The document discusses Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' and its central theme of the search for identity, focusing on the experiences of Victor Frankenstein, his creature, and Elizabeth. It compares 'Frankenstein' to Eugene O’Neill's 'The Hairy Ape', highlighting the shared concepts of alienation and the desire for belonging. The conclusion summarizes the exploration of self-representation and the impact of rejection faced by both the creature and the characters in 'The Hairy Ape'.

2. Prepared by Trushali Dodiya
Roll no:- 23
Enrollment no:- 4069206420220011
Sem:- 1(M. A.) Batch:- 2022-24
Paper no. :-103 Paper Code:- 22394
Paper name:- Literature of Romantics
Submitted to:- Smt. S. B. Gardi Department of
English, M.K.B.U.
Dated on:- 17/10/2022
Email:- trushalidodiya84@gmail.com

3. Points to ponder
● Introduction
● Search for Identity
● Human Identity
● Identity of the Creature
● Comparison of Frankenstein
with ‘The Hairy Ape'
● Conclusion

4. Introduction:-
● Frankenstein is a novel Written by
Mary Shelley in 1818.
● It depicts the ambition of Victor
Frankenstein to create new life and
its outcomes.
● Simultaneously, he fails to give
proper reflection of mankind in his
creation.
● The creature created by
Frankenstein has to bear alienation
from society and is always in search
of belongingness.

5. Search for Identity
● Search for identity is the main theme of
Frankenstein
1. Victor
2. Creature
3. Elizabeth

6. “A new species would bless me as its creator and
source; many happy and excellent natures would owe
their being to me. No father could claim the gratitude of
his child so completely as I should deserve theirs.” (Shelley)
Search for Human Identity
● After the death of her mother Frankenstein becomes
clear to create a new life. He also starts dreaming to be
God for his invented Race.

7. ● The Creature was
opposite to what he
wanted to create
● He is frightened by his
own creation.
● He has to suffer
because of creating a
creature as it was the
biggest mistake he
has made.
(Whale)

8. ● The Creature is an invention of Victor, but he
is rejected by his own creator.
● The Creature leaves the place of Victor
● Goes to society
● Constantly being Rejected by the society
because of his appearance
● He helps De Lacey Family, without revealing
himself physically to them - he is also
rejected, beaten and considered as a
monster by that family for his look…
Search for Identity of the
Creature:-

9. ● After being rejected by the society, the Creature puts a
question, “Was I a monster, a blot upon the Earth
which all men fled and whom all men are disowned?”
● Out of revenge kills Victor’s Brother
● He wants someone like him and pleases to his creator
● After half creation of female Creature, Victor destroys
it, thus Creature vows to be on the wedding night of
Victor.
● He kills Elizabeth…
● After the death of Victor, he goes to the North Pole

10. In “Frankenstein and Disremembered Identity” Salotto
makes arguments on representation of one self into
another one.
● Victor wanted to create a corresponding Creature
● Failure - multiple subjectivities
● According to him l, the text poses a question, “How
one can represent the self and it confront to one's
intention?”
● The questions raised by the Creature are also
unanswerable. like, Who I was? What was I? Where
did I come?at the end gives clear idea that “Once one
begin the work of self representation, one is subject

11. Comparison of
Frankenstein with The
Hairy Ape
● The Hairy Ape is play written by
Eugene O’Neill in 1922
● Both are different in plot and
narration but both have the same
concept of belongingness or
identity search. (O’Neill)

12. Frankenstein The Hairy Ape
● Victor creates a Creature
● Frightened by its appearance
● Impact of Victor’s reaction on
the Creature
● Rejected by human society
● Revenge
● At last there was none which
was him
● Physical and mental strength of
the Creature
● Mildred wants to help Poor or
lower class
● Frightened by appearance of
Yank and tells him “Fealty Beast”
● Impact of Mildred’s reaction on
Yank
● Rejected by Upper class, for
both his class and his look
● Revenge
● At last he goes to a Zoo and
goes into the cage of Gorilla and
says “At last I belong”
● Physical strength of Yank Smith

13. ● The last scene of ‘The Hairy Ape’ is quite similar to the
scene of ‘Frankenstein', where Elizabeth finds similarities
with the Creature.

14. Conclusion:-

15. Work Cited
O'Neill, Eugene. The Hairy Ape. Australia, Floating Press, 2014.
Salotto, Eleanor. “‘Frankenstein’ and Dis(Re)Membered Identity.” The Journal
of Narrative Technique, vol. 24, no. 3, 1994, pp. 190–211. JSTOR,
http://www.jstor.org/stable/30225415. Accessed 17 Oct. 2022.
Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein (Wordsworth Classics)
(Wordsworth Classics). United Kingdom, Wordsworth Classics, 1992.
Whale, James, director. Frankenstein . Universal Picty, 1931.

16. Thank you