Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Comparing Characters in Frankenstein

Choose ONE of the following pairs of characters from Frankenstein and explore a minimum of 3 similarities. Include textual references (page numbers please) to support your comparisons.
Share your thoughts by midnight, Sunday, December 9th.
Justine & the Creature  OR  Victor & Macbeth

22 comments:

  1. Victor and Macbeth are both very similar characters. Victor always has a desire to accomplish the most difficult of tasks dealing with science and philosophy. This is similar to Macbeth whereas to have power that is not in his grasp. They both achieve great things. Second, they both have a woman that they love. Neither women play a great role but they are both very important factors. Lastly, both Victor and Macbeth are extremely troubled from the acts which they have committed, causing each of them to lose much sleep, Victor particularly while he was in his work and Macbeth when he had committed his first murder, both the beginnings to two tragic stories.

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  2. Loneliness is a aspect that Frankenstein and Walton have in common. Although loved ones first surround Frankenstein, the Creature soon takes out his anger of life and of Victor by killing all those close to him. After those unfortunate occurrences, Frankenstein is left lonely, with only one goal, to seek revenge on the Creature. Walton's loneliness is clearly described in his first letters to Margaret.

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  3. The first similarity is that they both are on a quest for power. Macbeth wanted to be king and Frankenstein to create life. Both characters also that unethical ways of getting power Macbeth by killing people and Frankenstein by using bodies and the creature killing people(30). They both include the supernatural. Frankenstein bringing life back to bodies and in Macbeth the witches(35). Lastly, they are both disloyal, Macbeth to Duncan and Frankenstein to the creature for abandoning him(35-36).

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  4. Victor and Macbeth both have similar characteristics. Both characters try to accomplish the impossible, both are very selfish, and both want power.
    Victor and Macbeth try to do things that they know are nearly impossible. Victor tried to do the impossible when he tried creating life out of death. Victor describes the day he accomplished the impossible on page 35. Victor knew that it would be nearly impossible to create new life this way, yet Victor succeeded at his attempt. Similarly, Macbeth tried the impossible when he tried to become King. Macbeth knew that it wasn't likely that he would become King but he tried his best and achieved the status of King.
    Victor and Macbeth are both selfish characters. Victor was selfish on page 68. Victor wanted to create new life so bad but when he did create new life he wanted to destroy it. He didn't give the creature much of a chance at life because he was too selfish. Macbeth was also selfish. Macbeth was selfish when he gave up his relationships just so he could attempt becoming King. Macbeth just wanted to benefit himself; he killed anyone and did anything to get what he wanted.
    Victor and Macbeth are both characters who want power. Victor was motivated by power when he created the creature. He wanted to be in control of the creature and another life. On page 35 Victor describes the power that he has after he created new life. Macbeth was motivated by power when he killed Duncan, Banquo, and the other characters. Macbeth did everything he could and everything the witches told him to do in order for him to become King.

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  5. Victor and Macbeth are both similar, they both want to have power over other. Victor wants to play god and have the power of life, as Macbeth wants to become king so he can rule over others.
    Victor finally accomplishes his goal and creates life out of corpses and he had the power of god for life(35). Macbeth was a loyal thane until he meet the witches and the tell him he will be king, so he commits regicide to his king and makes the king’s sons flee so he completes his goal. Victor dishonored his creature by abandoning him cause he was different(36). And Macbeth don’t treat his subjects with any honor so he ends up loosing all of them that aren’t greedy. Macbeth and Victor both have guilt from their actions, Victor feels its his fault for William and Justine dying from his creature. And not being able to save Justine for saying he made a creature, everyone would think he is crazy and Justine would have still been accused for William’s death. Macbeth feels the guilt after he killed Duncan for power. then he gets hit again when his wife dies. They both are punished for their actions they had made. Victor looses his love ones to his creature for not being happy with Victor. As Macbeth looses his support and is soon looses his head to Macduff with the support of King Edward. These are some similar characteristics of Victor and Macbeth.

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  6. Both Victor and Macbeth were very motivated to get what they wanted. After Victor breezed through college, mastering all subjects taught to him, he worked so hard on creating life that he had time for nothing else and cut himself off from the outside world (this is decribed throught chapter 4). Macbeth was so power hungry and determined to be king that he murdered anyone who got in his way to the throne.
    Another thing they have in common is disloyalty. Victor disowned his own creature merely because of his apperance and Macbeth was not only a trader to his king but murdered him and others that he was close to.
    Lastly, both characters have caused the death of people close to them and feel guilty about it. Victor's creature murdered members of his family which makes him feel guilty and seek revenge while killing Duncan makes Macbeth lose sleep and messes with his mind which is the reason his killing spree contiues.

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  7. I think that Justine and the creature are both similar in the sense that they are both misunderstood. Justine is accused of being a murderer, and in turn her life is taken away. Victor believes the creature is a monster, but he is the one who created him, so maybe the creature is just doing as he was programmed to do by Victor.

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  8. Justine & the creature are similar because they were both rejected by people that they loved. Justine was rejected by her mother and the creature was rejected by Victor. (pg. 41) They are also similar because for some part of there life they both lived with Victor. (pg. 41) Lastly, they are similar because they both have moments of injustice in there lives. The creator kills many people and becomes a monster. While Justine is blamed and killed because of something others belief her to have done. (pg. 60)

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  9. I think the biggest similarity between Victor and Macbeth is that they were good men who wanted to accomplish good things, but it all just went a little sour on them. I think Victor has the best of intentions while forming his creature and Macbeth only wanted the best for him and his wife. Not only did they have good intentions, they are also quite motivated. Victor is a very hardworking man who literally slaves away and completely shuts away from the rest of the world, just so he can pursue his work. And Macbeth, well I mean if killing everyone who gets in your way isn't determined then I'm not quite sure what is. Victor and Macbeth also both seem to have very big hearts. Though some things are misled, when you really look at it, I think they do. I think Macbeth was a very caring man who was wrongly influenced and Victor is a very big hearted man who happened to create something that didn't replicate what he wanted.
    So maybe the biggest similarity between Victor and Macbeth is that they're both a little misunderstood and a little unlucky.

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  10. Brandon Adams, In the Novel Frankenstein the Characters that I find to be alike is characters Macbeth and Victor who Both Are Caring and have Sympathy But Find themselves at a stage where there both eager for seeking vengeance and power leaving them both Troubled by there actions Because Macbeth killed any and everything that comes his way including those close to him which also led to his downfall and so did victor who actions led him to become misunderstood and devastated killing those close to him causing them both to be troubled and feeling guilt for the rest of there lives.

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  11. Both Macbeth and Victor have similar characteristics. They are both selfish, want to accomplish things, and both want power. Victor wants to be like God and make new life and Macbeth wants to become king to have power over the people. On page 35 Victor talks about how he created a new life. He knew that this would be almost impossible but accomplished it anyways. Macbeth knew that it was going to be very hard to become king but he did anyways. They both want power, Victor was motivated by power when he creature the creature. Macbeth was motivated by power when he killed to get it. Macbeth was selfish when he gave up friendships and relationships he had just so he could try to become king. He did anything to get what he wanted regardless of consequences. Victor was selfish because he didn’t want to give the creature a chance.

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  12. Victor and Macbeth are similar in their hunger for power. Macbeth killed basically everyone to get what he wanted. Victor created the create so that he could feel powerful over something. Victor mad Macbeth are both basically good people with some messed up thought processes. They bother want what is best for the ones they love. Victor is very determined when he is creating the creature and lost in his work. Macbeth literally did anything he could to get his power. They are both selfish in a way. Macbeth is selfish in that he wanted all the power to himself. Victor is selfish by creating the creature and then not taking care of him.

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  13. Victor and Macbeth share similar characteristics. They both have an obsession and did not stop until they achieved their goal. Victor was obsessed with science and creation. Macbeth was obsessed with power. They were both so caught up with these things that it drove them both a little crazy. They both grew scared of their actions. Macbeth went crazy from killing people and was afraid of what he had done. Victor went crazy from the creature he created and he was scared of what he had done.

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  14. Macbeth and Victor are both the same, but yet very different due to the contrast of the extremes to one another. Victor and Macbeth both has a great desire to be one top and well known. Victor has the desire to be famous for creating another species (Explained in the first part of the book). He made his species different than humans so that people would be able to tell the difference and hope that a whole new species would be present in the world because of him and have his name labeled on it forever. Victor did whatever he could do and worked none stop to create and perfect this species Macbeth was also wanting to become famous. He wanted him name to be well know and in the process became power hungry. Due to this he became power hungry. He also did whatever he possibly could to have the power and name of king in his hands. He did take very extreme procedures to make this happen but, he never gave up, just like Victor. Although they did have very different plans to achieve what they wanted to accomplish, they both has the same motives pushing them.

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  15. Between Macbeth and Victor there are many similarities and characteristics, the first is how they both have grief and guilt for causing the death of a couple people. Macbeth began to go insane after killing Duncan himself and then having murderers kill Banquo and Macduff's family, where as Victor began to feel the guilt of his creature killing his brother William thus leading to the hanging of his cousin Justine. In chapter 7 is where Victor finds out about his creature being around the sight of the killing of William. Another similarity is the fact that they strive for something in life. Macbeth will do anything it takes and at any risk to gain the maximum power he can contain. Victor on the other hand goes crazy over science of life and how to create life. He is fascinated and awe strucken by it all. One characteristic that is noticed in these writings is the fact that both of their moods toward life changes. Macbeth started out as a powerful, successful human being. But he stared getting too greedy and leading to insanity. Victor changed his view on life, quoted from page 63 paragraph two after the death of Justine,"I no longer see the world and its works as they before appeared to me." Meaning he doesn't find everything as enjoyable and fun as he used to.

    -Matthew Flynn

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  16. Macbeth and Victor are very similar in there drive to get what they want. Even though it might not always be the greatest thing to go after they still want it. Victor had an obsession with the origin of life that he would go beyond human limits to create a monster. "I saw -- with shut eyes, but acute mental vision -- I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing be had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life, and stir with an uneasy, half-vital motion [p. 55]." His creation would cause Victor to go a little crazy in the head like how Macbeth went loopy and paranoid about his rule. The two characters, tho coming from different stories, go hand in hand.

    -Stephanie Kramer

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  17. Macbeth and Victor have many similarities including the quest for power of man kind. Macbeth's desire to be king coincides with Victor's pure obsession with creating life itself. Both, with good intentions of ambition but combined with poor judgement results in the loss of human life in both Macbeth and Frankenstein. Without going into too much detail, throughout chapter 4, Victor speaks of his love for life and death and how he would remove himself from the world to accomplish his own creation, as Macbeth would remove anyone in his way of stealing the crown. Lastly, Macbeth and Frankenstein share a quality of disloyalty. Macbeth murders Duncan to gain the crown, committing treason. Although, Victor is disloyal through love to his creature, by creating him and shortly after abandoning him, both characters are full of great qualities but downfall at their decisions throughout time.

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  18. Frankenstein and Macbeth are both men after power. Frankenstein wants to be god-like with the power he seeks. He wishes to create life and is successful in it. Macbeth wants to be the king and is also successful in his search for power. They are both willing to go to any means necessary to get their power. Macbeth kills many people including his own king and best friend. Frankenstein also does unheard of things while building his creature; taking limbs and pieces off of assorted dead people. Lastly both men fail to realize that their search for power will ultimately end in their own demise. Frankenstein thinks that since he is the creator that he will be saved for the evil thoughts and ambitions of his creation but he isn't. Macbeth thinks that his wife and he will end up king and queen and live happily ever after but they both end up dead.

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  19. Victor and Macbeth are similar in interesting ways, they are both very burdened with the fact of death, blinded by the ways of love and both of them have fights within themselves.
    Victor shows the burden of death within pages 61-65 that he is overcome with emotion due to the death of Justine, not only with the being of his creation the cause of her death but the emptiness that comes with losing a close loved one. Macbeth also goes through this, though the cause of death was his own two hands, he also felt the pressure of guilt that washed over him after it happened, just like Victor.
    The factor of being blinded in Victor's case (pgs 56-58), it was not that Justine was the love of his life, but as a close and valued friend which caused him not to even think of the possibility of the slight chance that he was wrong and she might have committed the crime that he heavily pushes against his own creation. For Macbeth, the fact that he was so blinded by his love for power, that he didn't care to notice that he was hurting Lady Macbeth mentally.
    Lastly they both deal with fights within themselves. Victor shows that with the fact that he completely blames himself for Justine's death (pgs 52-53) because he created the beast that he was certain killed William just like Macbeth who fights with the sanity of his being after realizing how much his murders affected his kingdom and caused people to leave him all alone.

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  20. Victor and Macbeth both have striking similarities. Both strive for power, are motivated to do so, and are willing to do anything to obtain it. Victor tries to obtain power by playing god and creating life. Macbeth tries to obtain power by becoming king and keeping the title. Victor is motivated by his desire to create life, to achieve his goal. Macbeth is motivated by the witches and his desire to rule. Victor will do anything to reach his goal including using dead body parts to make his creation. Macbeth is willing to kill literally anyone but himself.

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  21. Victor and Macbeth both share similar qualities that define them as characters. The most obvious similarity is the characters desire for power. While there perceptions of power differ, they are both nonetheless incredibly driven to achieve that power. For example, Victors' form of power involves him discovering the source of life. In this search, he goes to such lengths that he is willing to go to such lengths that he will create life without ever considering the consequences.(pg.29)
    The other similarity that they obviously show is a clear regret of their actions that were led by their ambition. Just as Macbeth was haunted by the people that he killed, Victor is also haunted, but he is not victim to apparitions. He is victim to a super tall Ozzy Osbourne who demands that Victor supply him with a Sharon. (pg.61)
    The final similarity that the two share is the fact that their actions both effect the women they love. Macbeth drove his beloved wife to depression and then suicide. Victor's creation has already made her depressed, and it is very possible that her death will also be the result of Victor's actions. I'm just saying. (pg.59)

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  22. Victor Frankenstein and Macbeth are among two of literature’s most well-known characters. As many powerful icons throughout time do, the two share many similarities that help define who they are. After all, it is not who they are but what they do that defines them. Victor Frankenstein and Macbeth are similar in their quests for powers, loss of reality, and disloyalty displayed in their journeys.

    Both Frankenstein and Macbeth have their own respective quests for power. In Macbeth’s case, he wants the throne to himself while Victor wants to obtain the power to create life. They both have great ambition-a trait generally looked highly upon by those in society. However, they both get spirited away from their sense of right and wrong. This causes them to pursue unethical endeavors that ultimately result in the death of not only their inner selves but many innocent people. Wither it was Macbeth murdering Duncan to be king or Victor creating a monster that becomes a murder (as described on p.102), there is no denying that neither of them had successful outcomes as they were overcame by their ambitious ways.

    Another similarity between the two stories is the hallucinations that signify the loss of sanity between the two characters. Macbeth has multiple hallucinations throughout his epic. From the dagger floating in the air that led to Duncan’s death to the emergence of Banquo’s ghost at the feast, his loss of sanity led to the further downward spiral of his character. The same can be said for Victor. The way he consistently thinks he sees the creature that is there shows his paranoia and consist fear that tears him apart. Yet, unlike Macbeth, Frankenstein’s hallucination comes true when he is convinced that the monster murdered his brother (p.53) The hallucinations the characters endure (plus the supernatural elements of each novel as seen by the witches in Macbeth and the creature in Frankenstein) are the catalyst of the loss of reality that results in the subsequent downward spiral and ultimate demise of who the characters once where.

    Lastly, both characters show an unhealthy amount of disloyalty in order to achieve their quests. This is shown when Macbeth does-among many disloyal actions- murders Duncan and Banquo to assure his power. Frankenstein shows his disloyalty when, after finally creating life, abandons it to become a monster after it frightens him (as shown by his “escape” on pgs.35-36). Both of the characters were disloyal in the moment because it was convenient but perhaps not the wisest choice in the long run. It shows the basic human principle that we want whatever we can right now without considering the consequence (instant gratification at its finest).

    Macbeth and Frankenstein lost their sense of morality and ethics throughout their novels. The ambition of the characters ultimately led to their own self demise. Victor Frankenstein and Macbeth are similar in their quests for powers, loss of reality, and disloyalty displayed in their journeys.

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