Is Victor Frankenstein Selfish

What is a monster? Its definition is argued upon. Some may define it as a creature like vampires or demons, but in a more figurative sense, it could be a person. In Gris Grimly’s Frankenstein, this phenomenon is heavily explored between two characters, Victor Frankenstein and a human-like creature. One day, Victor has a sudden interest in bringing dead things to life. A result of his ambition is a creature that is tall and large. The creature goes on to destroy Victor’s world and the people around him. Because of Victor’s selfishness and inability to handle the creature proper, Victor Frankenstein is the true monster. Firstly, Victor Frankenstein abandoned the creature he made and didn’t take the responsibility to raise it. One strong example

One strong example of his selfishness is when he lets Justine, his housekeeper, die in his place but still pity himself more. After the court case of wiliam’s murder, Justine was sentenced to death for being the alleged murderer. Victor comments by saying, “I was a wretch, and none ever conceived of the misery that I then endured.” (70) Victor doesn’t stop to understand other people’s feelings. He implies he has suffered the most but he let justine die for something she didn't do. He led her to an underserved death, and has the audacity to claim he feels more miserable than anybody else. He only thinks about his own feelings and not how other people may be experiencing worse, like for example, Justine. Another instance of this circumstance is when he decides not to tell Elizabeth, his future-wife, about the creature’s words, “I’ll be with you on your wedding night.” In the moment that Elizabeth is murdered by the creature after their marriage, Victor thinks, “Suddenly I heard a shrill and dreadful scream. The whole truth rushed into my mind, my arms dropped, the motion of every muscle and fiber was suspended.” (165) Once Elizabeth is killed, Victor finally realizes what the creature meant. He had always thought of himself as the one to get killed, rather than other people. Additionally, he had spent so much time worrying about protecting himself, and didn’t stop to wonder if people around him would be affected instead. Victor Frankesntein’s selfishness and egocentrism attests to his own monster-like