Reading Frankenstein, the constant theme of monstrosity shows up throughout the novel. However reading the scene where William is murdered and Justine is accused of murdering him, brought about the thought that knowledge itself can be a monstrous thing and is also dangerous. A chain of cause and effects, it was the forbidden knowledge of bringing inanimate objects back to life which created this monster Frankenstein – which led to the death of his beloved brother and the death of Justine. However in Justine’s case, it was the knowledge of the locket in her possession which caused her to be tried. This knowledge which led to assumptions led to the unfortunate fate of Justine. It is also this knowledge of Justine possessing the locket which brought fear into her own “friends” and caused them to turn into monsters themselves. “Several witnesses were called who had known her for many years, and they spoke well of her; but fear and hatred of the crime of which they supposed her guilty rendered them timorous and unwilling to come forward.”
Although not recent, this entire scene/incident reminded me of the Salem witch trials. How many innocent people were accused due to the fear that were instilled into them from the knowledge of “witchcraft.” How friends easily turned their backs on one another due to assumptions, he said/she saids, and how the accused just MIGHT be guilty. This led to many innocent people being hanged and the hysteria of witches/witchcraft brought out the monsters in everyone.
http://www.history.com/topics/salem-witch-trials
I really like that you narrowed your focus in Frankenstein to the particular event of Justine being falsely accused. I also like that your interest is in the potential monstrosity of knowledge. I’m a little confused though because it sounds like you’re saying that too much knowledge is the problem but it seems that Justine is in a bind because she doesn’t know how the locket got in her possession. Is the problem lack of knowledge or too much or the wrong knowledge?