Title: The Monster Made By Man: Or, The Punishment Of Presumption.
Author: Anonymous
Date of First Publication: 17 June 1825
Place of Publication: London: J. Mark
Bibliographic Reference: Pitcher, Edward. “‘Frankenstein’ as Short Fiction: A Unique Adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Novel.” Studies in Short Fiction, 20.1 (1983): 49.
Type: Short story
Keywords: ANDROID; BYRONIC HERO; POSTHUMAN; FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER; SYMPATHETIC MONSTER
Critical Summary: Ernest is the eldest son of the magistrate Wallberg. Ernest has access to a family library that has been passed down from father to son spanning a number of generations. Interested in Astrology, he decides to be the creator and master of a new set of beings as a way to prove his superior knowledge and power.
When the Monster is born, Ernest and his assistant Frantz are horrified by its appearance. The Monster attacks them. Before running away it tells Ernest, “I am the punishment of thy presumption.” Frantz relates the story of his experience with the Monster to the other villagers, but the villagers do not believe him. However, the villagers begin to spot the Monster as it moves through the fields. The villagers become horrified and believe it wants to attack them; later, they realize that the creature only wants food so they decide to leave it food and it leaves them alone. On one occasion the monster goes inside Frantz’s household and becomes mesmerized by the beauty of Frantz’s three sisters. Frantz walks in on the monster and immediately attacks it, but the creature easily fights off Frantz. The Monster is about to attack Frantz but is stopped by the beauty and innocence of the three sisters.
The Monster flees the Frantz household, but his next visit is to Ernest. When he gets to the Ernest household Ernest’s mother, Madame Wallberg, sees him. Madame Wallberg is shocked by the appearance of the Monster and falls unconscious as a result. Unable to fully recover from the shock, she eventually dies. Distraught and impassioned by feelings of revenge, Ernest goes in search of the Monster for a final battle. Ernest does find the it, but in doing so inadvertently puts his young brother Henry in danger. Ernest and the Monster begin to fight; Henry sees this so he decides to attack the Monster to defend his brother. The Monster delivers a deadly blow to Henry with the butt of a gun. Henry collapses to his death. Ernest is sent into a world of agony when he realizes that he cannot overpower the monster and he has been the cause of the deaths of his mother and brother.
In a final battle, the monster and Ernest fight at the top of a mountain. The villagers can see the silhouette of Ernest and the Monster fighting. The mountain finally engulfs both men in an avalanche. When they are found they are side by side. Both creator and creation meet their doom at the hands of one another. This short story is based on the first plays made from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, especially Peake’s Presumption.
Administrative Notes: Diego Lopez (CSUF)