Victorian Doubt

So today I was reading about the Victorian Era for English class, and I came across a phrase that really struck a chord with me "The Doubt of Religion." Basically, what this means is that this was the first time people in the western world really started to doubt the veracity of religion (in this case, it was mostly Christianity). And I couldn't help but think to myself one of my favorite quotes from Religilous where it's host, Bill Maher, drops this chestnut: "doubt is humble, and that's what human beings need to be." Man, Religilous is such a great movie. You should watch it if you haven't already.

What's In A Name?

I think it's pretty common knowledge at this point that the monster in Frankenstein, and it's many movie adaptations, is not himself called Frankenstein, he is "Frankenstein's Monster (which is, admittedly, quite a mouthful).

Here's my quibble with this: the monster should have a name of his own. This is not just to make it easier to refer to him (although that's really important too), it's because not having a name greatly dehumanizes him as a character. To be constantly referred to as a "monster" or "creature" or "demon" plays into his creator: Victor Frankenstein's prejudices against him. By refusing to name his creation (more accurately, his son) Victor is making a deliberate point to refuse the creature any identity of his own, any social standing as a man. To Victor, his creation is an abomination, something to be swept under the rug, forgotten until he starts killing, and even then refusing to come clean about his personal failings as a father, and frankly, his sheer irresponsibility.

But when we learn about the creature from his own words, we see he is, in fact, a man, albeit one who's 8 feet tall with yellow skin and red eyes. He is not this mindlessly evil creature that doesn't deserve the common decency of a proper name.

So what do we call the creature, then? Well in one scene, the monster seems to name himself, telling Victor "I should have been your Adam" (the creature had just read Paradise Lost). Mary Shelley also called the creature Adam in private company, something that the makers of I, Frankenstein apparently knew about.

Okay so the creature's name is Adam. Is that it? Not quite, for as I said, you can make a very strong argument that the creature is Victor's son, so really, it wouldn't be wrong to call the creature Frankenstein too! The creator is Victor Frankenstein. The creation is Adam Frankenstein. Like father, like son.

There, I hope that clears up matters a bit.

On Romanticism

I'd like to tie up Romanticism, put it in a burlap sack, and beat it with a baseball bat till it admits the present is a million times better than the past.

Regarding "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner."

Getting accosted by a random old guy before a wedding is really weird.


Like, I've had to put up with family members I rarely see (with good reason), but I've never had to make small talk with a spooky drifter.


I mean, was the Ancient Mariner even invited, or is he a wedding crasher?


That's really bad manners, Ancient Mariner.


And then you're going to tell me your whole life story? And we'll just stand around? We aren't even going to bother to sit down at our table or anything?


And that's a really long time to be standing there. By the time the Mariner gets finished riming, the wedding will already be over, Dustin Hoffman will have arrived to break it all up, the couple will have said "I do", the rings would have been exchanged, the cake would have been cut and eaten, leaving none for me.


And all this because I decided to humor a senile senior citizen?


I don't think so!


Go tell someone else your crazy story, Ancient Mariner.


I really want some cake.