In the scholarly article Moral and Myth in Mrs. Shelley’s “Frankenstein”, author M. A. Goldberg identifies topics of loneliness and isolation as she describes the morality of the central characters throughout the novel: Victor, the creature and Walton. In the case of Walton, he lacks an equal member of society who can provide him with a sense of compassion as he pursues his intellectual goals. He feels he retains no social connection from whom he can learn and from whom he can balance the one-dimensional perspective he previously contained. In a similar notion, Victor prior to his meeting with Walton felt a similar attraction to knowledge, curious towards philosophical principles and the hard sciences. This thirst towards his research, however, destroyed any remains of his social well-being through his scientific creation of what would be his servant or “shadow”-like creature. The creature demonstrates a similar theme, describing his pain resulting from the lack of attachment he was provided. The immediate abandonment from his creator and the clear difference/ uniqueness of his form placed him on an island to suffer alone for the duration of his existence. She argues overall that no character retains the ability to healthily function without connection and relationship.

In her article, M. A. Goldberg utilizes an excerpt from an 1817 Review of the book between Goodwin’s Caleb Williams and Frankenstein, extending the notion of isolation of the individual, as well as themes of loneliness which contribute to the moral context of the book that she highlights in her own writing.

This article develops a lot of the same concepts I hoped to address in regards to the isolation felt by the three main characters as a result of their discoveries and the paths of life on which they have been guided. Under this main topic, the article also provides references to biblical stories and myths which provide strong correlation to the messages promoted in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

http://www.jstor.org.proxy.library.emory.edu/stable/pdf/30210049.pdf?acceptTC=true