Things Forgotten

I think that most people here are anayzing this book without considering what was going on around Mary Shelly at the time to influence her writtings. First she wrote this as a ghost story to tell to her friends. The monster wouldn't have been so great of a monster had it not committed murders. The scientific revolution was also going on at the time, which is why Frankenstein's archaic science got him into trouble. And, just as a funny sidenote, Frankenstein is supposed to be modeled after Lord Byron. Just thought I'd give some background.
~Charon_Moon

It's true that Frankenstein wouldn't be much of a ghost story had the Monster not killed anyone, but to relate it to today's society, it really makes a lot of sense pyschologically. Take your alienated, un-loved, abused (in some manner) outcast (usually bearing a long black trench coat) and you've got the formula for some sort of social pyschopath. Is it any wonder that the Monster acts the way he does? Poor fellow...

besides all of the factors in shelley's life while she was writing frankenstein, shelley borrowed many ideas from prometheus. prometheus was the god that gave life to the humans. in this way, dr. frankenstein mirrors prometheus because it is he who gives the monster life. pandora's box is also opened in prometheus to release all of the evils of the world, except one: hopelessness. hopelessness actually becomes a theme in frankenstein. although our class has not finished the novel, having read the story of prometheus, i can assume that someone will be threatened by dr. frankenstein and his monster and the dr. will be punished.

there is a strong symbolism between Shelley's character, Frankenstein, and Walton, who is first introduced in the letters. both are denied friendship and are forced to lead lives alone. :( Walton seeks comfort in finding some form of friendship in a "stranger" (aka Victor Frankenstein) and Victor finds companionship in his studies, ultimately leading to hideous creation. psychologically, both were left completely isolated from the remainder of society and were forced to find an alternate route of friendship/companionship.