Best Songs to Build a Monster To

By Varnika Dhandapani

Quarantining is difficult for everyone, but please do not take after Victor Frankenstein and attempt to animate yourself a friend. Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein, alternatively titled The Modern Prometheus, has certainly left its mark on pop culture, with countless film adaptations and theatrical performances. No Halloween is complete without seeing a child dressed up as a warped version of Frankenstein’s monster, with the classic flat green head complete with a bolt and stitches across the face. If we look back at the literature all this originated from, we find a small novel written for a challenge posed by Lord Byron. In turn, Mary Shelley challenges readers to wonder what it really means to be human, and ponder the societal flaws that poison overlooked members of society such that they are led astray. Literature like Frankenstein can be a source for thought provoking writing, but for this we can also turn to pop music and its lyricism to delve deeper into Shelley’s prose. The following songs are most certainly fitting expressions of Victor Frankenstein’s experiences and character, as they connect the art of classic literature with songwriting and music.

“Heather”

Conan Gray

Is Victor Frankenstein “Heather”? Is the female creature that he almost brought to life “Heather”? Victor certainly wishes the original creature did not exist, so we can deduce that the creature itself is very likely the notorious “Heather”. 

“Past Life”

Trevor Daniel and Selena Gomez

One night, Victor Frankenstein brought a creature to life that he immediately deemed an unnatural and appalling abomination that should never have existed. Victor quickly embraces his new life, trapped in a waltz with his cursed creation in which he simply closes his eyes and hopes his dance partner will vanish by the time he reopens them. 

“Bad Idea”

Ariana Grande

Whether an idea turns out to be good or bad is dependent on how its consequences are handled. Victor Frankenstein lacks foresight. He is unable to predict the effects of his actions and therefore comes up with no contingency plans. He loses control of his life almost instantly after making the decision to bring his creature to life, and has a series of bad ideas in his panic soon after. Rumor has it, Victor sings “good idea” instead of “bad idea”. He even goes so far as to mute Ariana Grande when she says “bad idea” in order to hear his own voice better, although he regrets it immediately. 

“you broke me first”

Tate McRae

Who is the real victim here? Is it Victor Frankenstein, who neglected his responsibilities? Victor Frankenstein, who lost his brother, best friend, and bride to a monster of his own making? Or is it the creature, who slowly becomes more human than his creator? Both characters are in pursuit of knowledge, but while the grotesque creature searches for empathy and someone to confide in, Victor laments over his own actions with no intention of finding solutions. But does the creature torture Victor more than Victor tortures the creature? Who broke whom first?

“Bad Blood”

Taylor Swift

The creature and Victor have certainly had multiple less than amicable encounters, but are they really past the point of no return? Victor certainly could have implemented a solution at numerous points in the story, but somehow missed the opportunity each time. Yet, he insists that he and the creature had bad blood from its birth. If the creature was not abandoned and shunned by its creator and the society it was born into, would it have become the monster everyone made it out to be? 

“Graveyard”

Halsey

Eventually, Victor faces his guilt and believes it is his responsibility to kill the monster. He chases the creature across the Arctic until he dies of pneumonia. Another name for Frankenstein is The Modern Prometheus. Just like the gods of Ancient Greece could not take back Prometheus’s gift of fire from humans, Victor dies failing to kill his creation. The novel as a whole focuses on the impossibility of reversing events or actions, as well as the infinite ripples that can propagate from an action or a decision. Looks like Victor really did follow the creature all the way to the graveyard. 

“Highway to Hell”

AC/DC

Victor’s endeavors through the Alps serve to symbolize the relationship between humans and the natural world, and the consequences of human interference. His journey from Switzerland to the Arctic Circle through the natural world emphasizes the mixture of romantic and gothic elements in Mary Shelley’s writing. There is no doubt he was listening to “Highway to Hell” during his arduous travels, which did indeed turn out to be the “one way ride” AC/DC describes. 

“I Built A Friend”

Alec Benjamin

This song is an ode to what could have been. It showcases the true potential of Victor Frankenstein’s obsessive experimentation, but also provides comfort in showing that tragedy can afflict even those who succeed in building friends rather than nemeses. 

“Intentions”

Justin Bieber featuring Quavo 

No explanation needed.

Shout out to… Victor Frankenstein for making you.