This term paper explores how the ‘monster’ in Mary Shelley’s original 1818 edition of Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus develops a sense of subjectivity through the act of storytelling and the acquisition of language, with a focus on chapters 10 to 17, which would be Volume II Chapter II to Volume III Chapter I in other Editions. These chapters are essential because the creature tells his own story, which mark a decisive turning point in the novel. The monster, previously seen as mute and terrifying, turns into a reflective subject capable to express itself, think about right and wrong and show feelings.
The central research question therefore is: How do language and narration enable the creature to claim a voice, negotiate his identity and assert his subjectivity in the novel’s narrative structure?
To answer this question, the paper will closely have a look at the creature’s own story and how Shelley shows the importance of language, storytelling and recognition.
The study argues that the creature’s story questions simple ideas of monstrosity and highlights the importance of voice and representation. By using narratological analysis and theories of subjectivity and voice, the paper’s thesis is that the creature transforms from an object of horror into a subject with a claim to recognition, which makes both the characters in the novel and the readers to rethink the line between monstrosity and humanity.
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- Anonymous (Autor:in), 2025, Language and Narrative as the Foundation of Subjectivity, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1724068
