My take is that Frankenstein is a surname, and, as Victor was the monster’s progenitor, they are both Frankenstein. If the context is clear enough for some pedant to “well, actually”, then it is clear enough to understand which Frankenstein is being discussed.
Personally I think it’s ok to call the monster (or that style of monster) ‘a Frankenstein’ on the basis that it was created by Dr. Frankenstein the same way you’d call a painting by Picasso ‘a Picasso’.
Frankenstein’s monster doesn’t deserve any sympathy; he’s pure evil. I know this contradicts the opinions of the characters in the book. He does suffer mightily and unfairly despite all efforts at kindness.
The problem is that his solution is to create another to suffer as he has. He even instructs the Doctor to make her hideous like him so that she’ll have no choice but to be his companion. The doctor wonders if this will be enough to stop the “bride” from going rogue.
These are the only two times in the novel anyone considers that the “bride” might have motivation or pathos of her own.
He also refers to his potential bride as the “female” which, well ya know.
Interesting way to look at the story. It certainly is an odd choice for a book written by a woman. A daughter of a notable 19th century feminist no less.
Oh, I may have a book (series) for you! The Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss. It starts with Mary Jekyll—the daughter of Dr. Jekyll—and expands to find Sherlock and Watson, a daughter of Hyde, Justine—the woman made to be Adam Frankenstein’s bride, and other women left in the path of various men who tested the limits of humanity. It even talks about Shelley’s book and why she might have written it as she did. The second book expands into the wife and daughter of Van Helsing.
I’m about 75% of the way through the second book and have been loving them. They’re very post-modern though, with the characters somewhat frequently interrupting the narrator to discuss the way the story is written. I love that sort of thing but know it’s not for everyone!
Funny I avoided that book because of the title, and now I realize how deliberate the choice was.
I mean, I’m good with “Handsome.”
“Call me Daddy”
