32IJELS 109202043 Oedipal PDF

International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences, 5(5)
Sep-Oct 2020 |Available online: https://ijels.com/
Oedipal Desire in Bernard Rose’s Frankenstein

Mridula Sharma
Department of English, Maharaja Agrasen College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
Abstract— Mary Shelley’s attempt to create a Female Gothic in the textual space of Frankenstein; or, The
Modern Prometheus (1818) has enabled the inauguration of critical discourse in a novel that refutes
generic classifications. Bernard Rose’s film titled, Frankenstein (2015), has appropriated Mary Shelley’s
nineteenth-century novel for contemporary viewers. The insertion of the monster’s Oedipal desire for
Elizabeth in the cinematic adaptation supplements the investigation of orthodox romantic ideals by
visualizing potentialities in the story. This paper endeavors to critique the illustration of the Oedipal
Complex in Rose’s film to comprehend the significance of its incorporation in the plot.
Keywords— Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, Bernard Rose, Monster, Oedipal Complex.
I. INTRODUCTION in hindsight to verbalize his traumatic experience in an

Paul O’Flinn claims that “there is no such thing as attempt to seek closure. His expectation from this
Frankenstein, there are only Frankensteins, as the text is endeavor is the communication of his private distress
ceaselessly rewritten, reproduced, refilmed and redefined” created as a consequence of being considered the ‘Other.’
(p.22). The placement of Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel The process of his ‘Otherisation’ accelerates when his
continues to shift from one medium to another for the romantic feelings for Elizabeth are revealed. In this way,
production of yet another interpretation of the argument the film interrogates contemporary understanding of
presented in the textual space. Bernard Rose’s complex issues.
Frankenstein (2015) offers a plurality of meanings that In this article, I will investigate the explicit emphasis on
reinforces one’s belief in the reconstitution of the monster’s Oedipal desire for his maternal equivalent
interpretation irrespective of authorial intention. and Rose’s effort to satisfy the monster’s quest for
Existing scholarship around Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein romance with the monster’s eventual union with Elizabeth
(1818) fails to confine the novel within a rigid bracket of in his final moments before death. I attempt to identify the
genre since its interpretative scope transgresses ramifications of Elizabeth’s identification of the monster
conventional generic divides. Though the reconfiguration with a Biblical name like ‘Adam’ on the subsequent
of the monster’s story in Rose’s film deviates from portrayal of their incestuous union. The nature of their
novelistic discourse, it proposes novel arguments within relationship will be examined to identify how Elizabeth
the domain of psychoanalytic criticism. In this paper, I will can be located within the nexus of his maternal guardian.
focus on the examination of the monster’s Oedipal desire
for his maternal equivalent. II. THE MONSTER’S OEDIPAL DESIRE FOR
The narrative technique utilized by Rose eliminates the ELIZABETH
setting created by frame narrators to instead offer the The film remodels Mary Shelley’s narrative for
outlook of the monster. Frankenstein’s monster shifts to cotemporary viewers: the prohibition of the monster’s
the forefront in the film and finally becomes an agent in admission in the societal realm becomes inevitable after
dictating the story of the cinematic adaptation to the Rose’s Frankenstein completes his unsuccessful biopsy
implied viewers. It is interesting to note that the film’s that leads to the metamorphosis of the monster’s skin. An
divergence from Kantian aesthetics is accompanied by its unexpected eruption of scarlet-colored boils leads to the
construction of a typical Female Gothic. attachment of the label of monstrosity to the monster. He
The monster becomes a Romantic spokesperson like is unsuccessful in retaining the initial acceptance by his
Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner: his narrative is meant for creators, especially by Frankenstein. Frankenstein aborts
informing his viewers, not entertaining them. Like the any further attempts to remodel his creature’s physical
Mariner, the monster is uncovering the sequence of events appearance for social sanction.
ISSN: 2456-7620
https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijels.55.31 1553
Elizabeth’s acceptance of the monster as a ‘conscious his chest, in a fashion similar to the one in which they
living entity’ as opposed to Frankenstein’s initial dismissal were earlier positioned during the episode that symbolized
and subsequent rejection positions her as a maternal breastfeeding. This dream translates into reality when
nurturer for the monster from the beginning of the film. Elizabeth’s accidental murder by Frankenstein makes her
Mary Shelley’s monster stretches out his hands toward fall on the heavily bruised body of the monster toward the
Frankenstein as a probable consequence of his intrinsic end of the film.
need to seek refuge in the arms of his creator. Rose’s The film ends with the monster entering his funeral pile
monster, in contrast, directs the performance of the same holding Elizabeth in his hands. The Deleuzian double is
action toward Elizabeth. The sequence of events and the repeated differently throughout the plot of the film:
psychology of the involved characters within the narrative constant recurrence of the romantic partnership of
framework of the novelistic tradition do not permit the Elizabeth with the monster underlines the emphasis on
authorial voice to allow Frankenstein’s reciprocation. their incestuous association and therefore eliminates the
Since Rose’s monster reaches out to Elizabeth’s character, Oedipal complex generated within the textual domain by
acknowledgement of his affection is plausible because of the removal of Frankenstein’s mother as well as the
both the identification of women as caregivers and eradication of Elizabeth’s placement as his cousin.
Elizabeth’s depiction as a nurturing character.
The adoption of Elizabeth Lavenza by the Frankensteins in
The impression of physical proximity at the onset of their Mary Shelley’s narrative in combination with
relationship reveals the possibility of gradual development Frankenstein’s development of desire toward her is read by
of the Oedipal complex. After the monster spits the semi- David Collings as Frankenstein’s need to substitute his
liquid food that Elizabeth attempts to feed him while dead mother with a maternal equivalent. The textual
instructing him during the process of intaking food, he Elizabeth assumes the responsibilities of Caroline Beaufort
snatches the bottle of milk from her hand and forces her to in both managing the entire household and acting as a
feed him milk while she is leaning over his frame. This nurturer for the family.
allows the creation of an Oedipal interlude that gains
The Oedipal drama is completed by the insertion of the
prominence with progress in the narrative. That their
following features: Caroline’s replacement by Elizabeth as
position corresponds to an image of a mother breastfeeding
a motherly figure, Frankenstein’s pursuit of recreating his
her child adds support to the supposition that the
dead mother’s figurative representation in the form of his
incorporation of romantic elements within their
intellectual project, and Frankenstein’s defiance of his
relationship purports the adoption of Freudian analysis
father’s gentle proscription of reading the outdated
during the process of critical examination.
Agrippa, Paracelsus, and Albertus Magnus. Margaret
Investigation of the Oedipal complex within the cinematic Homans argues that the son desires a figurative
framework implies that the monster shares antipathy representation of his mother in case he loses the physical
toward Frankenstein while simultaneous affection for body. By extending Homan’s argument, Collings proposes
Elizabeth. Before the conduction of biopsy, Frankenstein that the novel prescribes and positions Elizabeth as a better
and Dr Marcus treat the monster as a plaything and engage substitute for Frankenstein than the monster.
with him to assess his cognitive development in his initial
Rose’s film deviates from the textual trajectory by
stage. Their interest in him as an experiment is affirmed by
eliminating Caroline Beaufort and the Frankenstein family
Frankenstein’s constant reference to him as a ‘good boy’:
from the narrative. This altogether removes the possibility
though the phrase appears to play a crucial role in
of projecting the Oedipal conflict onto Frankenstein’s
humanizing the monster by comparing him to a human boy
character. By highlighting the monster’s persistent
having seemingly ‘good’ characteristic features, a deeper
obsession for Elizabeth, Rose replaces one Oedipal
inquiry in its origin reveals that the popular employment of
complex with another within the narrative. Further, since
the phrase serves the need to enable the comparison with a
Elizabeth is involved in the process of the monster’s birth,
domesticated animal. Frankenstein’s decision to dispose
the unidirectional growth of romance in her story with the
the monster’s apparently hideous body after witnessing the
monster increases the potency of social approbation of the
aftermath of biopsy is perhaps added to complicate the
incestuous affair since the motherly representative is not
romantic conflict and intensify the layers of discord
being contaminated.
between him and his monster.
Elizabeth’s interest in participating in a romantic
The escape from Frankenstein’s laboratory eventually
relationship with the monster could have instigated public
leads the monster to seek refuge near a small pond where
boycott of the film because of the supposed corruption of
he dreams of Elizabeth lying atop him, with her head on
ISSN: 2456-7620
the woman who is the embodiment of motherly virtues. REFERENCES

The escalation of romantic affection within the monster [1] O’Flinn, P. (1986). “Production and Reproduction: The
places the narrative within the ambit of societal approval Case of Frankenstein.” Popular Fictions: Essays in
because while his affection appears romantic after the Literature and History, London: Methuen: 194-213.
consideration of his deplorable plight, it is never [2] Shelley, M. (2016). Frankenstein. Maya Joshi (Ed.). New
reciprocated and his official union with a conscious Delhi: Worldview Publications.
Elizabeth is denied. [3] Rose, B. (2015). Frankenstein. Alchemy, 12 April 2015,
https://www.netflix.com/in/, accessed 1 June 2020 on
The monster’s final encounter with Frankenstein and Netflix.
Elizabeth results in the assignment of a Biblical name to [4] Kant, I. (1987). Critique of Judgement. Werner Pluhar
the monster when Elizabeth calls him ‘Adam.’ A semiotic (trans.), Indianapolis: Hackett.
analysis corroborated by theological validation and [5] Moers, E. (1976). Literary Women. Garden City:
cultural acceptance suggests that the name is a reference to Doubleday.
the Christian Adam who is considered the first man to [6] Gilles, D. (1986). Cinema 1: The Movement-Image. Hugh
Tomlinson & Barbara Haberjam (trans.). Minneapolis:
have been made by the Christian God in his own image.
University of Minnesota P.
Since the monster is the first kind of his species, he is
[7] Shelley M.W., & Smith, J.M. (2000). “Frankenstein:
supposed to bear semblance with Adam’s character owing Complete, Authoritative Text With Biographical, Historical,
to the fact that both are the progenitors of their races. Even And Cultural Contexts, Critical History, And Essays From
though the monster is primarily the product of Contemporary Critical Perspectives.” Boston: Bedford/St.
Frankenstein’s ambition, the insertion of Elizabeth’s Martin’s.
christening ceremony concretely establishes her as the [8] Homans, M. (1986). Bearing the Word: Language and
maternal equivalent, thereby validating the evaluation of Female Experience in Nineteenth-Century Women’s
the Oedipal complex within the cinematic domain. Writing. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Finally, the episode where the monster carries Elizabeth in

his arms and claims her unconscious body is aptly
preceded by Elizabeth’s assignment of the Biblical name,
for it is not possible for him to extend his claim over her
dying body in the complete absence of the nomenclative
process. Before he is called ‘Adam,’ he is an abandoned
creation. Afterward, not only does the monster receive
maternal validation, but also the resolution of the narrative
conflict, which is directed toward Elizabeth instead of
Frankenstein in the film, is accomplished. Although the
creation of the monster is primarily Frankenstein’s
ambition, the monster's early memories with Elizabeth and
her eventual abandonment at the police station where she
refuses to recognize him, shift the conflict and pilot it
toward her. The conflation of the Oedipal complex and the
orientation of Elizabeth as the monster’s maternal guardian
complicate the anatomy of the narrative purpose.
III. CONCLUSION
Maternal affection ultimately appears ambivalent when
Elizabeth’s feelings for the monster appear blurred in the
film’s narrative. The monster’s appearance is sufficient to
eradicate the possibility in which his phantasmagoria will
be materialized into reality. This makes the possibility of
his romantic, conjugal or sexual union with Elizabeth
highly improbable.
ISSN: 2456-7620

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International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences, 5(5)

Sep-Oct 2020 |Available online: https://ijels.com/

Oedipal Desire in Bernard Rose’s Frankenstein

I. INTRODUCTION in hindsight to verbalize his traumatic experience in an

the woman who is the embodiment of motherly virtues. REFERENCES

Finally, the episode where the monster carries Elizabeth in

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