Literature Discussion - Frankenstein

I just read Frankenstein, the old book written by Mary Shelley. The edition where the doctor marries his cousin because they are European. I was surprised in how different the monster was in the source material than every other interpretation. He was yellow, didn't have bolts in his neck and didn't die in a fire in a windmill. There are a few points that I would like to discuss about the novel that might fix a few misconceptions.

He looks like this, except without a mangina.

The Monster's Name

You alway hear it. Frankenstein is the name of the doctor that created the monster, not the monster himself. What is the monster's name then? In the book he makes connections between himself and the son of God, Adam. If I compare myself to Clark Kent that doesn't make me Superman. So his name isn't Adam but I can see where the creators of I, Frankenstein were coming from. Throughout the novel the monster laments that he was never given a name, yet he knows who his creator is. I like to think that he inherits his name from his father, like Victor did from his father. The monster does not have a first name, but his last name, through inheritance from his father, would be Frankenstein. A lot of people have a problem with this, even people who have read the book, but screw it. Frankenstein is as good a name for a monster as any.

Who Actually is the Monster?

The monster is. Victor Frankenstein creates the monster in body, but does not create the monster in mind. The monster is shown as kind in it's origin but then goes around killing people. Victor Frankenstein, at most, comes to the role as a neglectful father, not a monster. Having a neglectful father does not justify going on a killing spree. The monster threatens his creator to create a mate for him so that he isn't lonely. Victor says he will but chooses not to when he realises he could be potentially be creating another monster to go around killing more people. 

Some may argue Alice Cooper is the real monster.

Frankenstein is deluded with Grandiose Ambitions

Victor believes that he, and he alone can overcome the barriers between life and death. That may seem delusional, but it was a goal for Victor. And he achieved it. The advances in medicine and technology could revolutionise how humans live. He very well may have had the best of intentions but was overcome with grief and fear. If he was truly selfish in his motives he still could have made millions of gold bricks (the currency of the 1800's if I understand correctly) off of his findings. Instead he realised he didn't want to create monsters. Victor Frankenstein is selfish, and a coward, and an idiot. If he were deluded with Grandiose Ambitions, it would probably help him out in the long run. He could afford his own security, he could buy a crossbow and shoot his monster in the head, he could treat his family to their own castles and he would benefit science for the entire race.

---

Disagree? Good, let me know why in the comments. Or follow me on Twitter