Loneliness: Frankenstein & The Monster

Lonliness is a common theme shared between Victor Frankenstein and the Monster throughout the novel. Towards the beginning of the novel, Victor shares a poem in Chapter 4:

            Like one who, on a lonely road,
                Doth walk in fear and dread,
            And, having once turned round, walks on,
                And turns no more his head;
            Because he knows a frightful fiend
                Doth close behind him tread.

This poem depicts Victor's current situation quite clearly. He is a lonely person who walks in fear, frequently turning his head around because he knows a frightful figure is following close behind it. The figure is of course, the Monster. The reasoning behind Victor's lonliness is actually a result of his very own actions. His thirst for knowledge and discovering the science behind the process of acquiring life is what caused him to isolate himself from the outside world, as well as his family.

The Monster too encounters the theme of lonliness throughout the novel. In fact, he learns how it feels to be lonliness since the very beginning of the novel. To the Monster, Victor has a father-like stature. It's like a new born baby being left by his dad. What else is there to do but to follow? A perfect example is on page 82, Chapter 10, where the Monster confronts Victor and demands answers. The Monster expresses his sadness and lonliness, by reflecting upon the many encounters he had with other humans, the Monster realizes he is definetly not accepted and able to integrate into society, unless Victor helps him.