By Hannah Park
WARNING: Spoilers to “Frankenstein” ahead!
You’re an orphan who was rescued by a loving family. You’re beautiful, compassionate, and appreciative of nature. And, guess what? Your childhood best friend’s in love with you!
Elizabeth Lavenza, the woman with whom Victor Frankenstein eventually married in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, had no reason to think her life was anything but blissful. That’s what strikes me as the saddest thing about side characters: most of them never know what’s going on.
For example, Dudley Dursley has no idea that Harry Potter goes off to fight He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Charlotte Lucas doesn’t know anything about Elizabeth Bennet’s budding relationship with Fitzwilliam Darcy. And … Elizabeth Lavenza has no idea that Victor’s galvanized a giant Creature that’s out to get her.
She is utterly oblivious about the danger that looms over her head, and that’s the sickening part. She loses her little brother and Justine. Victor grows more and more distant. And, even when he comes back to marry her, he tells her that he has a terrible secret … but he can’t tell her about it yet.
Imagine being friends with someone who goes, “Yeah … I have something horrible to tell you, but you’ve got to marry me first!”
“But where’s the MONSTER?!” You might ask, hurling your laptop at my face because he’s barely there. But that’s the point: Elizabeth hardly knew the Creature existed until the very end.
I hope that you’ll watch this animatic with a newfound appreciation (and sympathy) for neglected side characters. After all, we hope that in our lives, we won’t be left in the dark by our loved ones.
