Is Victor A Victim In Frankenstein Essay

Kelsi Hostetler
Mrs. Holloman
ENG 1113
March 29, 2023
Victim of the World
In Mary W. Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein creates a living being. Although he creates this being for science with good intentions, Frankenstein slowly kills the creature with his rejection and mistreatment. Not only does he lie to this creature, but he also rejects him, leaving him alone and isolated. While many argue that Victor is the victim of the novel because he suffers the deaths of most of his family, Shelley’s intended victim is the creature because he suffers from Victor’s abandonment, society’s harsh rejection, and the denial of any chance of happiness.
Frankenstein makes his own creation a victim of his desertion. Victor spends “nearly

As the creature continues to grow up, he is never accepted by anyone. His own creator is scared of this ungodly creature. As the creature is walking near a stream, he notices a girl drowning. He saves her and brings her back to the shore. However, she has a companion with her, and when he sees the creature, he shoots him in the arm because he thinks that the creature is attacking the girl. The creature does not understand because “[he] had saved a human being from destruction, and, as a recompense, [he] now writhed under the miserable pain of a wound” (Shelley 121). During his stay in the forest, he discovers a family of cottagers, and watches them from his hovel. Therefore, he accumulates the actions these cottagers did. The being learns core attributes from these people; attributes such as feelings, manners, actions, and even his own language. In order to “be accepted” those characteristics are something he needs to know and understand. Becoming very fond of these cottagers, he grows a desire to help them. The creature begins to chop firewood and gather food for this family. Because the father of this family is blind, the creature takes to perfect opportunity to finally be accepted for his good deeds. His good deeds quickly went unnoticed. However, when the creature reveals himself to them, they are frightened and the son “dashes him to the ground and strikes him violently with a

He claims that “one as deformed and horrible as [himself] would not deny herself to [him]” (Shelley 123). The creature had one request for Victor—to make him a companion. All the creature wanted was a piece of happiness in his life, and he was tired of being the only one of his kind. Victor’s creature promises that as soon as Frankenstein creates this new being, they will flee and live in a jungle together. Therefore, the creature would escape, leaving everyone Victor loved alone, and live happily with his new companion. Upon the being’s request, Frankenstein guarantees to make him a woman of his kind. As time goes on, Victor comes to the understanding of the damage this new creature may do. Even though the creature has anticipated this moment, it is taken away from him. Victor knows that “the wretch saw [him] destroy the creature on whose future existence he depended on for happiness” (Shelley 142). No words could describe the rage the being feels after seeing a promise broken right in front of his eyes. Crying out, the creature questions, “Shall each man…find a wife for his bosom, and each beast have his mate, and I be alone?” (Shelley 143). This moment is the creature’s last hope for companionship and acceptance. The creature’s cry of despair shows the importance of championship, but also the dangers of isolation and