Exam Essay

Topic- Monster and Witches

Thesis- The authors, Shakespeare and Mary Shelley, believe that appearance is reality, as shown through their representation of the antagonists of their stories.  (the monster and the witches were ugly)

AoD 1: because they’re ugly they’re outcasts

• Frankenstein Ch 5 Pg 42 “this catastrophe” “beauty of the dream...heart”
• Frankenstein Ch 16 Pg 115 “Who can describe...with a stick”
• Witches live on their own, secluded
• Idea that they are hideous so no one wants to see them

AoD 2: because they’re ugly they’re evil/antagonists in the PROTAGONIST’S opinion (spells, killing, going against god)

• Frankenstein Ch 17 Pg 126 “your evil passions...”
• Frankenstein Ch 7 Pg 60 “ Nothing in human shape...not doubt it”
• Macbeth Act 1 Sc 3 Pg 49 “You should be...you are so”
• Macbeth Act 1 Sc 3 Pg 49 “Good sir...fair?” (scared because they are ugly)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   Macbeth and Victor have similar experiences in their lives. Both of them create the problem that kills them. Macbeth was living his life normally, until he decided to kill the King and take the throne. At the time, this seemed like it would be beneficial for him. For a short period of time, it was. As time went on, the murder of the King began to bring Macbeth down. He wore on his mind and made him feel weak and full of guilt. He became paranoid and somewhat mentally ill. Victor Frankenstein experiences the same problem. Through curiosity and his interest in the human body, he creates a person, which ends up being a monster. When he decides that he doesn’t like what he has created, he abandons it, and feels no responsibility for the monster. Victor does not realize that what he has done will come back to kill him, just like Macbeth. Murdering the King could be considered Macbeth’s “monster” which comes back to kill him. Victor becomes ill with guilt and a feeling of responsibility for everything bad that happens, just like Macbeth. What he has done creates so many problems that it is overwhelming for Victor. In the end, his illness kills him. If he had never created the monster, he would not have died this way. If Macbeth had never killed the King, he would not have died the way he did. Both characters are men that are at the peak of their lives, and create a problem that brings them down and kills them.