Frankenstein : A Comparison

Frankenstein remains and will remain one of the greatest horror stories
ever written. This is owed to the fact that it directly addresses our fears
related to the delicate line between life and death in addition to our
shortcomings in light of our ambitious ideals. It also demonstrates the
risk associated with the pursuit of knowledge and technological growth.
But, from the original novel to the movie, this modern Prometheus has
undergone significant changes. Because of how well-known it is, Mel
Brooks's "Young Frankenstein'' film was made based on the book. Yet,
after reading the novel and seeing the movie, it is easy to recognize the
similarities and distinctions. It is clear how this literary work has been
altered, whether it be through changes to the plot, characters, thoughts
or attitudes.

However, the similarities emerge first. Dr. Frankenstein, who is

successful in reviving a corpse, serves as the book's protagonist. Despite
the fact that the true monster is now known by the name
"Frankenstein," this is actually the name of the doctor who created it.
The fact that Dr. Frankenstein is always referred to as the man, even if
his name is different, is one obvious resemblance between the two works.
Due to their shared obsession with death, the two physicians came up
with this creature. Both the book and the movie include the lovely
Elizabeth as the doctor's future wife (his fiance in the film). Another
relation between the film and the novel is that Dr. Frankenstein
eventually wants to destroy his creature at one point. The monster
discovers on its own in both the novel and the film that it will always be
shunned and despised by society and distinct from humans. Both
versions of the creatures experience human emotions and conclude that
they are not human, will never be welcomed into society, and will always
be unloved. In both the novel and the film, Frankenstein discovers that
the creature's sentiments are similar to those of humans, and he
concludes that the creature will never be accepted for who he is. In all
tales, Frankenstein is unsure about the creature's consequences.
Frankenstein's Creature In neither the original novel nor the movie, is
given a name. And both conceptions of the monster are capable of
speaking. Because they both desire to belong, both monsters are
ultimately sympathetic individuals.

Then we have the differences. Despite the fact that his character in
both the novel and the film aims for the same objective, his feelings
towards the final monster differ. In the novel, the monster is abandoned
and left to live life on his own, whereas in the film, the creature flees Dr.
Frankenstein and is forced to confront society on his own. In the film,
the creature returns to Frankenstein's castle after fleeing and being
imprisoned as a monster by the town residents. The creature goes insane
and violent at the castle until Frankenstein tells him that he loves him
and believes he is lovely. Unlike in the book, the creature in the film is
loved by his creator, is not abandoned, and has someone to look after
and assist him. Furthermore, in the story, Frankenstein seeks to conceal
his creation and does not want society to know about him. In the film,
Frankenstein wants everyone to know about his creation and puts on a
performance to show off his achievements. Although Frankenstein feels
his creation is wonderful, society regards the creature as a monster yet
again. In the novel, Frankenstein wants to abandon his creation and
sees it as a horrible disaster. He feels like a failure and is unsure how to
treat his beast. Due to a sense of abandonment, the creature loses its
sense of purpose and transforms from innocent to aggressive. In the
film, Frankenstein adores his creation and is prepared to put his own life
on the line to rescue what he has worked so hard to create. At the end
of the film, after realizing society rejects it, Frankenstein risks his life by
transferring a portion of his own brain to the creature in order to
provide it with the knowledge it requires to blend in with the rest of
civilization. This permits Frankenstein's creature to be accepted and live
in harmony in the community. Dr. Frankenstein created the monster on
his own initiative in the novel after deciding he wanted to utilize lightning
to benefit humans. In the movie, Dr. Frankenstein, the original
Frankenstein's grandson, does not want to make the monster at first,
but after discovering his grandfather's book (placed by Frau Blücher),
he decides to do it. Because there is more time to devote to such things in
a novel, Victor Frankenstein of Shelley's original novel is given a very
extensive, intricate history. The film begins with Dr. Frankenstein giving
a lecture with little time for backstory. The cinematic adaptation of Dr.
Frankenstein also features an assistant, albeit an inept one. This helper
inadvertently provides the monster with an abnormal brain. Shelley's
Frankenstein, on the other hand, is nearly utterly isolated in his
preoccupation. When Dr. Frankenstein in the film sees his creation
awake, he is thrilled and tries to make it stand up. True, he misinterprets
the creature's fearful reaction to light as an assault and imprisons it in
the lab, but his initial emotion is one of astonishment. This is a far cry
from Victor Frankenstein's reaction in the novel. He recoils in fear at
the beast and flees the lab. And this isn't Victor Frankenstein's only cold
response. The creature flees after awakening, but returns later in the
story to ask the doctor to give him a mate since the monster is extremely
lonely. Victor Frankenstein is deeply opposed. In the book, Dr.
Frankenstein has a family and we get to know who they are even if they
are later killed. In the film, on the other hand, we meet Dr.
Frankenstein while he is teaching a lecture, and we later learn that he is
going to Transylvinia because he inherited his grandfather's castle. In
the book, the monster kills, but in the film he doesn't harm anyone. In
the book, the monster is intelligent and capable of thinking on his own.
He learns to read and speak, and he experiences emotions. He knows and
understands such thoughts and feelings in others. After Frankenstein
reacts with disgust, the monster feels lonely and rejected. The monster is
horrified when he first sees his reflection, knowing that his looks would
make it impossible for him to be loved. However, in the film, the monster
is unable to talk at first, but in Dr. Frankenstein's performance, the
monster is able to construct the few words that the Dr. taught him.

The book and movie are representative of the Gothic genre because:

1. The novel is considered gothic because it blends themes such as

harsh and dark settings, horrible occurrences, supernatural
aspects, and a passionate, willful villain to convey the story of
Victor Frankenstein's fatal monster. Gothic books are concerned
with the strange and supernatural. Shelley employs very obscure
conditions in the novel to have Victor Frankenstein create the
monster, including the hazy circumstances under which Victor
acquires body parts for his experiments and the utilization of
little-known contemporary technologies for unnatural goals. It is
also considered gothic because it heavily uses symbolism (
 2. The film is considered gothic because it implements the gothic
elements:
● The elements include: the setting in a castle,
● a mysterious and suspenseful environment,
● an ancient prophecy or myth associated with the castle
and/or its inhabitants (that his grandfather reanimated a
dead body),
● supernatural or otherwise inexplicable events,
● high, even overwrought emotion,
● the euphemism for melancholy and horror,
● and the constant use of the appropriate vocabulary that sets
and creates the gothic atmosphere.
● It also includes romance and comedy as it is a parody of the
original film and book.

Ultimately, because the film is a parody of the book, it was made

differently, with more elements of humor and romance than suspense
and mystery. However, novels are usually different from movies in that
they can carry on for years coming out with books to finish a sequel or
having 300 pages. However, because the movie is generally no more than
2 hours long, you have to edit out a significant number of things that
you would normally put in the book, even if there is a sequel to the movie.