The misnomer of evil : neglect, grief, and the foundations of villainy

Abstract

Brontë’s Heathcliff, Leroux’s Erik, and Shelley’s Creature are some of the most intricately constructed literary villains present in the canon. Over the years, their status as antagonists has caused their perception to morph into one that is aligned with their moral corruption, consequently overshadowing the circumstances which have shaped them into what they are now known as. Readers and critics alike generally showcase a tendency to regard the psychological disfiguration of such characters as being a mere structural construction which acts as a foundation on which the storyline is to develop. Through an in-depth analysis of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera, and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, this dissertation challenges this perception. By exploring the portrayal of childhood neglect and intense grief in these three novels, this dissertation underscores how antagonists such as Heathcliff, Erik, and the Creature may be regarded as personifications of a psyche forced to withstand highly unfavourable mental and physical conditions, morphing them into Gothic monsters whose wretched backstory is often disregarded or downplayed. Making use of a number of psychological and philosophical approaches as its primary framework, this dissertation opens up a discussion on what evil truly is, and argues that these villains are not innately evil, but rather men who have been thrust into a life of savagery, and being all they have ever known, project their anger and despair through every aspect of themselves.