Who's the Monster?

A recurring theme in Frankenstein is the argument over who the real monster is: Victor or his creature.  Before even beginning to discuss this topic we have to decide what it means to be a human and what it means to be a monster. We can define a “monster” by its outward characteristics – its ugliness, its giant stature – but doing so excludes beings that are monstrous because of their malicious intent or actions.  If we define a monster not necessarily by its appearance, but also by its intent, then what constitutes a human?  Are beings classified by their minds, their bodies, or both?  If we are defined by our minds and thoughts, then the creature, whose mind is the same, if not superior, to that of a human, would be human, regardless of the different animal parts from which he may have been created, and Victor, whose mind is also human, could only be considered monstrous in intent.  But, if we can consider Victor’s actions to be monstrous, it is not much of a stretch to also consider the creature’s actions to be monstrous too (he did, after all, kill three people), in which case, we have two monsters.  Victor’s intent was to create a being greater than he is, and he may have succeeded, at least in creating a more powerful monster.