Frankenstein: Determination Becomes Obsession

Choices Distinguish the Individual A man defines himself by his choices. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley both embody comparable characteristics about selfishness, prejudice, and desiring excess knowledge. The victims, Dorian Gray and Victor Frankenstein’s creation, become adversely influenced by Lord Henry and Victor Frankenstein respectively in divergent ways. Choosing to ignore his creation, Victor Frankenstein disregards any physical or emotional care needed by the creature. On the opposite hand, Lord Henry subjugates Dorian to his teachings by dominating his thoughts and lifestyle.

Shelley chose to write her novel to criticize and comment on human nature’s form of judgment. In order to accomplish her writing purpose she shares Frankenstein’s reaction to his creation's existence through imagery and foreshadowing. Shelley shared Frankenstein’s reaction to his creation

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein follows the story of a man, Victor Frankenstein, who created a monster. Along Victor’s journey, he meets Captain Walton who cares for him, and in return Frankenstein warns him about the dangers of knowledge. Frankenstein’s quest for knowledge reveals that knowledge can be beneficial yet dangerous. The only benefit of knowledge is to no longer desire answers.

Walton’s ambitions drove him to explore the Arctic in a fervent quest for an undefined success. Similarly, Frankenstein studied Paracelsus and Agrippa extensively, despite being told by his father and Krempe that this was a fruitless endeavor. Walton and Frankenstein share an intense desire to explore subjects abandoned or ignored by the

However, the Romantics saw a hero in Prometheus. A figure who does not give up, and helps mankind, even with the knowledge of having to face consequences. The relationship between the myth and Frankenstein however, is ambivalent. Certainly, just like the myth it can be read as a tale of caution, like Mary Shelley already said in her ‘waking dream’ Frankenstein’s creation would be horrifying because “supremely frightful would be the effect of any human endeavor to mock the stupendous mechanism of the Creator of the world.”

The creature, good or evil, represents the conscience Victor created. Back in the 1800’s, when Frankenstein was written, men could do everything but create a life, unlike women, in which, that is all they can do. Victor wanted to be able to do everything which made him turned monstrous with his knowledge. The creation represents Victor’s

Sticks and strangling will break bones, but words will leave irreparable emotional scars. In Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s epistolary novel, Frankenstein, the estranged Victor Frankenstein deprives his re-animated ‘creature’ of a name. The cruel manner Victor treats his “Adam” (Shelley 119) by withholding a name pushes the Creature further away from the belonging he so desperately seeks (148). As atrocities occur at the ashen hands of the Creature, names like “monster”(118) and “wretched devil”(118) bombard him from those he would seek refuge with . Nameless, the Creature is dehumanized and consequences of a negative perception, internally and from society, persist.

In Attridge’s essay, he opines “I am in a way other to myself” (Attridge 25); therefore, it is possible to view the Wretch as the shadow of Frankenstein or the suffering inside of Frankenstein. Towards the end of the novel, Walton rebukes the Wretch for killing Frankenstein, which causes the Wretch to implore “Do you think that I was then dead to agony and remorse?” The Wretch isn’t “other” to the rest of humanity; he shares Frankenstein’s same feelings of regret for his

Since Victor does not create an “Eve” for the monster, it marks a turning point for the novel and increases the monsters craving for a companionship, which Victor has refused to give him. Once Victor destroys “Eve” for good, the monster goes on a frenzy and decides to rebel against Victor. The monster seeks vengeance and decided to want to destroy Victor’s family, as Victor did so to the monsters. The monster strangles William to death and made it look like Justine did it by framing her and putting William’s locket in her dress. After Victor marries Elizabeth, the monster also kills her.

At first, Victor is horrified by his creation but eventually becomes more and more like it. With a desire to destroy each other both are left alone to come up with a plan of revenge since they took each other's most prized possessions. Victor Frankenstein and the Monster that he creates are alike in ways he didn’t expect them to be. For example, Victor creates the Monster to be like himself. Anger is a trait that Victor and the Monster gain because it is brought up in the society around them.

Furthermore, the theme of light/dark is present in both as in Othello, Iago says that he will turn Desdemona’s king act into something evil and dark. The contrast between light and dark is shown as Desdemona’s good deed is the light and way Iago will portray it to Othello is the dark. Similarly in Frankenstein, the light dark imagery is present, although not as evident, in that the way the creature communicates to Frankenstein is somewhat light, as he is talking in a calm and reasonable manner. The darkness is shown when he threatens Frankenstein with the ultimatum, comply with my demands or he will kill all of Frankenstein’s friends and

Can Victor Frankenstein fairly be accused of playing god? Romantic and Gothic elements are combined into a one piece of work known as Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein. The story of Frankenstein is one of isolation, ambition, nature, revenge, and loss of innocence. The novel begins with a ship captain Robert Walton rescuing the near death Dr. Victor Frankenstein from the ice. Upon Frankenstein’s rescue he offers to tell the ship captain his story.

The ability to have reason is a fundamental aspect of having humanity, as it allows for justifiable decision-making to occur. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole, are two texts that demonstrate how reason is what separates a human from becoming a monstrous individual. Primarily, Shelley produces a character, Victor Frankenstein, whose impulsive and self-indulgent nature, creates harmful situations to those surrounding him. Likewise, Walpole’s character of Manfred is greatly affected by pride and ego when making decisions; focusing on only what will benefit him rather than fix the situation. Moreover, where Frankenstein depicts a monster whose culpability is too overwhelming for him to confront the problems

Throughout history, humans draw towards different passions that leave them driven to discover more about it or to embrace it. Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, offers multiple examples of how one’s passion often leads them towards their demise. Through Robert Walton’s, the creature’s, and Victor Frankenstein’s point of view, the novel describes each main characters’ persistence to achieve their dream and where it takes them in their life at the end of the story. Within the novel, Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein pursues his passion for natural philosophy and chemistry by focusing on breaking the barriers between life and death.

When one hears of atrocious deeds, there is a common gut reaction to uncover the background of the person who committed the crime. There is a psychological inclination to discover what exactly happened in a person's life to drive them to evil acts. People with more unfavorable upbringings tend to be regarded less severely for their wrongdoings. The novel, Frankenstein tackles this notion beautifully with the infamous character of Frankenstein's creature. The creature's life allows the reader to empathize with him as he suffers from the betrayal of his own creator, other human beings, lack of moral understanding, and utter hopelessness when he finally exacts his revenge.