What Is Significant About Teaching Safie The Language From A History Book

Teaching Safie the language from a history book in 'Frankenstein' is such a powerful moment because it shows how knowledge can be both liberating and dangerous. Safie, as an outsider, learns about the world through this book, which mirrors the Creature’s own journey of self-education. It’s fascinating how Shelley uses this to highlight the double-edged sword of enlightenment—Safie gains agency and understanding, but the Creature’s knowledge only deepens his isolation and despair. The history book isn’t just a tool for communication; it’s a gateway to societal norms, injustices, and the crushing weight of human cruelty. This parallel between Safie and the Creature makes their stories heartbreakingly interconnected.

Teaching Safie the language from a history book in 'Frankenstein' is one of those subtle yet profound narrative choices that reveal so much about the themes of the novel. Safie’s education mirrors the Creature’s own desperate quest for knowledge, but while she uses it to integrate into society, his learning only alienates him further. The history book becomes a symbol of how language shapes identity and perception—Safie learns to navigate the human world, while the Creature realizes how irrevocably different he is.

What’s even more striking is how this moment underscores the novel’s critique of education and power. Safie, a foreigner and a woman, gains autonomy through language, but the Creature, despite his intelligence, is denied humanity because of his appearance. The history book’s content likely reinforces societal hierarchies, which Safie can eventually participate in but the Creature never will. It’s a brilliant commentary on who gets to be 'human' in society’s eyes.

This small detail also ties into Shelley’s broader exploration of empathy. Safie’s story is one of hope and assimilation, while the Creature’s is one of rejection. The shared act of learning from the same book makes their diverging fates all the more tragic.

The significance of teaching Safie the language from a history book in 'Frankenstein' lies in its layered symbolism. On one level, it’s about empowerment—Safie, a marginalized figure, gains the ability to communicate and assert herself in a foreign culture. But on another, it’s a stark contrast to the Creature’s experience. Both are outsiders, yet Safie’s education leads to integration, while the Creature’s leads to existential torment.

The history book itself is a clever device. It doesn’t just teach language; it implants cultural narratives and biases. Safie absorbs these to survive, but the Creature sees them as proof of his own monstrosity. This duality is Shelley’s way of questioning how knowledge shapes destiny. The fact that Safie’s storyline intersects with the Creature’s through this book adds a poignant irony—their shared source of learning produces wildly different outcomes.