Frankenstein: Who’s to blame?

The monster of Frankenstein is a favourite when Halloween season begins. Truly the hideous sight out the monster, which is composed of various dead body parts, assures screams and similar reactions from children to adults. Who would want to be in the same room with someone who is in a way “resurrected’ from the dead?

For some, it is a depiction of an experiment gone awry. For others, it signifies an abomination or something that does not deserve to live. It is nothing but a creation of man that had unforeseen and detrimental consequences. What people have not considered in this equation is, “who is the real monster in this situation”? Is it the monster that was accidentally brought to life and, finding the workings of his newly discovered world, brings more harm than good to others? Or is it Dr. Henry Frankenstein who did not consider any possible negative implication and just went on with conducting his experiment?

In this case, I chose the latter as the real monster in this movie despite his creation as the one possessing a horrific appearance. This is because being a monster is not determined by looks alone. Sometimes, it is seen by how we think and how we act regardless of what the consequences may be. I do not think that a botched experiment can be used as a justification for Dr. Frankenstein’s otherwise good intentions on bringing about scientific breakthroughs. In my opinion it is his playing god, the refusal to accept his limits as a man that made him the real monster in this situation. The creature, despite his unintentional murders of the other characters, had little to do with it. It was even the victim of the whole set-up. It was brought to life by someone who was propelled by self-interest masked behind good intentions of progress. This is why today we must also be wary of the implications of the various developments around us because these may lead to harmful consequences if we are not careful enough.