Guillermo Del Toro’s recent movie adaptation of Frankenstein resurfaces the bioethical themes evoked by the first science fiction novel ever written by Mary Shelley. The film was released in October this year and has since sparked conversations regarding its faithfulness to the original literature. Frankenstein explores themes of human longing and isolation, and has raised debates about morality in the pursuit of knowledge and power. If you’ve read the classic novel, you’ll notice that although the film carries similar themes, the delivery is much more emotional. Guillermo has so ingeniously strung the original ideas together into a cinematic masterpiece.
As we follow Victor Frankenstein’s story, the adaptation emphasizes his relationship with his father. In the book, their relationship is portrayed as loving and nurturing, whereas the movie depicts Victor’s father as abusive, creating a parallel between Victor and the Creature’s relationship. In the movie, Victor’s pursuit of power and knowledge is driven solely by his ambition and his wish to compete with God; however, the film portrays his desires as stemming from his trauma over losing his mother.
Another noteworthy difference between the novel and the film was that Elizabeth (Victor’s love interest) had no interaction with the Creature in the book until the Creature murdered her on her wedding night to seek revenge from Victor, in contrast to being murdered by Victor in an attempt to kill the Creature. In the adaptation, Elizabeth is the only person who shows kindness and empathy to the creature – “In those eyes I saw pain, and what is pain if not evidence of intelligence?” Notably, Elizabeth plays a significant role in humanizing the creature and revealing that maybe the true monster was indeed Victor himself. “Only monsters play God, Victor.”
Frankenstein’s central ideas revolve around isolation, morality, and knowledge. Although these themes are conveyed in the novel, the subtle differences in the adaptation further reinforce the notion that humans’ greed for power and knowledge creates the real monsters. In the film, the Creature says, “The hunter did not hate the wolf. The wolf did not hate the sheep. But violence felt inevitable between them. Perhaps, I thought, this was the way of the world. It would hunt you and kill you just for being who you are.” I believe this theme is extremely relevant to how society functions today. There is no inherent hate; it’s created by a bottomless greed for wanting more, even if it takes violence to get there.
I could endlessly discuss the different themes and metaphors in the book and the adaptation. Still, honestly, having read and watched both, Guillermo Del Toro captures this story in a light so raw and human that it will make you question humanity itself.