"I avoided the face of man; every sound of joy or satisfaction was torture for me; solitude was my only consolation: a deep, dark solitude, similar to death" ( 74). Mary Shelly's Frankenstein was written during a period known as the Romantic Era. The recognized literary forms that were written then had many distinguishable themes, including that of isolation. The quote from protagonist Victor Frankenstein, at the top of the page, shows just a glimpse of a recurring theme throughout the book. Victor's life is one where he feels obligated to hide incidents and keep things, like his fearsome creation, secret. Victor's intense, self-induced isolation is equivalent to that felt by the creature. Victor's insides, his hatred and his ugliness, are projected onto the monster and shown in his external appearance. Isolation, whether emotional, physical or social, and its effects, are key themes in both Victor's life and the creature in Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay As the narrator and main character of the book, Victor Frankenstein experiences mental and emotional isolation from society throughout the novel. For example, Victor spends many hours walking through the secluded mountains, saying that they "have raised me from every trifle of feeling, and though they have not removed my sorrow, they have tamed and tranquilized it" (80). Victor further explains that the mountains are a form of retreat for him. He considers them a place of solitude where he can reflect on his inner emotions. Victor also refers to another way to relieve the pain: “…after the rest of the family had retired for the night, I took the boat and spent many hours on the water” (75). Victor does this alone, in the middle of the night, which shows that he wants to be completely alone and silent. Evidently he doesn't want to reveal himself or express his emotions to anyone, so he retreats onto a boat where no one can see him, and where he finds himself in total isolation. Furthermore, in Justine's harrowing trial, Victor is terribly annoyed as he explains by saying, "Throughout this miserable travesty of justice, I suffered living tortures. It was to be decided whether the result of my curiosity and my illegal devices would cause the deaths of two my fellow men" (66). Victor is torn by the knowledge that he can save his dear friend, but chooses to keep it a secret due to his personal pride, believing that no one will trust his story. This is a tragic display of friendship, but also an example of Victor's self-induced isolation, particularly when he has important information about his friend. Ignoring the fact that Victor does not act like an adult, he suffers from a severe case of emotional isolation and becomes a darker character as a result. The monster that Victor creates also experiences and lives a life of social and physical isolation. When the monster reaches Victor at the top of Mont Blanc, he begs him to "listen to my story; it is long and strange, and the temperature of this place is not suited to your beautiful sensations; come to the hut on the mountain" (85). Living on top of a snowy mountain demonstrates how isolated the monster is from civilization. He lives in harsh weather conditions and has no one to talk to for miles. As the monster tells Victor of the immense physical hardships during his first hours of existence, he relates how: "It was dark when I awoke; I was cold also, and almost frightened, as it were, instinctively, finding myself so desolate" (87). The monster describes his first experience of loneliness and cold in the woods, which gives the reader the opportunity to.