FREE ESSAY ON FRANKENSTEIN

FRANKENSTEIN

When I first saw the movie Frankenstein, I realized that Hollywood was still changing the
classic novels. In their usual fashion, they changed the names of the characters to be
somewhat pleasing to the audience. I guess Henry Frankenstein was a better wholesome name
than Victor Frankenstein. Instead they saved the name Victor for the supporting actor
because no one would care what they named him. Next they changed Elizabeth to Margaret
for some unknown reason. By movie standards today, the monster looked like a man in bad
makeup and stiff acting. In Mary Shelley's original interpretation, I envision a monster
with pale Caucasian skin color, misshapen limbs and with more vocabularies than Ugh or
Ahh.
I have come to the realization that the 1931 movie review of Frankenstein and I share the
same opinions for the movie. Though I did find the acting and the makeup mediocre, in
1931 it was as the film critic said, "the most effective of its kind." The background and
scenery impressed me. Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory was indeed impressive. The elaborate
machinery and sound effects added to the sense that life was being created, though they
really did go into great detail as to how life was brought back from the dead. The review
says that the actor portraying Frankenstein's monster, Boris Karloff, did not portray a
robot but a man sewn together with an abnormal brain. However I believed that the monster
acted like a robot in the scene with the little girl. The girl presented a set of
instructions (throwing flowers in the lake). The monster then copied the instructions
like a program. Unfortunately, the "abnormal" brain caused a bug or glitch in his
programming which caused the death of the girl. Humans are programmed, like a robot or
computer, to follow instruction to perform actions such as walking, talking, driving, or
doing simple math. In a sense we humans are highly advanced mechanisms given the ability
to comprehend and interpret. After the monster was created, Frankenstein boasts about his
achievements. Demonstrating a perfect example of the God complex, he exclaims; " Now I
know how God feels." It is man's greatest task to equal or surpass its creator.
At the beginning of the novel, its atmosphere is completely different than that of the
1931 movie. First, the novel begins after Victor created the monster that killed
Elizabeth. You realize immediately in the novel that there was no happy ending as the
movie portrayed. Elizabeth is dead by the monster's hands and Victor has now become
obsessed with hunting down and destroying the creature. You also find out in the novel
the background information of why Victor is so in love with Elizabeth. The movie also
fails to give a very good reason as to how Victor goes on this journey to bring life back
to the dead. They forget to mention his studies into Natural Philosophy or Galvanism. The
novel also describes a more dark and sinister outlook. The time he brings life to his
creation, readers feel a dark chill down their spines. When he describes how the monster
haunts him in the shadows, the readers start to feels as if the monster is watching. When
it starts to commit other atrocities, shock and horror invade the mind. I believe the
film was an unjust representation of the novel. The 1931 film gave a lighter
representation. It begins to be a little disappointing watching the film after reading
halfway through the novel.
During the 1920's and 30's, mankind was involved in the search to improve the human race
called Eugenics. I believe the 1818 novel and the 1931 film were perfect examples of how
the idea of eugenics was so widespread. At this time scientists were working on ways to
create life that rivaled God, whether to create perfect children free of disease or to
create the super soldier to fight their wars. It was even being suggested to create towns
selected with the best of mankind. However, as in the movie and novel, the question of
should we manipulate the forces of nature comes into the equation. The movie could be
meant as a warning on the evils of eugenics. Though it seems simple to manipulate the
body of man, it is difficult to control the lasting effects. Frankenstein's monster is
possibly the first example of eugenics on film. We see Harry Frankenstein selecting the
best parts from dead men. He carefully pieces together the delicate puzzle and he does
receive a reward and a curse.