Modern audiences view Frankensteins monster as a hideous, monstrous being. Who is the real monster in the novel Frankenstein?

While it can seem farfetched at times, Mary Shelley's
narration in the novel is critical to answering your question. The frame of the story is
Walton documenting what he is told by Victor--in many cases this is not only
second-hand, but third-, fourth-, or fifth-hand information. Shelley does this not to
demonstrate Victor's (and the creature's) apparently photographic memory, but to show
different points of view.

Victor's account of events is
rather expected. A terrible creature, over whom Victor apparently has no responsbility
or control, has committed all kinds of terrible crimes, including multiple
murders.

Shelley also includes, however, the creature's
account of events. These differ greatly from Victor's recollections and offer insight
into why the creature behaves the way that he does. Whether truly justified or not, the
creature believes that he is forced to commit crimes because of the way he lived his
early life. This is the classic nature-versus-nurture argument: Victor believes the
creature is inherently evil, while the creature sees himself as the product of a cold,
unfeeling society.

Review chapter ten, in which the
creature speaks to Victor for the first time, saying "All men hate the wretched; how,
then, must I be hated, whom am miserable beyond all living things!" This begins the
creature's justification for his actions and his attempt to place responsibility on
Victor.

Is the creature a "monster" because of his actions,
or is Victor a "monster" because of his irresponsibility and
neglect?