Jekyll And Frankenstein Analysis

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Dantès is also shown to be similar to Frankenstein and Jekyll, in that the three are unable to escape from their creations. Dantès and Jekyll are trapped more so than Frankenstein, as they are the same person as their creations, whereas Frankenstein is trapped by being unable to bring himself to create a female creature due to the effect it may have on society. Frankenstein’s identity is called into question here, as he becomes defined, in the Creature’s eyes, as being unable to keep his word. The Creature’s words show a parallel between himself and Hyde, and Frankenstein and Jekyll: “You are my creator, but I am your master - obey!” The use of an imperative causes the creator’s identities to be reduced to that of slaves: Frankenstein is forced…show more content…
When Dantès is imprisoned, he loses his name, Hyde is known solely by his appearance, and the Creature is never given a name. This contrasts with the socially accepted Monte Cristo, Henry Jekyll, and Victor Frankenstein. Their names allow them to be accepted by society, not forgotten or shunned. Unlike Hyde and Dantès, the Creature is never named. He is constantly referred to as “creature” and “miserable fiend.” Frankenstein is the main user of these terms, which presents the Creature’s monstrosity as stemming from his creator's point of view and the way Shelley primarily presents him to the reader. Had Shelley written the novel from the Creature’s point of view, it can be suggested that he would not be viewed as such as monster by society, and readers would have more sympathy for him. This absence causes him to be dehumanised in a similar way to Dantès, who “was no longer called by his first name… he became Number 34,” leaving him trapped without an identity. Hyde, however, is named, allowing Jekyll’s view of his alter-ego being “natural and human” to be more accepted by society. Jekyll wished to “isolate, extract and give an independent ‘identity’ to the very type of evil” that is part of everyone. Mighall’s suggestion that this evil is part of human nature links to Jekyll’s perceptions of his creation: his ‘naturalness’ represents ‘original sin’. Dantès and the Creature are shunned by society when they are without a name because they are distanced from society and trapped away from it. Whilst Dantès distance is literal as he has been taken away from Marseille, the Creature’s distance remains figurative - he follows Frankenstein and is actually very close to society. His distance stems from his hideousness and the absence of a name with which to introduce himself. He is left to forge his own identity which comes as an incredibly
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