Isolation’s Degenerative Abilities
In the eye-opening horror novel, Frankenstein (1831), Mary Shelley uses the
motif of isolation to illustrate the theme of isolation’s degrading effect on humanity’s
sanity, health, and morals. The different levels of isolation, seen in Walton, Frankenstein,
and the Creature’s narrative frames, are what give this theme depth, though it is
isolation's little benefits that create contrast.
While he is the least known of the narrative characters, Walton’s prolonged
isolation affects him in several negative ways. For example, without a companion to help
regulate Walton's mind, he becomes an overreacher, and tries to accomplish the
impossible. Furthermore, while he writes that he “[has] no friend, [ . . . how] there will be
none to participate [in his] joy, [ . . . and how nobody will] endeavor to sustain [him] in
dejection” (18), he searches not for friends, but for glory. Because he overextends his
abilities, Walton changes his priority of having a friend to seeking fame. When Walton
finds a friend, Frankenstein, he sees how isolation leads to a lack of control, which leads
to disaster. Only when Frankenstein dies though, does Walton get the message and admit
that "if [they] are lost, [his] mad schemes are the cause" (202). In short, Walton's lack of
friends leads to a lack of sound judgment, which almost ends in disaster.
Frankenstein, for which this novel is named after, has lost the most due to
isolation. Degrading first in morals, Frankenstein becomes a gravedigger, and disturbs
countless graves, vaults, and charnel houses in order to unnaturally create life. Doubtless,
it is Frankenstein's lack of companions that has allowed corruption to take hold of him
unchecked. To continue his dark work, Frankenstein makes himself inaccessible and
stays “in a solitary chamber, or rather cell, at the top of the house and separated from all
other apartments by a gallery and staircase” (53). Indubitable, if anyone found out about
Frankenstein’s occupation, they would put an end to it. The next domino to fall because
of isolation is Frankenstein's vitality and health. Due to his solitary obsession for his
work, "[Frankenstein's] cheek had grown pale with study and [his] person emaciated with
confinement" (53). Moreover, Frankenstein's deeds in his solitary confinement has made
him "nervous to a most painful degree; the fall of a leaf [startles him], and [he shuns his]
fellow creatures as if [he is] guilty of a crime" (55). Consequently, he was only able to
recover with the help of friends. Despite all the negatives of isolation, it can be refreshing
if kept brief, as Frankenstein found out on Mont Blanc. Being alone in his thoughts,
Frankenstein was able to relax for a moment, and enjoy the wonders of nature often
overlooked. In short, isolation is either short and sweet, or long and bitter.
The Creature, an outcast of society and originally helpful in nature, is a prime
example of what isolation can reduce someone to. All throughout his existence, the
Creature has tried to break his isolation in various ways. After sustaining brutal injuries
in a village, the Creature observes a family of cottagers, and moved by their actions,
“longed to join them, but dared not” (105). When he was unsuccessful in befriending De
Lacey, the Creature burns their cottage down because “they had spurned and deserted
[him . . . ], and unable to hurt anything human, [he turned his] fury towards inanimate
objects” (132). Moreover, in his desire for companionship, the Creature requests that
Frankenstein create a partner for him with equal deformity. The subsequent destruction of
the Creature’s companion keeps him isolated, and in his rage, results in the murder of his
friend, Clerval, and his wife, Elizabeth. Overall, the Creature, due to his protracted and
perpetual isolation, was driven into becoming a vengeful murderer with pyromaniacal
tendencies.
Clearly, it is evident that while isolation has a place in life, over-isolation will ruin
a human’s life in too many ways. While Walton lost his sound reasoning, Frankenstein
degraded in health, and with the Creature, forgot his morals.