Frankenstein: the Study of a chaotic Villain

There have been a hundred adaptations of Frankenstien, from the 1931 horror film to The Munsters (a 1964 family sitcom)-but what was actually going on with the original romantic horror novel? Many theories have been out there on what the book is about: humanity, science, tragedy ect. Speaking for myself, the novel poses grave questions about the relationship between man and his creator, and what exactly is our obligation to an unmerciful world full of seemingly unbenevolent people. These questions pave the way for a pivotal, popular, and constantly defended villain arc.

The story: Most people have some idea of what Mary Shelly’s novel is about, but in summary, Dr. Frankenstein discovers the secret to life and creates a creature intended to be handsome, benevolent and good. When he beholds the work of his hands and sees the horrific creature he abandons him to the mercy of the world. The creature initially bears no sin except that he is hideous (which is a deformity and not a crime), he seeks the comfort of his fellow man and is shunned horribly on multiple occasions. The creature finds Dr. Frankenstein asks one thing of him: that he will create him a female equally hideous that she might love him. If Frankenstein does this the creature vows to quit the world of man forever and live in peaceful isolation. Frankenstein eventually refuses and the monster swears vengeance on an unloving creator and vows to wreak havoc on an unmerciful world.

The scorn and Horror of Mankind: The creature when created only longs to be shown some kindness or proof that he hasn't been abandoned. He longs for the minimum that all human beings do: some comfort, affection, purpose, not to be reviled by his fellow man. Every encounter the creature has with men is violent, tragic, and cruelty is all he knows–even so he asks his maker for some comfort and offers to go away quietly.

“I swear to you, by the earth which I inhabit, I will quit the neighborhood of man, and dwell as it may change in the most savage of places. My evil passions will have fled, for I shall meet with sympathy! My life will flow quietly away, and in my dying moments I shall not curse my maker,” (The creature in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein).

Often, when villains wage war on the world—when they’re really warring against is God. They have some disagreement, unfulfilled desire, or are in a state they despise and they blame their maker for it. Since the villain cannot hurt God directly, they wreak havoc on His creation: the world. In this particular story, Frankenstein is in the position of the creator and therefore supposedly holds the key to either the monster’s happiness or misery.

The Reward for Benevolence: The creature doesn't wish to harm anyone, but since he was literally born weeks before he finally speaks to his creator, his view of the world is fresh and untainted, all he knows experientially is cruelty and the unmerciful state of man. Not every villain begins as a good (or otherwise un antagonistic) person and is scarred by the world, but it is a popular groundwork for many of them. The creature attempts to show care to his fellow man and is met with hatred. When he saves the life of a child he’s hated and reviled for his appearance. 

“This was then the reward of my benevolence! I had saved a human being from destruction, and as a recompense, I now writhed under the miserable pain of a wound, which shattered the flesh and bone. The feelings of kindness and gentleness which I had entertained but a few moments before gave place to a hellish rage and gnashing of teeth. Inflamed by pain, I vowed eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind,” (The creature).

So question yourself, what is it that makes certain characters turn to iniquity? Examine the state of the creature:

• The creature has no ties or affections.

• The creature has appealed to his creator for help and feels it has been indefinitely denied to him.

• The creature has attempted to be benevolent and been met with hatred, there is no reward for good in his mind so why should he pursue it?

• The only logical reaction on the creature's part, in the absence of any moral guidance or deeper belief, is to swear revenge against his maker. He cannot hurt his maker directly so he vows to hurt all of mankind therefore paining Dr. Frankenstein. 

Examining the World without God: Villains can often be created because of harsh circumstances, and a lack of a greater guiding moral compass to help them endure it. The Joker from the 2020 film, King Pin from Daredevil 2017, both had horrific upbringings and saw no justice in their world. There was no benevolence or the presence of an active caring creator in their world (as they saw it) so they turn to the only logical conclusion: act as if there is no God and cast aside all moral reservations they would have prior had about causing harm to their fellow man.

The creature in Frankenstein asks the question, why should he owe any more benevolence to his fellow man then they have shown to him? If man has done nothing for your villain in their mind it justifies them in having no moral obligation towards them. Without a belief in something greater, or that there is a guiding force and the knowledge that your suffering is not without purpose–nihilism and havoc is a logical conclusion. 

The difference between a hero and a Villain: It’s imperative that you as the writer/creator of your story think deeply about what your villain wants, where they started, and what their resolution is if they cannot achieve what they want. You have to get inside their head (as disturbing as it may be sometimes) and know the details in order for them to be effective and compelling.

However, it’s imperative that you as the author have a representative voice for meaning and purpose  if you choose to write a hero's story and not simply a tragedy. Frankenstein is a work of art and a romantic/horror/tragedy. But if you choose to apply this motivation or theme to your villain in your own story, you have to have someone there to disprove the villain's belief that tragedy justifies the abandonment of values and an obligation to mankind.

Many heroes have tragic origins stories: Batman, Punisher, Daredevil, and many others. However, what is it that makes them not swear vengeance on mankind and instead vow to help them by fighting evil? Simply: they have to have a greater belief. They believe there is good and evil, and that even though good may not always seem to win they are obligated to fight for it. When harsh circumstances arise, we are truly able to differentiate between which characters have it in them to be capable of villainy, or heroism. So ask yourself:

-What is my villain capable of and why?

-What led them to this?

-Why would my hero never be capable of such things? 

You as the writer should know the answer to those questions.

Many motivations for Villainy: A hatred for mankind because they’ve failed in their obligation to you is simply one motive for a villain. Not all of them start out this way. Some villains are satanic tempter figures (Maleficent, Ursula, Iago in Shakespeare, Lucifer in Milton’s Paradise Lost), others are driven by jealousy and the desire to be equal or superior to the subject of their envy (Marvel’s Loki, Edmund in King Lear, Scar Lion King). You can give your villain any motivation you want, it’s important to understand the details of it though. Because in order for a hero to seem firm in their belief system, you have to know what makes the villain wrong.

Understand your villains, break down and think of what drives some of the most compelling antagonists in fiction. Some of the most compelling villains take a little truth, and then pervert it and go to extremes. Example:

Truth: The world is unjust and cruel.

Perversion: this gives me the right to enact vicious torment on everyone in it.

After going over what the villain wants, feels, believes, and is willing to do…ask the same questions of your hero. Hopefully that conversation will shed some light on your villains warped perspective.