Quote about Safie's mother Safie related that her mother was a Christian Arab, seized and made a slave by the Turks; recommended by her beauty, she had won the heart of the father of Safie, who married her. Source: https://sites.google.com/site/myhideousprogenywebsite/works-cited. Lastly, when Safies dad thinks that the government knows where he is, he decides that he has to leave so the French government will not find him. 15) 22. Safie is embraced by the De Lacey family with an immediacy and completeness that the monster can only dream about. Safie has been expelled from her native Turkey by political intrigue and her love for the oldest De Lacey son, Felix. On page 88, the creature says, the Arabian sat at the feet of the old man, and, taking his guitar, played some airs so beautiful, that they at once drew tears of sorrow and delight from my eyes (Shelley 88). Why does Frankenstein leave Elizabeth alone on their wedding night? Safie struggles to learn the native tongue of her new family; she is patiently taught to speak and read the language of her adopted homeland. to bring into being; to create \rule{1cm}{0.15mm}, De Lacey shows kindness to the Creature saying it will, "afford true pleasure to be in any way serviceable to a human creature", Safie also alludes to the Greek name Sophia meaning. (Wasdisowned?). 20% Lastly, the creature says, While I listened to the instructions which Felix bestowed upon the Arabian, the strange system of human society was explained to me (Shelley 90). Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Drawing on PL, the Creature realises the injustice his Creator has done him. Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5. "Voice Sweeter than the voice of the thrush" "benevolent countenance" De Lacey shows kindness to the Creature saying it will "afford true pleasure to be in any way serviceable to a human creature" Agatha "gentle demeanour" "enticed my love" "looked patient yet sad" Agatha in Greek means Good Felix in Latin means Happiness (Thetion), I felt the greatest ardour for virtue rise within me, and abhorrence for vice. This ultimately leads to Safie's involvement with the De Lacey family. What was I? She demonstrates that so often how we treat strangers is not based on who they. | Read about the minor character Safie in ''Frankenstein''. In this way, he is on a level with the greatest of humanity. The De Laceys, like nearly every other human the monster encounters, define this stranger by what they see. When Safie arrives at the De Lacey cottage in chapter five of Frankenstein, she is welcomed in the way that an actual family member would have been. (including. She is someone who can overcome her outsider status by a pre-existing, prescribed social role. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. The kind of learning that Safie inspires means much more to the creature than merely overhearing the De Lacey's conversations because he is able to build his education while becoming more like the cottagers: normal humans. Victor himself was rather lonely in ' Frankenstein ' after he lost contact with all of his loved ones. The Curse of Frankenstein. When Shelley wrote Frankenstein, her immediate intention was not to promote the ideology of herself or her mother as the main storyline. Chapter. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. But because of birth, like him.(doomedfew!). Encapsulates what he wants from life but instead of bonds he gets only bondage. (Otherlyhowinfantwhichbonds). Refine any search. Discount, Discount Code If Shelley would have written all of her women to be as enlightened, driven, and progressive as she had learned to believe women should be due to her own equal childhood education ("Biography of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley", 2009), she would have had significantly more trouble with the publicity of the novel, as it would be far too ahead of its time. She is the daughter of a once enslaved Christian Arab woman and a Turkish merchant. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! The monster also eavesdropped on Safie's lessons, teaching him language and giving him a taste for literature and learning. 4 | Summary & Analysis, Robert Walton in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley | Character & Analysis, Alienation in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley | Theme & Quotes, Nature vs. Nurture in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley | Theme & Examples, Victor Frankenstein in Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley | Character & Analysis, Allusions in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley | Literary Device & Examples, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: Ch. Sometimes it can end up there. Contact us The monster also developed a taste and love for education and literature while listening in on the lessons provided to Safie, and then by reading various classic texts abandoned in the nearby wood. She is someone who can overcome her outsider status by a pre-existing, prescribed social role. Pointed reference to parenting inculpates Victor. His belief in the truth of the written word, however, seems particularly nave in a novel with a narrative structure as complex as that of Frankenstein; just as he falsely assumes that Paradise Lost is historically accurate, he hopes groundlessly that his narrative can win Victor over. Safie is not welcomed into the De Lacey family just because she's beautiful, though that certainly helps. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. Felix, Safie, and Agatha in Frankenstein | Shmoop. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Because Safie is so readily integrated into her new family, she quickly and completely becomes the productive member of her new homeland that she is expected to be. Safie thereby symbolizes the outsider who is not doomed to be an outsider forever. She begins as an outsider that cannot communicate and later transitions nicely into the De Lacey household, bringing much happiness. Billy Squier Mentally ill people come from all belief systems. succeed. Beautiful and vulnerable, Safie inspires the protective instincts of the De Lacey family. Throughout the story the creature explores one of mankind's most destructive flaws, prejudism. Like the fire, and like language, hes aware of the oxymorinic multiplicity of simultaneous pleasure and pain. Struggling with distance learning? (Safiepursue), As yet I looked upon crime as a distant evil; benevolence and generosity were ever present before me, inciting within me a desire to become an actor in the busy scene where so many admirable qualities were called forth and displayed, The influence the De Laceys have on the Creature, calling forth his noble motivations. It is more formal in the sense that he is not simply overhearing their day-to-day conversations, but getting second hand lessons through Safie. Later on the in the chapter, Felix helps the Turk escape from prison and they are all together. Her work, along with those of many other female authors, are incredibly important pieces to consider as part of the beginning of the feminist movement. She is the future wife and mother the family has been waiting for, the daughter that will secure the new generation. They're all attractive, kind, educated, and gentleexcept when it comes to dealing with the monster. But when Safie arrives she becomes his means for a more formal education. They see a towering and terrifying beast, a creature out of a nightmare, a thing too appalling to tolerate, let alone welcome. 669 Words3 Pages. Was I, then, a monster, a blot upon the earth, from which all men fled and whom all men disowned? Felix darted forward, and with supernatural force tore me from his father, to whose knees I clung; in a transport of fury, he dashed me to the ground and struck me violently with a stick. Being raised by Caroline Beaufort--a woman whose poverty and grief turned her into a sensitive, vulnerable, yet loving mother--allowed the submissive and domestic traits she displayed throughout her short life until her early death to be passed on to Elizabeth. The old man, De Lacey, was once an affluent and successful citizen in Paris; his children, Agatha and Felix, were well-respected members of the community. Exclamative expresses forceful emotions. (MyArabian), Was man, indeed, at once so powerful, so virtuous, and magnificent, yet so vicious and base? Safie is an adopted member of the De Lacey family who came to be in a rather peculiar way. Such a form of symbolism provides a compelling explanation to her feminist actions. The creature, after seeing her interactions, desires that kind of connection. "Was I then a monster," he asks, "a blot upon the earth, from which all men fled, and whom all men disowned?" He also learns about the pleasures and obligations of the family and of human relations in general, which deepens the agony of his own isolation. Safie is embraced by the De Lacey family with an immediacy and completeness that the monster can only dream about. Through a long journey, involving De Lacey, Agatha, and Felix, Safie ends up in Germany at their cottage in hopes of seeing Felix again, whom she has feelings for. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. Felix is Latin for "happiness"; agatha is Greek for "good"; and safie iswell, "Safi" is a male name in Arabic meaning "pure," but Shelley was probably drawing on its similarity to the Greek sophia, which means "Wisdom." (noalone). Safie plays a brief, but nevertheless important role in Frankenstein when she enters the book in chapter five and leaves in chapter eight. No father had watched my infant days, no mother had blessed me with smiles and caresses" (Shelley 120). Without the introduction of Safie, the themes of education, relatable "otherness," and the idea of a character used as a pawn would be nonexistent. Read more about literary allusions in Frankenstein. They're all attractive, kind, educated, and gentleexcept when it comes to dealing with the monster. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Most importantly, he has no background of home, family, or culture to fall back on, as Safie does. Terri Beth holds a PhD in English language and literature from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. This image shows Safie as she was described in Mary Shelley's book with dark colored hair and a fair complexion. The De Laceys also have a frequent, hidden visitor in the form of the monster, who is at first drawn to their cottage for the food and firewood that he can loot from it. Just as each distinct narrative voice contributes to the novels richly woven web of allusions and biases, the monsters romanticization of the cottagers as kind and friendly reflects his desperate desire for companionship and affection. I am also unfortunate; I and my family have been condemned, although innocent; judge, therefore, if I do not feel for your misfortunes. Register to view this. An error occurred trying to load this video. Designed by GonThemes. Safie symbolizes the outsider who is not doomed to be an outsider forever. Dir. Ed. His alienation from society, however, provides him no opportunity to communicate with others; rather, he is a one-way conduit, a voyeur, absorbing information from the cottagers without giving anything in return. Safie's father immediately recognizes the affection that Felix has for his daughter, and aims to use Safie as a bargaining chip to procure Felix's favor, secure his release, and assure his safety. This further embitters the monster. playing an instrument with great joy. Why does Frankenstein run away from his Monster? in Yousef, 2002). That's quite a collection of virtues. She had no chance in the courtroom and was doomed to be permanently punished for a helplessness that was embedded within her character. De Lacey explains his blindness. Kerry Sinanan. You can view our. Not only is the creature picking up on the lessons, but the indirect friendship and bond that is made helps the creature too. The De Lacey family suffers an unjust punishmentthe loss of their money, land, and reputation. Her father's arrest (on unspecified political grounds) leads Felix to vow to free him, and this attracts Safie to him. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. . Safie is also physically beautiful, with a 'countenance of angelic beauty and expression'. My days were spent in close attention, that I might more speedily master the language; and I may boast that I improved more rapidly than the Arabian, The Creatures keenness to learn language recalls Victors obsessive scientific undertakings. 300. Who says, " Dearest Clerval, how kind, how very good you are to me. The monster's learning curve is steeper. The monster's emotional capacities seem to parallel his physical proportions. We're going to do one analysis for all three of these kids, because, honestly, there's not much difference between them. For Mrs. Saville, who has seen neither creature nor creator, the letters will carry all the burden of proof of her brother's fantastic report. She does not speak the same language as them, so she begins learning from them and even studies the science of letters. 10 | Summary & Characters, Nature Quotes in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley | Analysis & Themes, Religion in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley | Theme & Analysis, Monster in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley | Character, Traits & Analysis, Isolation in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley | Theme, Quotes & Analysis, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: Ch. Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus (Chap. "I had never yet seen a being resembling me, or who claimed any intercourse with me. As Safie is a fairly minor character in the work and is mainly explored to serve as a foil for the monster, her personality is not thoroughly explored. The creature is content with the knowledge that he is learning, just by observing and listening to the De Laceys, and seeing their relationships. Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus (Chap. (Wasgodlike), the strange system of human society immense wealth and squalid poverty; of rank, descent, and noble blood, The Creature learns about society, and its injustices. The creature, after seeing her interactions, desires that kind of connection. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% Frankenstein is usually studied in the Australian curriculum under Area of Study 1 - Text Response. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% This layering of stories within stories enables the reworking of familiar ideas in new contexts. Even though she is only mentioned in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein for a relatively brief period, the character, Safie, is very interesting as she is unique from the other characters in that her subjectivity is more clearly dependent on her religion and the culture of her nation. Unfortunately, we don't find out much more about them: they represent (1) all that's good about humanity, and (2) how even the best people are a little bit racist. Both are vulnerable and wounded. On page 92, the creature highlights the Turks intentions with his daughter stating, The Turk quickly perceived the impression that his daughter had made on the heart of Felix, and endeavored to secure him more entirely in his interests by the promise of her hand in marriage, so soon as he should be conveyed to a place of safety (Shelley 92). He hides in the De Lacey home and performs small acts of kindness for them without their knowledge, such as providing food or wood for fuel during the harsh and hungry months of winter. Shelley wonders how man can be forever changed by the simple act of acquiring information about his . He is entirely new and ''other.'' Safie, the outsider, is learning the language of the De Lacey family, and the creature is benefitting from her arrival and desire to learn. Texts play an important role throughout the novel, especially in shaping the monsters conception of his identity and place in the world.