C
This paper I wrote will explain how lookism affects individuals
Introduction
Mary Shelly is one of the greatest writers of all time. She was born in 1797. Her mother shortly died after giving childbirth. As a result, Mary Shelly grew up alone with just the care of her father. As she grew up, she led an intellectual life. She always was interested in intellectual ideas, objects and even people. The leading intellectuals of her time oftentimes visiting her house and where she lived ultimately shaping the way she would act talk and think. Eventually while on a date with her boyfriend Shelly came up with the idea of a book called Frankenstein. This book eventually became to be one of the greatest novels ever written. It was written in 1818 during the Romantic period. The book is about a scientist and intellectual named Dr. Frankenstein who eventually through his own efforts learns how to effectively reanimate dead human beings. Of course, the process of reanimation comes at a cost which Dr. Frankenstein later fears. The book centers around the interaction between Dr. Frankenstein and his subjectively hideous, reanimated human-like creature. The creature begs Dr. Frankenstein to make another creature for him to be with since he is so lonely ; however, Dr. Frankenstein denies his request simply because he is ugly and this ultimately this is how the novel goes. In my paper I am writing about the about this topic because the creature is only so miserable because he is so ugly. His appearance is so grotesque that he frightens everyone that comes around him and he simply cannot make friends even though he has superhuman abilities. This is wrong to judge someone based just on their appearance thus Mary Shelly’s novel is something that brings awareness to this idea. Therefore, it can be argued that the grotesque appearance of the creature is pivotal in the novel and through this portrayal, Shelley illustrates how one's destiny can be influenced by others' negative perceptions based solely on physical appearance.
Mary Shelley describes the creature's grotesque appearance early in the novel, leading readers to form a bias against it. For instance, Shelly writes, “I behind the wretch- The miserable monster whom I had created… his eyes, if eyes they may be called were fixed on me…the approach of the demoniacal corpse to which I have miserably given life…no mortal could support the horror of that countenance” (59). [1]Dr. Frankenstein has just created his creature after months of labor. Soon afterwards, he begins to judge the creature’s merit simply based upon appearance. Readers are made aware of this when Shelly writes, “I beheld the wretch.” Wretch immediately makes people think that not only does the creature look bad but that the creature’s health is in poor condition. This is further from the case, the creature has near enhanced superhuman durability and features which the novel later highlights. In addition, when Shelly writes, “his eyes.. if eyes they may be called,” this shows that Frankenstein thinks that the creature’s eyes are so miserably far from human eyes and that they are so ugly that they do not even deserve to be called eyes. Hence, readers develop an appearance bias against the creature. Readers are persuaded to believe that the creature appears dreadful, relying on Frankenstein's description without the opportunity to observe the creature directly. Again, the creature is described in such a way that readers are influenced to think negatively of him. For example, when Shelly uses the term "demoniacal corpse," it prompts readers to perceive the monster as possessing an inherently malevolent and lifeless nature.
Mary Shelly paints a picture for readers to see the horrors of the creature early on even though this is subjective and through the lens of her character Frankenstein. Other literary scholars’ comment on this idea about how Shelly does this. For instance, Bohl’s writes, “the very concept of monsterhood. Frankenstein's creature, like the Yahoos, evokes descriptions of alien… races as well as images of women. Shelley poses this challenge in the context of the discourse that, using the language of aesthetics, associates value with appearances and discriminates between the beautiful and the disgusting” (1). [2]This means that Shelly uses her narrative description of the creature to separate the beautiful from the ugly. She shows readers that there is a clear difference between what looks good and what does not. The creature demonstrates this distinction through its various interactions with Dr. Frankenstein. What this does is further help cement the idea that the creature is simply of no value just because of the subjectively hideous description. For instance, when Bohl writes, “Frankensteins creature evokes descriptions of alien…races”, (1), what this does is make reeaders understand that Frankensteins creature is the other. He is simply different. Rather or not the creature is or not the creature itself is immediately understood to be different thus readers can understand that this is bad.
Shelly again makes readers associate the creature’s hideousness with mental, psychological, and emotional flaws thus again subjectively providing readers with a lens to view the creature that lowers the creature’s inherent value. For instance, Shelly writes, “The shape came nearer…sight tremendous and abhorred it was the wretch who I had created… its unearthly ugliness rendered it almost too horrible for human eyes” (102). Readers perceive that Dr. Frankenstein believes that the monster is so ugly that he is not even to be compared to that of humans. Thus, Reader is made to believe that the creature is beneath humans just because of his looks. For instance, when Shelly writes, “abhorred” this expresses the characters feelings towards the monster. However, this “abhorred” is at a cost. This is because again Dr. Frankenstein feels fear simply because of the creature’s appearance, however this is only associated with the idea of the monster’s appearance. This idea is reinforced as the passage continues. For instance, when Shelly writes, its unearthly ugliness,” this automatically makes readers associate the creature with something that is monster like drawing a distinct line between what is beautiful and what is not. Thus, discourse surrounding idea of beauty is mentioned while simultaneously lowering the creature’s value because of how far the creature is as perceived to it.
Moreover, this same idea again simply lowers the creature’s inherent value simply because of its poor appearance. Again, when Shelly writes, “Ugliness rendered it almost too horrible for human eyes”, readers are made to believe that the monster is beneath humans’ hierarchal status simply because of appearance. Readers begins to psychologically do a reverse halo effect where they associate ugliness with ungodliness and evilness. Usually psychologically, a halo effect is something that humans do when they unconsciously begin to associate a good appearance with godliness and neatness. The creature is seen as pure evil, despite only seeking revenge for perceived wrongs. The reverse halo effect is simply the outcome of this passage. Scholars comment on this. For instance, a Poorghorban writes,” Many scholars criticize Frankenstein’s creation as an unequivocal failure, attributing a tragic outcome to both the creator and his monstrous invention. The challenge arises when scholars approach Mary Shelley’s narrative through humanitarian perspectives, equating the life of Frankenstein’s monster to that of humans”(1). What this means is that through comparison reader s automatically begin to associate the creature’s looks and appearance and traits with that of humans. Once the comparison with humans begins the creature stands no chance in the average reader’s mind. The creatures value is lowered because of its ugliness.
Again, the explanatory discourse that scholars write makes such a way for the predominate principles of the creature’s appearance to work in the average readers mind that it easily blooms into a flower and readers can easily judge the monster logically placing the creature below that of humans simply because of poor appearance. For instance, Poorghoban writes, “unequivocal failure”, this means that the creature is simply something that is not to be thought of as human. The monster's appearance is so horrifying that it seems incomplete. Existing authorities have already established that the monster should be thought of subjectively as the other. Again, when Poorghoban writes, “the problem Mary Shelley’s narrative through humanitarian perspectives, equating the life of Frankenstein’s monster to that of humans.” What this means is that readers begins to associate the creature with humans. The average mindset floats between two different states of mind. One perspective considers the creature as an independent entity, while another compares the creature to humans. This comparison and the way in which readers are prompted to think ultimately molest the discourse regarding how the creature should be considered. Ultimately the creature should be thought of as a creature who simply is perceived to have a poor appearance.
The creature’s dialogue serves a central role in exposing the biases that are taken against him simply because of appearance. While the creature describes the superficial advantages of having inhuman physical prowess, he scoffs at these facts and describes his many attacks of depression and exclusion from life and the society of his contemporaries simply because of his appearance. This dialogue helps emancipate readers from their unconscious biases ultimately bringing them to the truth. For instance, Shelly writes, All men hate the wretched; how then must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things… everywhere I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded… I was benevolent with love and humanity… but am I not alone miserably alone… you, my creator abhor me they spurn and hate me… shall I not hate them” (103). This dialogue serves as a powerful opposition against the cumulative bias and judgement that has taken place against the creature. While the creature satisfies his conscious by expressing himself, he exposes the subtleties of degradation and the negative peculiar atmosphere in which he lives. He lives in an environment in which all mankind seems to abhor and hate him simply because of his grotesque appearance.
The dialogue again exposes society’s fundamental conventions and biases against the creature, allowing Readers to see the truth and what utter sadness the creature is in. For instance, when Shelly writes, “all men hate the wretched”, this shows that the creature understands that society hates the poor and hates those in poor condition. This reveals the flaws caused by unconscious bias. Again, when Shelly writes, I “Everywhere I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded”, this shows that miserable state in which the creature is in. Society has somehow excluded the creature from everything simply because of appearance. The velvety darkness, dejection, and sadness in which the creature experiences is simply just moment for the creature to confide his sorrow to Frankenstein. There is no other outlet for the creature to go towards or any other solution than to confront Dr. Frankenstein, his creator about his issue. The problem lies with the fact that society has formed such a strong unconscious bias that only through dialogue in which the creature can defend himself will readers get a glimpse at the truth. The labyrinth of falsehood in which the creature attempts to escape is only something that is man made and something that he alone cannot break out of it. This is a problem that is beyond simply his own reasoning. It is a powerful man-made restraint.
The villainization of the creature combined with his perceived horrible appearance allows for readers to at times empathize with the creature even though through these narratives and dialogues this empathy is in a subordinate relationship to other lines of thought in which the creature is thought of as less than. This brings awareness to the psychological harm and low self esteem caused of poor appearance. For instance, researchers mention this, Cottom writes, “This physical monstrosity of Frankenstein’s creature is related to problems in the representation of man as a species, a social figure, an individual, a creature of reason, and a being in the context of science and political economy. Its as if Victor sees in his creation the breakdown of the concept into [something] irreconcilable (61). What this means is that the creature’s appearance somehow is a painful reminder to mankind and its inability to understand itself and the ugliness of life which appears in the mirror. This idea is amply verified when Conttom writes, “creature is related to problems”. What this means is that the problem of appearance and bitter truth about life is somehow hard for mankind to solve. Mankind has simply not been able to solve this problem. The problem of being other or different. And while this passage has many widely differing interpretations and while researchers furnish readers with an abundance of psychic material which is up for hyper-interpretations the creature himself does the job best for holding up that mirror to society and making them understand the truth about appearance and its effects upon the fate of individuals.
Shelly does this in the form of dialogue where the creature begins to narrate his existence and penetrates the depths of human life. If readers turn their mental eye towards the text, then there is a mass of evidence in this text that they can use in reader response theory. Even without this literary technique there are still obvious signs of discrimination and unconscious biases towards the creature and not to mention the discourse on society’s unreasonable disclination towards those who lack beauty and are ugly. What this does is bring awareness to the artificial restraints that humanity places upon its subjects. For instance, shelly writes, “I had admired their beauty [but] I was terrified when I viewed myself in a transparent pool…I became fully convinced I was in reality the monster that I am, I was filled with the bitterest sensations of despondence and mortification. Alas! I did not yet entire know the fatal effects of the miserable deformity” (117). The creature at this point tells readers a narrative about how he slowly began to realize how his life was over simply because of how ugly he was. His life was over simply because of how awful he looked and how people would shun him the minute they laid eyes on him. It did not matter or not he was helping people or not or rather or not he was of use to anyone. He was so ugly and deformed that there was nothing that he could do to satisfy people while being around them. When shelly writes, “I had admired their beauty but was terrified when I viewed myself”, it goes to show society’s influence on the creature and how their unconscious biases have sprung to life and began to affect the creature’s thinking. Humankind simply discriminates against him. His self-esteem has been demolished.
The discrimination and judgement of the creature continues, and the same chain of reasoning also continues so that readers can see even more of the artificial restraints that humanity places on the creature. Shelly beautifully illuminates this idea and allows for the discourse to continue the more the creature begins to analyze his condition. Shelly again illuminates society’s disinclination towards those who are not physically attractive and are ugly. For instance, when she writes, “I became fully convinced I was in reality the monster that I am”, this shows that the creature has now subconsciously been convinced by society to believe that he is ugly. However, through a neutral perspective again, this is completely a subjective matter that is one’s own belief. Similarly, Shelly writes, “I was filled with the bitterest sensations of despondence and mortification”, which suggests that the monster starts to feel negatively about himself due to his appearance. Humankind has served this creature an apparent injustice simply because of appearance. It is unfair to exclude anyone from society solely based on their appearance or non-human nature. What this does is place one subject above the other and as a result it lowers the other one beneath it. This is problematic because there are no established guidelines on acceptable appearance.
Scholars have noted how the novel illuminates the negative effects of the creature’s poor appearance thus creating lookism discourse. The creature interacts with society and the results are always the same. He faces neglect and unfair treatment. He never gets the positive recognition that he deserves because of his superhuman strength and speed yet people reject him because of his perceived ugliness. For instance, Bernatchez, “writes, Frankenstein displays a deep interest in how individual subjectivity arises out of a negotiated relationship with a broader social world. This interest is manifest in the creature’s physical construction” (1). This means that through movement in the novel the creature creates discourse of simple logical construction. Whenever the creature attempts to step out and get sympathy or whenever the creature attempts to communicate with other beings who simply exist, he is shunned away and ultimately rejected because of his looks. What does this illuminate issues about the broader world in which Shelly lived and in which readers live.
The psychological harm that the creature endures because of his perceived poor appearance brings awareness to how when one is rejected their can arise painful emotions that reflect a bitter truth about humanity; thus ultimately again creating a powerful discourse for readers to understand their own condition in the world and others. For instance, Shelly writes, “But where were my friends and relations? No father had watched my infant days; no mother blessed me with smiles… I had never yet seen a being resembling me. or who claimed any intercourse with me… what was i.. the question again recurred to be answered only with groans”. (124). This shows that the creature was always alone and had a miserable life. And while this is because of his appearance this shows how superficial the world can be towards those who simply look different. The world turns it back on those who are ugly and who look different simply because of how they measure up against the beautiful. The creature at this point in the novel comes to terms with how the world works and through this dialogue readers are invited on a sympathetic journey to utterly understand what it feels like to be inhumanely ugly and disgusting. What this does is highlight the privileges of beauty and bring awareness to the beauty standard that existed back then and which exist now. This is a powerful discourse which reminds readers of the constraints of their own reality while at the same time helping them understand another person’s or creature’s plight.
Conclusion
In my paper I have described many passages where the creature is simply treated unfairly because of his subjectively hideous appearance. This narrative idea that shelly creates through interactions ultimately bring awareness to the ways in which society also unconsciously form appearance biases on people. This novel perfectly holds a mirror up to society and illuminates powerful ideas about self-esteem, nature, beauty standards and value. This is important because it is simply unacceptable and unfair to treat someone based on their appearance. The creature throughout the novel is judged not from a place of intellect or reasoning but simply because of his poor appearance. Early in the novel when the creature is simply asking a question he is judged. Later in the novel when the creature is finally destitute simply because of his looks and the amount of rejection he received.
Bohls, Elizabeth, “Standards of Taste, Discourses of Race, and the aesthetic education of a monster: Critique of Empire in Frankenstein” Bohls, "Standards of Taste"
Poorghorban, Yand A Taghizadeh. “The Monstrosity of Knowledge: Mary Shelley’s Symbolic Encounter with The Enlightenment and Industrialization in Frankenstein”. Anglo Saxonica, vol. 22, no. 1, 2024, p. 9, doi:10.5334/as.144.
Cottom, Daniel. “Frankenstein and the Monster of Representation.” SubStance, vol. 9, no. 3, 1980, pp. 60–71. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3683905. Accessed 8 May 2025.
Bernatchez, Josh. “Monstrosity, Suffering, Subjectivity, and Sympathetic Community in Frankenstein and ‘The Structure of Torture.’” Science Fiction Studies, vol. 36, no. 2, 2009, pp. 205–16. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40649956. Accessed 8 May 2025.
Baldick, Chris, In Frankensten’s Shadow: Myth, Monstrosity, and Nineteenth- Century Writing (Oxford: Clarendon Press 1987
Shelly, Mary, Frankenstein. Penguin Classics, 1818.
[1] Shelly, Mary, Frankenstein Pg-59
[2] Bohls, Elizabeth, “Standards of Taste, Discourses of Race, and the aesthetic education of a monster: Critique of Empire in Frankenstein” Bohls, "Standards of Taste Paragraph 5
Introduction
Mary Shelly is one of the greatest writers of all time. She was born in 1797. Her mother shortly died after giving childbirth. As a result, Mary Shelly grew up alone with just the care of her father. As she grew up, she led an intellectual life. She always was interested in intellectual ideas, objects and even people. The leading intellectuals of her time oftentimes visiting her house and where she lived ultimately shaping the way she would act talk and think. Eventually while on a date with her boyfriend Shelly came up with the idea of a book called Frankenstein. This book eventually became to be one of the greatest novels ever written. It was written in 1818 during the Romantic period. The book is about a scientist and intellectual named Dr. Frankenstein who eventually through his own efforts learns how to effectively reanimate dead human beings. Of course, the process of reanimation comes at a cost which Dr. Frankenstein later fears. The book centers around the interaction between Dr. Frankenstein and his subjectively hideous, reanimated human-like creature. The creature begs Dr. Frankenstein to make another creature for him to be with since he is so lonely ; however, Dr. Frankenstein denies his request simply because he is ugly and this ultimately this is how the novel goes. In my paper I am writing about the about this topic because the creature is only so miserable because he is so ugly. His appearance is so grotesque that he frightens everyone that comes around him and he simply cannot make friends even though he has superhuman abilities. This is wrong to judge someone based just on their appearance thus Mary Shelly’s novel is something that brings awareness to this idea. Therefore, it can be argued that the grotesque appearance of the creature is pivotal in the novel and through this portrayal, Shelley illustrates how one's destiny can be influenced by others' negative perceptions based solely on physical appearance.
Mary Shelley describes the creature's grotesque appearance early in the novel, leading readers to form a bias against it. For instance, Shelly writes, “I behind the wretch- The miserable monster whom I had created… his eyes, if eyes they may be called were fixed on me…the approach of the demoniacal corpse to which I have miserably given life…no mortal could support the horror of that countenance” (59). [1]Dr. Frankenstein has just created his creature after months of labor. Soon afterwards, he begins to judge the creature’s merit simply based upon appearance. Readers are made aware of this when Shelly writes, “I beheld the wretch.” Wretch immediately makes people think that not only does the creature look bad but that the creature’s health is in poor condition. This is further from the case, the creature has near enhanced superhuman durability and features which the novel later highlights. In addition, when Shelly writes, “his eyes.. if eyes they may be called,” this shows that Frankenstein thinks that the creature’s eyes are so miserably far from human eyes and that they are so ugly that they do not even deserve to be called eyes. Hence, readers develop an appearance bias against the creature. Readers are persuaded to believe that the creature appears dreadful, relying on Frankenstein's description without the opportunity to observe the creature directly. Again, the creature is described in such a way that readers are influenced to think negatively of him. For example, when Shelly uses the term "demoniacal corpse," it prompts readers to perceive the monster as possessing an inherently malevolent and lifeless nature.
Mary Shelly paints a picture for readers to see the horrors of the creature early on even though this is subjective and through the lens of her character Frankenstein. Other literary scholars’ comment on this idea about how Shelly does this. For instance, Bohl’s writes, “the very concept of monsterhood. Frankenstein's creature, like the Yahoos, evokes descriptions of alien… races as well as images of women. Shelley poses this challenge in the context of the discourse that, using the language of aesthetics, associates value with appearances and discriminates between the beautiful and the disgusting” (1). [2]This means that Shelly uses her narrative description of the creature to separate the beautiful from the ugly. She shows readers that there is a clear difference between what looks good and what does not. The creature demonstrates this distinction through its various interactions with Dr. Frankenstein. What this does is further help cement the idea that the creature is simply of no value just because of the subjectively hideous description. For instance, when Bohl writes, “Frankensteins creature evokes descriptions of alien…races”, (1), what this does is make reeaders understand that Frankensteins creature is the other. He is simply different. Rather or not the creature is or not the creature itself is immediately understood to be different thus readers can understand that this is bad.
Shelly again makes readers associate the creature’s hideousness with mental, psychological, and emotional flaws thus again subjectively providing readers with a lens to view the creature that lowers the creature’s inherent value. For instance, Shelly writes, “The shape came nearer…sight tremendous and abhorred it was the wretch who I had created… its unearthly ugliness rendered it almost too horrible for human eyes” (102). Readers perceive that Dr. Frankenstein believes that the monster is so ugly that he is not even to be compared to that of humans. Thus, Reader is made to believe that the creature is beneath humans just because of his looks. For instance, when Shelly writes, “abhorred” this expresses the characters feelings towards the monster. However, this “abhorred” is at a cost. This is because again Dr. Frankenstein feels fear simply because of the creature’s appearance, however this is only associated with the idea of the monster’s appearance. This idea is reinforced as the passage continues. For instance, when Shelly writes, its unearthly ugliness,” this automatically makes readers associate the creature with something that is monster like drawing a distinct line between what is beautiful and what is not. Thus, discourse surrounding idea of beauty is mentioned while simultaneously lowering the creature’s value because of how far the creature is as perceived to it.
Moreover, this same idea again simply lowers the creature’s inherent value simply because of its poor appearance. Again, when Shelly writes, “Ugliness rendered it almost too horrible for human eyes”, readers are made to believe that the monster is beneath humans’ hierarchal status simply because of appearance. Readers begins to psychologically do a reverse halo effect where they associate ugliness with ungodliness and evilness. Usually psychologically, a halo effect is something that humans do when they unconsciously begin to associate a good appearance with godliness and neatness. The creature is seen as pure evil, despite only seeking revenge for perceived wrongs. The reverse halo effect is simply the outcome of this passage. Scholars comment on this. For instance, a Poorghorban writes,” Many scholars criticize Frankenstein’s creation as an unequivocal failure, attributing a tragic outcome to both the creator and his monstrous invention. The challenge arises when scholars approach Mary Shelley’s narrative through humanitarian perspectives, equating the life of Frankenstein’s monster to that of humans”(1). What this means is that through comparison reader s automatically begin to associate the creature’s looks and appearance and traits with that of humans. Once the comparison with humans begins the creature stands no chance in the average reader’s mind. The creatures value is lowered because of its ugliness.
Again, the explanatory discourse that scholars write makes such a way for the predominate principles of the creature’s appearance to work in the average readers mind that it easily blooms into a flower and readers can easily judge the monster logically placing the creature below that of humans simply because of poor appearance. For instance, Poorghoban writes, “unequivocal failure”, this means that the creature is simply something that is not to be thought of as human. The monster's appearance is so horrifying that it seems incomplete. Existing authorities have already established that the monster should be thought of subjectively as the other. Again, when Poorghoban writes, “the problem Mary Shelley’s narrative through humanitarian perspectives, equating the life of Frankenstein’s monster to that of humans.” What this means is that readers begins to associate the creature with humans. The average mindset floats between two different states of mind. One perspective considers the creature as an independent entity, while another compares the creature to humans. This comparison and the way in which readers are prompted to think ultimately molest the discourse regarding how the creature should be considered. Ultimately the creature should be thought of as a creature who simply is perceived to have a poor appearance.
The creature’s dialogue serves a central role in exposing the biases that are taken against him simply because of appearance. While the creature describes the superficial advantages of having inhuman physical prowess, he scoffs at these facts and describes his many attacks of depression and exclusion from life and the society of his contemporaries simply because of his appearance. This dialogue helps emancipate readers from their unconscious biases ultimately bringing them to the truth. For instance, Shelly writes, All men hate the wretched; how then must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things… everywhere I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded… I was benevolent with love and humanity… but am I not alone miserably alone… you, my creator abhor me they spurn and hate me… shall I not hate them” (103). This dialogue serves as a powerful opposition against the cumulative bias and judgement that has taken place against the creature. While the creature satisfies his conscious by expressing himself, he exposes the subtleties of degradation and the negative peculiar atmosphere in which he lives. He lives in an environment in which all mankind seems to abhor and hate him simply because of his grotesque appearance.
The dialogue again exposes society’s fundamental conventions and biases against the creature, allowing Readers to see the truth and what utter sadness the creature is in. For instance, when Shelly writes, “all men hate the wretched”, this shows that the creature understands that society hates the poor and hates those in poor condition. This reveals the flaws caused by unconscious bias. Again, when Shelly writes, I “Everywhere I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded”, this shows that miserable state in which the creature is in. Society has somehow excluded the creature from everything simply because of appearance. The velvety darkness, dejection, and sadness in which the creature experiences is simply just moment for the creature to confide his sorrow to Frankenstein. There is no other outlet for the creature to go towards or any other solution than to confront Dr. Frankenstein, his creator about his issue. The problem lies with the fact that society has formed such a strong unconscious bias that only through dialogue in which the creature can defend himself will readers get a glimpse at the truth. The labyrinth of falsehood in which the creature attempts to escape is only something that is man made and something that he alone cannot break out of it. This is a problem that is beyond simply his own reasoning. It is a powerful man-made restraint.
The villainization of the creature combined with his perceived horrible appearance allows for readers to at times empathize with the creature even though through these narratives and dialogues this empathy is in a subordinate relationship to other lines of thought in which the creature is thought of as less than. This brings awareness to the psychological harm and low self esteem caused of poor appearance. For instance, researchers mention this, Cottom writes, “This physical monstrosity of Frankenstein’s creature is related to problems in the representation of man as a species, a social figure, an individual, a creature of reason, and a being in the context of science and political economy. Its as if Victor sees in his creation the breakdown of the concept into [something] irreconcilable (61). What this means is that the creature’s appearance somehow is a painful reminder to mankind and its inability to understand itself and the ugliness of life which appears in the mirror. This idea is amply verified when Conttom writes, “creature is related to problems”. What this means is that the problem of appearance and bitter truth about life is somehow hard for mankind to solve. Mankind has simply not been able to solve this problem. The problem of being other or different. And while this passage has many widely differing interpretations and while researchers furnish readers with an abundance of psychic material which is up for hyper-interpretations the creature himself does the job best for holding up that mirror to society and making them understand the truth about appearance and its effects upon the fate of individuals.
Shelly does this in the form of dialogue where the creature begins to narrate his existence and penetrates the depths of human life. If readers turn their mental eye towards the text, then there is a mass of evidence in this text that they can use in reader response theory. Even without this literary technique there are still obvious signs of discrimination and unconscious biases towards the creature and not to mention the discourse on society’s unreasonable disclination towards those who lack beauty and are ugly. What this does is bring awareness to the artificial restraints that humanity places upon its subjects. For instance, shelly writes, “I had admired their beauty [but] I was terrified when I viewed myself in a transparent pool…I became fully convinced I was in reality the monster that I am, I was filled with the bitterest sensations of despondence and mortification. Alas! I did not yet entire know the fatal effects of the miserable deformity” (117). The creature at this point tells readers a narrative about how he slowly began to realize how his life was over simply because of how ugly he was. His life was over simply because of how awful he looked and how people would shun him the minute they laid eyes on him. It did not matter or not he was helping people or not or rather or not he was of use to anyone. He was so ugly and deformed that there was nothing that he could do to satisfy people while being around them. When shelly writes, “I had admired their beauty but was terrified when I viewed myself”, it goes to show society’s influence on the creature and how their unconscious biases have sprung to life and began to affect the creature’s thinking. Humankind simply discriminates against him. His self-esteem has been demolished.
The discrimination and judgement of the creature continues, and the same chain of reasoning also continues so that readers can see even more of the artificial restraints that humanity places on the creature. Shelly beautifully illuminates this idea and allows for the discourse to continue the more the creature begins to analyze his condition. Shelly again illuminates society’s disinclination towards those who are not physically attractive and are ugly. For instance, when she writes, “I became fully convinced I was in reality the monster that I am”, this shows that the creature has now subconsciously been convinced by society to believe that he is ugly. However, through a neutral perspective again, this is completely a subjective matter that is one’s own belief. Similarly, Shelly writes, “I was filled with the bitterest sensations of despondence and mortification”, which suggests that the monster starts to feel negatively about himself due to his appearance. Humankind has served this creature an apparent injustice simply because of appearance. It is unfair to exclude anyone from society solely based on their appearance or non-human nature. What this does is place one subject above the other and as a result it lowers the other one beneath it. This is problematic because there are no established guidelines on acceptable appearance.
Scholars have noted how the novel illuminates the negative effects of the creature’s poor appearance thus creating lookism discourse. The creature interacts with society and the results are always the same. He faces neglect and unfair treatment. He never gets the positive recognition that he deserves because of his superhuman strength and speed yet people reject him because of his perceived ugliness. For instance, Bernatchez, “writes, Frankenstein displays a deep interest in how individual subjectivity arises out of a negotiated relationship with a broader social world. This interest is manifest in the creature’s physical construction” (1). This means that through movement in the novel the creature creates discourse of simple logical construction. Whenever the creature attempts to step out and get sympathy or whenever the creature attempts to communicate with other beings who simply exist, he is shunned away and ultimately rejected because of his looks. What does this illuminate issues about the broader world in which Shelly lived and in which readers live.
The psychological harm that the creature endures because of his perceived poor appearance brings awareness to how when one is rejected their can arise painful emotions that reflect a bitter truth about humanity; thus ultimately again creating a powerful discourse for readers to understand their own condition in the world and others. For instance, Shelly writes, “But where were my friends and relations? No father had watched my infant days; no mother blessed me with smiles… I had never yet seen a being resembling me. or who claimed any intercourse with me… what was i.. the question again recurred to be answered only with groans”. (124). This shows that the creature was always alone and had a miserable life. And while this is because of his appearance this shows how superficial the world can be towards those who simply look different. The world turns it back on those who are ugly and who look different simply because of how they measure up against the beautiful. The creature at this point in the novel comes to terms with how the world works and through this dialogue readers are invited on a sympathetic journey to utterly understand what it feels like to be inhumanely ugly and disgusting. What this does is highlight the privileges of beauty and bring awareness to the beauty standard that existed back then and which exist now. This is a powerful discourse which reminds readers of the constraints of their own reality while at the same time helping them understand another person’s or creature’s plight.
Conclusion
In my paper I have described many passages where the creature is simply treated unfairly because of his subjectively hideous appearance. This narrative idea that shelly creates through interactions ultimately bring awareness to the ways in which society also unconsciously form appearance biases on people. This novel perfectly holds a mirror up to society and illuminates powerful ideas about self-esteem, nature, beauty standards and value. This is important because it is simply unacceptable and unfair to treat someone based on their appearance. The creature throughout the novel is judged not from a place of intellect or reasoning but simply because of his poor appearance. Early in the novel when the creature is simply asking a question he is judged. Later in the novel when the creature is finally destitute simply because of his looks and the amount of rejection he received.
Works Cited
Bohls, Elizabeth, “Standards of Taste, Discourses of Race, and the aesthetic education of a monster: Critique of Empire in Frankenstein” Bohls, "Standards of Taste"
Poorghorban, Yand A Taghizadeh. “The Monstrosity of Knowledge: Mary Shelley’s Symbolic Encounter with The Enlightenment and Industrialization in Frankenstein”. Anglo Saxonica, vol. 22, no. 1, 2024, p. 9, doi:10.5334/as.144.
Cottom, Daniel. “Frankenstein and the Monster of Representation.” SubStance, vol. 9, no. 3, 1980, pp. 60–71. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3683905. Accessed 8 May 2025.
Bernatchez, Josh. “Monstrosity, Suffering, Subjectivity, and Sympathetic Community in Frankenstein and ‘The Structure of Torture.’” Science Fiction Studies, vol. 36, no. 2, 2009, pp. 205–16. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40649956. Accessed 8 May 2025.
Baldick, Chris, In Frankensten’s Shadow: Myth, Monstrosity, and Nineteenth- Century Writing (Oxford: Clarendon Press 1987
Shelly, Mary, Frankenstein. Penguin Classics, 1818.
[1] Shelly, Mary, Frankenstein Pg-59
[2] Bohls, Elizabeth, “Standards of Taste, Discourses of Race, and the aesthetic education of a monster: Critique of Empire in Frankenstein” Bohls, "Standards of Taste Paragraph 5
