The Romantic Era was between the years 1780- 1830

Works Referenced: Frankenstein by Mary Shelly (1817)  and Faust by Goethe

What is Science?

What is Magic?

The Main Question: What does it mean to be human and/or monstrous in the Romantic era?

To be Human means having or showing positive aspects of nature and character regarded as distinguishing humans from other animals or in regards to science fiction an alien.
What are human qualities?

To be Monstrous means having an ugly or frightening appearance of a monster.
What are monstrous qualities?

Within the Romantic Era humans emphasized on the importance of one's imagination, feelings and emotions. Each human in this era was unique, and a beautiful creature. Most humans embraced the importance and beauty that nature had to offer them. Some great people and authors of the Romantic Era were:
Charles Darwin
Karl Marx
John Keats
William Wordsworth

Frankenstein: Humanity and monstrosity are both two components that Shelly uses within Frankenstein. These two concepts are presented through the characters for example Victor Frankenstein, and the monster himself. Victor Frankenstein is the character who creates the monster, even though he is human he presents the audience with monstrous qualities. For example, when he is creating the creature. The monster that Victor Frankenstein creates is overall monstrous from the way he looks to many of his actions. But a main question that comes up is does the monster portray human qualities? While at the same time, does Victor Frankenstein portray monstrous qualities? Throughout the novel Victor Frankenstein demonstrates the theme of a quest for something greater, he goes against the norm and creates this monster through the science and knowledge. Because of this quest for something greater he has lost a lot his life whether its between friends, family or lifestyle. While Victor is in hiding, and preparing himself for the monster that he wants to create he shows the audience his human qualities but when the monster is created and Victor continues to work on him he begins to portray monstrous qualities through the way he wants to "fix" his appearance.  Although even though Victor creates this monster, he never meant for any of the damage, monstrosity or destruction to come with him which makes the monster more monstrous then Victor. Many of Victors human qualities also come out when he realizes the mistake that he has made, he begins to feel guilty, angry and upset with the creation that he had made. Just by his appearance the monster is monstrous, he is frightening and disturbing to look at. But what about the feelings that the monster portrays, could his feelings and emotions allow him to be portrayed as human? The violence that the monster brings by killing people especially shows the monstrosity that he portrays but he also portrays suffering for example when Victor turns his back on him. The monster himself portrays the reoccurring theme of a quest for something greater through the way he is constantly striving to find more whether its through learning how to be through peoples actions, or killing people. Even though the monster portrays human qualities do they monstrous qualities overpower them? Can society only see the monstrous qualities that are within the monster rather then the human? Another way that the monster shows human qualities and the reoccurring theme is through his quest and strive for love. The entire novel proves that both Victor and Frankenstein can truly not be happy without a companion whether that companion is one other, family or a loved one.  For example, Shelley proclaims"They were not entirely happy. The young man and his companion often went apart, and appeared to weep. I saw no cause for their unhappiness, but I was deeply affected by it. If such lovely creatures were miserable, it was less strange that I, an imperfect and solitary beings, should be wretched. Yet why were these gentle beings unhappy? (Shelley 76).

"Farewell! I leave you, and in you the last of human kind of whom these eyes will ever behold. Farewell, Frankenstein! If thou wert yet alive, and yet cherished a desire of revenge against me, it would be better satiated in my life than in my destruction" (Shelley 161).

Both characters portrayed human and monstrous characteristics but they both brought these different qualities out in one another. For instance, Victor brought the human qualities in the monster through his actions while the monster brought out the monstrous characteristics in Victor. In the end, both characters whether having human or monstrous characteristics they had inner qualities and feelings such as guilt, grief and love that portrayed them as humans.


 


Faust: Right from the beginning of the play  portrays human qualities. He is a character that is unsatisfied with his life and believes that not living is the cure to his unhappiness. The main problem with Faust is that he is striving from something greater in his life but unfortunately he does not know what will make him happy or what he is looking for. The feelings that he portrays are loneliness and a strive for meaning in his life which connects to the overall themes presented in both Faust and Frankenstein. But as the play progresses Faust can be seen as a monstrous character through the way he kills Gretchen's brother who was the only family that she had left. For example on page 108 Gretchen proclaims, "My brother! God! What cruel shame!" (Goethe 106). Mephistopheles, the devil portrays monstrous characteristics through the way he wants to trick Faust into becoming a follower of sin and evil. On page 10 Goethe writes, "My thanks to you; I've never hidden/an old distaste for dealing with the dead/Give me a full-cheeked, fresh-faces lad!/A corpse with me is just no dice,/In this way I am like a cat with mice" (Goethe 11).  Because of the devils evil and scheming ways he shows actions that compare him more to the monster in Frankenstein even though he is not physically hurting as many people. The devil uses his conniving ways to portray monstrous qualities also because he is the devil is appearance is not as appealing as well. 

This is a painting of Mephistopheles, many of his features in his face compare to the deformities that Frankenstein had as well.



Along with both works having two characters that portray human and monstrous qualities there is also that strive for companionship and love presented. This is shown through the love that Faust has for Gretchen, it goes beyond the sexual feelings he has for her and he actually falls in love with her. Faust becomes so infatuated with her that his feelings overpower his life and what he wants in the world. By having Gretchen enter his life, Faust becomes more confused on what he wants which portrays more human qualities.

Reoccurring Theme Presented: Quest for something greater whether its desire, loss or romance.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary Desire is defined as.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary Loss is defined as.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary Romance is defined as.