Mental Disorders In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Frankenstein a dark tale about a Doctor, who became obsessed with creating life to bring back his dead mother and solve the mortality of man. Fate however had another plan. When the creature the doctor had created awoke and showed signs of life,he became detested at the sight of his creation. The monster then fled from his creator into the wilderness, but soon returned initiated his plans to force his creator to make him a companion. Victor refused to commit the act again and the monster began to slaughter his family once again. Victor eventually died after having met a friend named Walton. This paper may show that Mary Shelley was able to bring forth characteristics of mental health disorders within her book. Victor frankenstein suffers from

One of interest was his “increased energy, with hyperactivity and a decreased need for sleep”(WebMD, WebMD bipolar 1 symptoms, page 1) which made him hate most everyday things and made him antisocial,”but my eyes were insensible to the charms of nature. And the same feelings which made me neglect the scenes around me caused me also to forget those friends who were so many miles absent, and whom i had not seen for so long a time”( Shelley 41) , victor frankenstein has had his ups and his downs, but sometimes he became so hysterical in his happiness that he appeared completely mad, “I felt my flesh tingle with excess of sensitiveness, and my pulse beat rapidly. I was unable to remain for a single instant in the same place; I jumped over the chairs, clapped my hands, and laughed aloud!”(Shelley 47), his sudden happiness of this level is a symptom of bipolar 1, “feeling overly happy, “high,” or elated for long stretches of time”( Healthline, could it be bipolar, page 1).Victor has had great amount of sadness in his life, so much so that for a time they pushed him into the wilderness to collect his thoughts, “ i suddenly left my home, and bending my steps towards the near alpine valleys”, (Shelley 81),By adding strife into the life of victor Mary was able to hide his symptoms as part of his grieving for the loved ones he lost along his

Victor became obsessed with his work and was quite happy during the time that he wanted to find the cure for disease and death. Victor believed he could attain knowledge, “What had been the study and desire of the wisest men since the creation of the world was now within my grasp”(shelley 38). Victor Frankenstein was happy with his discovery and believed that he could resurrect his dead mother and cure disease forever. This happiness would not last however and as he finished his creation and it began to show signs of life he became disgusted at his creation, he also became terrified of it as well as angry with himself for being so stupid. The change was sudden , when Victor came to think of the monster as hideous instead of the beautiful creature he sought to make, “How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavored to form” (Shelley 43). Victor was utterly disgusted with the work of his own hand and his stupidity, as well as the fact that if he was exposed he would be embarrassed and his ego would shatter. When the creature had at last taken all that Victor loved away from him, he became enraged and reamed of nothing more to to destroy his enemy. His anger was fierce and unreasonable, “I was possessed by a maddening rage when I thought of him, and desired and ardently prayed that I might have him within my grasp to wreak a great signal