Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents information about how the monster who is now referred to as "Frankenstein" is portrayed in the 9th century novel with that title.
The content of this post is provided for folkloric and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Mary Shelley for writing the novel "Frankenstein". Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/01/how-frankenstein-is-portrayed-in-yo.html for the closely related pancocojams post "How Frankenstein Is Portrayed In "Yo Bald Headed Granny", "Yo Greasy Grimy Granny" Rhymes, And In Some Other Children's Recreational Rhymes."
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INFORMATION ABOUT AND SUMMARIES OF PORTIONS OF THE 19TH CENTURY NOVEL "FRANKENSTEIN"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein
"Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is an 1818 Gothic novel[a] written by English author Mary Shelley. Frankenstein tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature from different body parts in an unorthodox scientific experiment. Shelley started writing the story when she was 18 and staying in Bath,[2] and the first edition was published anonymously in London on 1 January 1818, when she was 20. Her name first appeared in the second edition, which was published in Paris in 1821.
[...]
Through his studies, Victor discovers a new way to create life, assembling human body parts stolen from charnel houses and fresh graves, which he uses to create a large and grotesque humanoid creature. When the creature awakens, Victor is repelled by it and flees in terror, returning the next day to find the creature gone.
[...]
The newly conscious creature runs away, discovers fire, and learns to avoid humans, who find him frightening. He finds a hovel attached to a small house, which lets him observe a family while remaining unseen. As the family teaches their language to a foreigner, the creature also learns to speak and write. He also finds a collection of books, including Paradise Lost, and learns to read. He reads some papers that had been in the clothes he had taken from Ingolstadt, through which he learns the truth of his origin and the identity of his creator. He finally reveals himself to the family's blind father while he is alone, who treats him with kindness. When the rest of the family return however, they are horrified by his appearance and chase him away.
[…]
Embittered by humanity, the creature travels to Geneva to confront his creator; …. Later, while hiking on Mer de Glace, Victor once more encounters the creature. The creature relays his story and asks Victor to create a female companion, which he believes will be his only chance at happiness. Victor consents to this.
Victor and his friend Henry Clerval leave the European mainland for Britain, where Victor establishes a laboratory in Orkney. While working on the female creature, Victor imagines his creations giving birth, and fearfully decides to destroy the incomplete female. The original creature issues a warning that he will meet Victor on his wedding night, and murders Henry in an act of revenge."...
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WHY DO PEOPLE CALL THE MONSTER IN THE FRANKENSTEIN NOVEL THAT NAME WHEN "FRANKENSTEIN" WAS ACTUALLY THE LAST NAME OF THE MONSTER'S CREATOR?
AI Overview January 28, 2026
"In Mary Shelley’s original novel, the monster is never actually given a name; he is called "creature," "fiend," "being," or "monster". The common use of "Frankenstein" to describe the creature stems from pop culture—specifically early stage adaptations and the 1931 film—which merged the creator's name, Victor Frankenstein, with his creation.
Key points regarding the naming:
The Creator's Surname: Because the creature was created by Victor Frankenstein, it is colloquially referred to as "Frankenstein's monster," which was shortened over time.
"I Ought to be Thy Adam": The creature refers to himself as the "Adam" of his creator's labors,, comparing himself to the first human in the Bible, but he never takes a proper name.
Purpose of Namelessness: The creature's lack of a name symbolizes his lack of identity, rejection by society, and the ultimate denial of humanity by his creator.
While technically incorrect based on the novel, calling the monster "Frankenstein" is widely accepted in modern culture.
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REDDIT.COM DISCUSSION THREAD COMMENTS ABOUT FRANKENSTEIN
(with numbers given for referencing purposes only)
From https://www.reddit.com/r/FRANKENSTEIN/comments/1gi1e8k/is_frankensteins_creature_ugly_or_beautiful/
r/FRANKENSTEIN
1. isaacnewtons1stlaw, 2024
"Is Frankensteins creature ugly or beautiful?
I read Frankenstein about two years ago, and I remember that at first, Victor describes the creature as almost beautiful. But once it’s brought to life, he sees it as hideous and terrifying. It’s interesting because, throughout the story, everyone who encounters the creature is horrified by how he looks, so there must be something truly disturbing about him. But what exactly is it that makes him so frightening—his physical ugliness, or maybe the strange mix of beauty and monstrosity in him?"
2.
"I think it was when the monster first opened his eyes, that Victor was frightened. Book describes them as watery pale. He’s 8 feet tall, yellowish and translucent skin, black lips, and mostly like covered in stitches"
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3. pigladpigdad, 2024
"i’ve always interpreted it as being an uncanny valley type of thing. when his eyes were closed and he wasn’t alive, he was almost beautiful, as victor had intentionally chosen the most beautiful features to construct his face. as soon as he came to life, though, there was something fundamentally off about those same features. they were close to being human but not quite, which makes them utterly hideous and frightening.
when i was first reading the book in eighth grade, my english teacher offered up a similar idea: that his hideousness upon animation stems from the fact that he has no soul - that only god, not man, can give souls, and that’s what makes the creature so scary to look at once he’s animated. i found that take interesting as well."
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4. Dachusblot, 2024
"I think it's debatable whether he had a soul. He certainly had a normal human level of curiosity, creativity, emotion and desire for social connection and justice. Had he been treated kindly, he would have been a kind person himself. To me that shows he did have a soul."
5.
"He’s also technically a walking corpse"
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