Innocence and Monsters

"But her's also was the misery of innocence, which, like a cloud that passes over the fair moon, for a while hides, but cannot tarnish its brightness" (Shelly 59). Elizabeth is described as innocent in a way that the misery of the world cannot change her. Frankenstein sees her innocence as untouchable and unwavering, something almost holy. Yet in the same way is his monster not born with innocence? When the monster comes to life, it has done no wrong. It is ignorant in simple innocence. Does the monster become a monster because the "misery of innocence" does not pass, but stays? In many ways, it would seem that many monsters are born from an innocent desire, and that innocence is only lost when misery clouds their lives. Perhaps I am thinking to next week as well, but the monster only accepts its monstrousness when its innocence is lost with its ignorance. If misery is like a cloud over innocence that can tarnish an otherwise untarnishable brightness, and we intentionally or unintentionally bring misery into the lives of the innocent, are we too then creating monsters? Does ignorance prevent monsters or make them? Just a passing thought.