ipl-logo

Essay On Tragic Flaws In Frankenstein

979 Words4 Pages

Doctor Frankenstein’s Biggest Regret The greatest minds have the potential to cause the greatest harm. This is evident in Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, as the main character, the brilliant Doctor Frankenstein, through discarded body parts creates a monster, which results in harming the people that mean the most to him. In Doctor Frankenstein’s innocent efforts to figure out the key to life, he ultimately unlocks a tragic door for himself and others. Behind this door, he finds that the knowledge he searched for should have stayed hidden, exemplifying his tragic flaw. Doctor Frankenstein’s revolutionary ideas made himself, and others, an instrument of suffering throughout the story. A hamartia, or what’s more commonly known as a tragic …show more content…

The flaws can affect the plot in negative and both positive ways. For instance, Doctor Frankenstein’s flaw caused all his problems in the book, but in stories like The Most Important Day by Helen Keller, her flaw caused all the good things to happen to her. Although in both stories the main characters had a grand realization. Doctor Frankenstein realized that he doesn’t want to be godlike anymore. Helen Keller’s realization was that life is beautiful, and this quote affirms that, “ It would have been difficult to find a happier child than I was as I lay in my crib at the close of that eventful day and lived over the joys it had brought me, and for the first time longed for a new day to come” (Keller 84-85). Helen and Doctor Frankenstein’s flaws determined whether the plot was going to be positive or negative. Doctor Frankenstein’s fatal flaw caused suffering to not only himself, but to his loved ones as well. Doctor Frankenstein’s flaw was that he was on a quest to become godlike, but that ended up being beyond his control. Doctor Frankenstein was truly an instrument of suffering for himself and others. His actions set off a series of events that caused a traumatic change in his life and his families. In this piece of literature the tragic flaw Doctor Frankenstein possessed caused the innocent characters to ultimately suffer the most, which contributes to the tragic vision of the work as a

Show More
Related

  • Examples Of Bioethical Conundrum In Frankenstein

    923 Words  | 4 Pages

    [1]Blinded by his passion and ambition, Frankenstein did not consider ethics or consequences when he created a being in the likeness of man and gave it life. [2]Through the course of his life, Frankenstein admired nature, but more than that the hidden workings of it all, such as how life was bestowed. Thus, he was overly obsessed when he ascertained that divine secret and “played god.” However, although Frankenstein had devoted two years to his creation, he instantly regrets his actions: “I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart”(25). Frankenstein had formed no plan.

    Read More

  • Why Does Mary Shelley Use Of Personification In Frankenstein

    656 Words  | 3 Pages

    Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is a gothic novel that tells the story of scientist, Victor Frankenstein, and his obsession with creating human life. This leads him to creating a gruesome monster made of body-parts stolen from grave yards, whom upon discovering his hideousness, the monster seeks revenge against his creator, causing Victor to regret the creation of his monster for the rest of his life. Shelley uses the literary elements of personification, imagery, and similes to give a vivid sense and visualization of Victor Frankenstein’s thoughts and feelings as well as to allow us to delve deeper into the monster’s actions and emotions. Throughout the novel, Shelley uses personification of various forces and objects to reflect the effect in Victor’s actions.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Cruelty In Frankenstein

    687 Words  | 3 Pages

    The novel Frankenstein brings to light many problems and situations that shed light on the faults of mankind. Cruelty was a huge factor in the novel; throughout Frankenstein is cruel to his body and to his creation. When he first makes the creature he runs from it, leaving the creature to fend for himself; even when reuniting with the creature he continues displays cruelty. The creature, in turn exhibits Victor cruelty right back. Within Frankenstein cruelty can be attributed, often affecting both Victor and the creature; serving as a crucial motivator and revealing their anger, pain, frustration till eventually both die.

    Read More

  • The Literary Panorama, And National Register, N. S.

    911 Words  | 4 Pages

    The author of “The Literary Panorama, and National Register, N.S., 8 (1 June 1818): 411-414.” uses the critical analysis to point out the flaws of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein story. Although there have been many re-printings of Frankenstein, Mary Shelley originally wrote and published her book Frankenstein in 1818. When Frankenstein was first published in 1818 it was met with mixed reviews like any good book is. I found my critical analysis on the website Romantic circles run by the University of Maryland under the The Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Chronology & Resource Site by Shanon Lawson.

    Read More

  • Empathy In Frankenstein

    929 Words  | 4 Pages

    The gothic fiction novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley centralizes on humanity and the qualifications that make someone human. The content of the novel Frankenstein depicts a monster displaying human traits that his creator Victor does not possess: empathy, a need for companionship, and a will to learn and fit in. Throughout the novel Shelley emphasizes empathy as a critical humanistic trait. The monster displays his ability to empathize with people even though they are strangers. On the other hand Victor, fails to show empathy throughout the novel even when it relates to his own family and friends.

    Read More

  • What Are The Similarities Between Douglass And Frankenstein

    621 Words  | 3 Pages

    Frankenstein effectively becomes a literary symbol that can be reflective of various ideologies, personal experiences, historical revelations, and the very mode of pain and suffering that plagues the world with a tenacious grip on all of humanity. Frankenstein, in one reading, can be compared to the French Revolution, with the politics of characters in the story coming to represent the pleasantry in the fight against untamed nobility (Lepore 13). However, in another, it becomes a warning for parents to raise their children properly and not abandon them, which is extended to scientists to yield caution in their experimentations or suffer the fate of J. Robert Oppenheimer, whose invention became a weapon that could end all of humanity (Lepore

    Read More

  • Annotated Bibliography On Frankenstein

    1439 Words  | 6 Pages

    Kyle Lyon Professor Ed Steck AWR 201 F3 14 April 2015 Annotated Bibliography Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Ed. Hunter, Paul J. Norton Critical Edition.

    Read More

  • Victor's Guilt Quotes In Frankenstein

    1260 Words  | 6 Pages

    Victor Frankenstein caused his own misery and destruction, which is why he is to blame for what

    Read More

  • The Villain In Frankenstein

    882 Words  | 4 Pages

    Over the past century, Frankenstein has been analyzed and interpreted in seemingly infinite different forms of literature, film, and television shows. Once solely recognized as the story about a brilliant scientist who creates a creature in whom he regrets making after the creature turns out ugly, Frankenstein now represents an internationally recognized and commercialized pop culture symbol for Halloween decorations and costumes. When analyzing and appreciating the true literary essence behind Mary Shelley’s original Frankenstein, one of the most important comparisons to consider remains the underlying influences behind the Creature’s immoral actions and whether or not the blame for these actions belong to Victor or the Creature. When exploring the dichotomy of the Creature versus Victor Frankenstein, one of the biggest and most widely debated questions remains whether Victor should be blamed for the Creature’s destructive actions or if the Creature should be considered guilty for his actions based off of his own free will. Many consider Victor Frankenstein the villain of the story due to his repetitive decisions to abandon and avoid his own “mistake,” the irresponsible choice of creating the monster in the first place, and his obvious negligence of the Creature’s feelings.

    Read More

  • The Struggle For Knowledge In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    672 Words  | 3 Pages

    Dangerous Minds- Rough Draft Knowledge has the capability to be used for both good and evil. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, there is a consistent message throughout the novel showing the dangerous and destructive power that knowledge can have. Two key characters, Victor Frankenstein and his monster, are shaped through their obsessions with knowledge and the power and responsibility that it brings. Ultimately, Victor’s downfall is a result of his uncontrollable thirst for knowledge, and is brought about through the monster which is the embodiment of his obsession. Victor is a brilliant scientist who figures out a way to create life from death using galvanism, or electricity.

    Read More

  • Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: The Pursuit Of Knowledge

    1420 Words  | 6 Pages

    ENG-3U0 November 20 2015 Frankenstein: The Pursuit of Knowledge Throughout the course of their individual journeys, Victor Frankenstein’s extreme passion for gaining knowledge about creating life, Robert Walton’s curiosity to discover land beyond the North Pole and the monster’s eagerness to obtain knowledge about humans was the principal cause of each of their suffering. As such, In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the pursuit of knowledge is a dangerous path which leads to suffering. Victor Frankenstein develops a keen interest in discovering knowledge about living beings which ultimately results in his personal suffering as well as others suffering. To begin with, Victor embarks on an assignment through combining body parts and following various

    Read More

  • The Symbol Of Freedom In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein '

    952 Words  | 4 Pages

    Chase McMillan Ms. Bonnem British Literature 14 September 2016 Frankenstein Formal Paper reation enslave him and spends from the moment he brings the creature to life to the day he dies running from the bondage he unintentionally creates. The symbol of freedom is very important in the beginning of the book because it is what Frankenstein reflects back to and yearns for while in the midst of turmoil. He never experiences more normal circumstances than at this point in his life. Frankenstein has the freedom to do as he pleases.

    Read More

  • The Creature In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    2539 Words  | 11 Pages

    The Creature in Frankenstein Mary Shelly’s “Frankenstein” is an inspirational work of horror and science fiction; it is the narrative of an unorthodox act of creation, of a monster which torments his miserable creator. The author puts forth ideas, and reinforces it through the development of the plot, that mankind is capable of both good and evil. Shelly demonstrates the ‘humanity’ of the creature; his actions and his inclination are like those of mankind. Indeed, even the negative aspect of his character, demonstrated through his quest for revenge, has a parallel in the actions of his human creator. In Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” the creature is represented as being vicious and murderous but he is not inherently evil or malicious.

    Read More

  • Moral And Ethical Dilemmas In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    556 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the novel, the main character Frankenstein, made many poor decisions that I would consider to be morally wrong and unethical. Frankenstein’s research and discoveries are ethically wrong because he was taking dead bodies from cemeteries, cutting off their limbs, and body parts to create a human like creature. He did not have anyone's consent to do this study causing it to be unethical, and he also should not be able to do this because he is playing the role of god. In the beginning of the book, Victor Frankenstein described to Walton that he had created a monster using body parts from a graveyard.

    Read More

  • Frankenstein's Failure, By Daniel Kokotz

    976 Words  | 4 Pages

    Frankenstein’s Failure Summary In the article “Frankenstein’s Failure” by Daniel Kokotz, he claims that Victor Frankenstein was so wrapped up with the ambition to be the first to discover the secrets to life, that he failed to realize or think about the negative effects that come with creating a human being. In the article, Kokotz gives an expose of the novel “Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus”. Kokotz had an interesting view of Frankenstein's motives, he implies that in the story Frankenstein had completely innocent goals, but they end up haunting him. In fact, his dreams were even generous in nature, as he hoped to better humanity by eliminating death and disease.

    Read More

More about Essay On Tragic Flaws In Frankenstein

Open Document