures him into creating a female creature so he can have a mate; he promises that if he is given this, he will disappear and never trouble humanity again. Frankenstein agrees, and travels to Scotland, where he begins the process of creating a female. The Monster follows him and watches with eager anticipation. At last minute, however, Frankenstein decides not to go through with it, and destroys the creature. The enraged Monster swears to Frankenstein that he will be with him on his wedding night. True to his word, the Monster kills Frankenstein's new bride, Elizabeth LaVenza, as well as his best friend, Henry Clerval; he is also indirectly responsible the death of Frankenstein's father, who dies of grief after Elizabeth's body is found.

Now with nothing to live for, Frankenstein swears vengeance and pursues the Monster to the Arctic, where he falls into the freezing waters and is picked up by a ship heading for the North Pole. Frankenstein tells his story to the expedition's leader, then dies of pneumonia. The Monster shows up not long after to gloat over Frankenstein's body, but upon seeing his creator dead is overcome with remorse. He announces that he will reach the Pole and destroy himself on a funeral pyre. He jumps from the ship, and disappears into the distance.

Description
In the novel, Shelley describes Frankenstein's monster as an 8-foot-tall, hideously deformed/disfigured humanoid, with translucent yellowish skin pulled so taut over the body that it "barely disguised the workings of the arteries and muscles underneath"; watery, glowing eyes, flowing black hair, black lips, and prominent white teeth. A picture of the creature appeared in the 1831 edition of the novel.

Personality
In the novel, Frankenstein's Monster is shown to be a sensitive, and emotional creature plagued by an incredible lonliness due to it being shunned by everyone who encounters him. He longs to be loved by those around him and his yearns for companionship by someone similar to himself. He is also shown to be sentient, articulate, literate; skills that he learned from his stay at the De Laceys. After being chased off by the family when he finally decides to reveal himself to them, he's overcome with dispair, and rage; swearing vengance on his creator for making him so hideous as to cause him to be shunned by everyone he encounters. During this event, he finally manages to view his own reflection, which causes him more anguish and self-loathing as he realized that he himself cannot stand his own appearance. The Monster is shown to be capable of being equally ruthless and violent, at one point murdering a young boy after realizing that his creator was the youth's father as a way of showing his creator what it was like to suffer and framing the family's much loved maid for the crime. Upon the death of his creator, he is fill with grief and remorse for his actions; loosing the one person whom he saught to be loved and accepted by. At this point he resolves to commit suicide upon a funeral pyre.