AP English IV Dual Credit 1302

AP English IV
Dual Credit 1302
What is a doppelganger?

 A look-alike, literally a “double-goer”
 An alter ego
 A paranormal double of a living person
 A doppelgänger is often perceived as a sinister form of
bilocation and is regarded by some to be a harbinger
of bad luck. In some traditions, a doppelgänger seen
by a person's relative or friend portends illness or
danger while seeing one's own doppelgänger is said to
be an omen of death.

 One may view the duality of Victor Frankenstein and his monster
as an even greater force. Frankenstein and his creation may even
represent one being -- two sides of a single entity forming a
doppelganger relationship.
 However, it is difficult to decipher which represent good and
which represents evil -- the man or the monster. To some degree,
they each represent both. By the end of the novel, the question of
which character is the “monster” is left open to interpretation.
 One would initially assume the monster is the evil, yet it is
Frankenstein who creates the monster and then hides from the
responsibility. His cowardice not only leads to the death of his
younger brother, but also to that of the young girl accused of his
murder.
 The monster, in fact, has moments of great intellect and rationality.
He even acts as a kind of conscience for Victor.
Two Halves= One
Whole

 It is important to consider Victor Frankenstein's duality
and magnetism in today's perception of Frankenstein.
 Because the man and the monster seem to be two halves
of one being held together by magnetism, popular culture
has confused the two. Dr. Frankenstein has become
merely "the mad scientist," while his monster has become
Frankenstein.
 It is likely not coincidental that a monster would be given
the name Frankenstein -- the name of a man who caused
such uncontrolled destruction. This is again the
doppelganger relationship of Frankenstein and his
unnamed monster showing itself in the novel.

 Ultimately, Shelley seems to use the doppelganger as
yet another layer in her argument regarding the
nature of humanity.
 Human nature is not clear-cut and absolute—human
action is an unknown force, one with which we daily
reckon.
 Shelley’s use of the doppelganger sheds light on this
reality.
Sources

 Wikipedia
 http://public.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/frank.comment3
.html
 Mrs. Beard’s own brilliance 