I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind?
Chapter 17 · The Creature
Context
The Creature responds to Victor's refusal by explaining the origin of his violence. He argues that his malice is a product of his suffering, not his nature.
Analysis
The hard /m/ sounds in 'malicious' and 'miserable' lock the two words together sonically, making the causal claim feel inevitable—as if misery automatically produces malice. The rhetorical question that follows refuses Victor (and us) the comfort of silence; it demands acknowledgment of the Creature's social rejection and positions his violence as a logical response, not an aberration.
Essay Tip
Use this to argue that Shelley builds a nature-versus-nurture argument through sound and syntax—the alliteration makes the Creature's logic feel airtight, forcing readers to admit that society's cruelty has shaped his behavior, which complicates easy moral judgments.