Examples Of Gothic Doubles In Frankenstein

Gothic doubles are common in Gothic genres and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is a good example of it. A doppelgänger, which is a double of a living person, is typically known to be the evil side of a character and is an important theme in the gothic genre. One of the doppelgangers in Frankenstein is the Monster being a doppelgänger to Victor Frankenstein. Since the monster is seen doing crimes towards humanity, especially Victor Frankenstein’s family, it is an act that can be seen as important as some critics have noted that the monster is Frankenstein’s “other self”. Also the Monster who unlike Frankenstein did not receive a happy childhood as he is rejected from the moment he is born and take on evil characteristics. If the Monster is considered …show more content…
Frankenstein’s rejection of the Monster at his birth is considered to be an act of irresponsibility, particularly by modern societies who through psychological studies understand the necessity of supportive parents during a child’s upbringing. Despite having the appearance of a grown man and being able to adapt to environments and learn quickly, the monster is still naturally childlike and would need Frankenstein, as his ‘parent’ to nurture him. This rejection is furthered as Frankenstein rejects the Monster’s request for a mate “Shall I create another like yourself, whose joint wickedness might desolate the world.” Although it could be argued, that by Frankenstein refusing to do what the monster tells him and he is just trying to prevent the progression of the Monster’s “innate” evilness, Frankenstein is mostly to blame about the monster’s evil nature. This rejection occurs straight after the Monster’s own narrative which may have led the reader to empathize with the Monster and begin to see Frankenstein as being incredibly evil when compared with the Monster, despite the Monster admitting to murdering William. It is Frankenstein’s rejection of the Monster that causes the monster to act this way. While both appear to be evil, the Monster cannot be seen as a representation of Frankenstein’s evil side, as Frankenstein is considered to be inherently evil and irresponsible as a parent while the Monster is not inherently evil and only acts this way because of Victor Frankenstein’s irresponsibility. It may also be argued that it is during when Victor Frankenstein goes from being the creator to a slave and the monster becoming the master shows the representation of good and evil are switched. In the beginning of the novel, Frankenstein appears evil because of him playing God and rejection of the Monster, the Monster appears to be seemingly good as he finds and