Congratulations on the success of your first published novel, Frankenstein. Indeed you have entranced many readers by the horrific story you have created. Although the publication of the 1818 edition of the novel was successful, we the people at Universal Publishing feel the your latest 1831 edition will increase the novels‘ appreciation. In fact, the 1831 edition of Frankenstein is more effective in developing the characters, plot, and themes. There are many reasons why the latest edition is superior.
Firstly, the 1818 edition is less effective in demonstrating how parental duties directly affect the behavior and life outcome of its creation. In the sixth paragraph in chapter one of the 1818 edition it states, “my improvements and health were their constant care. ” Although this shows the care of a parent towards it child, it does not effectively correlate the behavior of a parent to the child’s own behavior. In comparison, the 1831 edition states “[I] was their child, the innocent and helpless creature bestowed upon them by Heaven, whom to bring up to good, and whose future lot it was in their hands to direct to happiness or misery”(19).
This directly shows how it is within the creator’s control to affect the life of its creation according their nurture. This passage shows that it is within their control to either direct the creature to misery or happiness. Because the 1831 edition is more effective n the demonstrating this correlation, it can be closely applied to Frankenstein’s behavior towards his creation is a cause for its behavior and actions. This relationship between Frankenstein and the creature is key to the message of the story.
Secondly, in the 1818 edition Elizabeth comes to live with Alphonse Frankenstein, her uncle, when her father decides to remarry. In paragraph six of chapter one in the 1818 edition, Elizabeth’s father requests that Alphonse take charge of the infant Elizabeth and leaves her mother’s fortune to Alphonse’s keeping. The fact that Elizabeth is not an orphan in this edition but is abandoned by her father and is only with the fortune her mother left her, demonstrates the objectifying aspect of her life. This overall shows that Elizabeth is treated as an object from the beginning of her life and how helpless she is to men’s will.In the 1831 version reads, “her mother was a German, and had died give birth”(21). The version also says that Elizabeth’s father has gone missing and she has been left destitute.
Although Elizabeth is still portrayed as being helpless, she is not as objectified in this version for she is not traded into a new family, she is not seen for her money, and has not been abandoned by her parents. Thus, the 1818 edition of Frankenstein better demonstrates the objectification and helplessness of Elizabeth in the story.Furthermore, the twenty ninth paragraph in chapter one of the 1818 edition states, “I disclosed my discoveries to Elizabeth, therefore, under a promise of strict secrecy; but she did not interest herself in the subject, and I was left by her to pursue my studies alone. ” The edition also discloses that Frankenstein wished to tell his father about his discoveries but was wary of the scorn he might receive for reading Agrippa. The fact that Frankenstein wishes to communicate is ideas contradicts his later feelings of not wanting to tell anyone about the horrible creation he has made.
The 1831 edition states, “The most learned philosopher knew little more. He had partially unveiled the face of Nature, but he immortal lineaments were still a wonder and a mystery”(25). This passage shows that Frankenstein did not confide his secrets and discoveries with anyone. This reveals one of Frankenstein’s traits: his greed and lust for more knowledge. His not confessing is essential in his portrayal as being greedy, for he does not wish to reveal his unprecedented discoveries.Thus the 1831 edition is more successful in characterizing Victor Frankenstein’s insatiable lust for knowledge.
Finally, the twenty fourth paragraph in chapter one of the 1818 edition states “the professor discoursed with the greatest fluency of potassium and boron, of sulphates and oxyds, terms which I could affix no idea; and I became disgusted with the science of natural philosophy…” This passage affects the course of Frankenstein’s studies for he decides to completely abandon his studies in natural philosophy. His lose of persistence in natural philosophy affects how he is perceived.His abandonment affects his characterization as being driven by his passions and the hunt for knowledge and truth which is later present in the story. In comparison, in the 1831 version Frankenstein renounces his previous beliefs of natural philosophy but instead he studies “the branches of study appertaining to that science, as being built upon secure foundations, and so worthy of my consideration”(27).
Frankenstein does leave the original teachings of philosophers he followed, such as Agrippa, but he is persistent in finding true knowledge in the natural philosophy branch.Thus, the 1831 version of Frankenstein is more successful in developing Frankenstein’s character as being that of a man driven by his thirst for knowledge. The differences between the 1818 and 1831 editions of Frankenstein add and remove to the overall effect of the novel. The 1818 edition contributes more to the characterization of Elizabeth as being helpless and just another object for the men in her life to control. The 1831 edition reveals Victor as being a character moved by his ambitions to achieve a grater knowledge at a greater extent than the 1818 edition.
The 1831 version of the novel also reveals how the relationship between a parent and a child affects the outcome of the child’s life. This revelation is necessary to analyze the relation between Frankenstein and his creation. Although the differences between the two editions may seem as minute in some cases, the 1831 edition does a more extensive job in the characterization of the people in novel, the development of themes ad motifs, and has an overall affect on the plot.
