The change that Victor experiences throughout the novel Frankenstein is epitomized by his wife Elizabeth’s death. By this point in the novel Victor Frankenstein has lost every one of his family and friends that are close to him. After experiencing so much grief, loss, and guilt Victor begins to change. By only using the chapter which Elizabeths dies, it can be proved that the accumulation of other deaths and her death lead to the dehumanization of Frankensteins mental and physical states as well as his obsession with the monster. This dehumanization and change in Victor matters because it shows the growing connection between Victor and the monster he is chasing. The dehumanization that Victor experiences, is described in a specific way, using the Oxford English Dictionary definition of “ to deprive of human character or attributes.” (OED) In this essay dehumanized will be used not only with the OED definition, but also to show Victor’s attributes becoming not only less human but more and more like the monsters. The death of Elizabeth specifically exposes the full dehumanization of Frankenstein, seen though his mental state, physical appearance, and obsession with the monster, which leads to a greater similarities between Victor and the monster, this is ironic because Victor is hunting the very monster he is becoming. After Elizabeth’s death in the novel Victor has had everyone he cares about taken from him by the monster, this leads him to a dehumanized mental state. Victor now believes he has been at fault for the deaths of his friends and family, simply because of his creation of the monster. After experiencing each death Victor becomes increasingly dehumanized, adding until the climax of Elizabeth's death. The dehumanization... ... middle of paper ... ...eth's death, there is proof of the dehumanization of Victors mind, physical appearance, and unnatural obsession with the monster, as well as combinations of these traits. However, the dehumanization of Victor is simply something that was proved to happen, the irony behind it matters more. The dehumanization of Victor is ironic because throughout the novel he has been focused on catching the monster that is hurting his friends and family. After experiencing so much loss Victor starts dehumanizing and becoming more and more like the monster he is chasing. This is obviously ironic. Overall by using only the chapter succeeding Elizabeth's death, the fact that Victor is dehumanizing though his mind, physical appearance, and obsession with the monster was proved. As well as the overarching irony of the fact that Victor is dehumanizing into the very monster he is chasing.
On the night that Victor got married the creature killed his wife, Elizabeth, in order to get revenge from Victor. “She was there, lifeless and inanimate, thrown across the bed, her head hanging down” (Shelley, 186). The moment when he killed Elizabeth was not the same as when he killed the little brother. When the creature had murdered Elizabeth it had been much more violently than the first, showing that his desire for revenge had become much more stronger, as it was the only feeling he showed. He had begun to act like the monster that everyone had believed he was, showing no more of the humane feelings he had showed previously in the
Victor experiences very little joy at all after the creation of the monster. He suffers from numerous bouts of depression, he most tolerate the deaths of his brother, best friend, and wife, all of which were murdered at the hands of the monster. His friend Justine is executed because of the death of William, for which she is falsely accused and convicted. His father also dies after the murder of Elizabeth, Victor's ill-fated bride. With so much death surrounding his life, how is it possible that Victor could still be cognizant of his actions when he decides to pursue the monster and end its violent fury? He can't. Victor's mind is so clouded by the sorrow and pain of his past that he is blinded to the fact that he is attempting to destroy a creature with far greater physical strength and speed than any mortal. Much of his conflict appears to be created by the monster, when in fact the torment comes from Victor's own hands because he himself created and gave life to the monster.
Throughout the book of Frankenstein, the creator of the being Frankenstein, Victor, is experienced as a suffering being. He recalls from the very beginning a time during his childhood where he was happy and surrounded by love, a time when his mother lived. Victor’s downfall or the beginning of his disgrace, initiates with the death of his mother. Victor leaves his family to start a new stage in his life, he leaves on quest for answers a true quest for knowledge. Personal motivation will lead Victor to take on the challenge of overcoming death, or to be more specific, give life to a dead body.
When Victor Frankenstein breaks his promise to the monster, it threatens him by saying that he’ll return on Victors wedding. Victor assumes that it’s his life that’s being threatened but the night of the marriage, Victor finds his Elizabeth. “She was there, lifeless and inanimate, thrown across the bed, her head hanging down, and… running with the swiftness of lightning, plunged into the lake.” (Chapter 23) This quote conveys that the monster didn’t feel bad for killing Victor’s bride, he believed that it was a justified murder because he was repaying the heartache that he felt for his lost mate. This act of cruelty helped develop the monsters sense of right and wrong. The monster was born innocent but after being treated so cruelly for so long, his moral compass was corrupted. He felt as if it was his right to do this to this to Victor.
In Frankenstein, Victor’s monster suffers much loneliness and pain at the hands of every human he meets, as he tries to be human like them. First, he is abandoned by his creator, the one person that should have accepted, helped, and guided him through the confusing world he found himself in. Next, he is shunned wherever he goes, often attacked and injured. Still, throughout these trials, the creature remains hopeful that he can eventually be accepted, and entertains virtuous and moral thoughts. However, when the creature takes another crushing blow, as a family he had thought to be very noble and honorable abandons him as well, his hopes are dashed. The monster then takes revenge on Victor, killing many of his loved ones, and on the humans who have hurt him. While exacting his revenge, the monster often feels guilty for his actions and tries to be better, but is then angered and provoked into committing more wrongdoings, feeling self-pity all the while. Finally, after Victor’s death, the monster returns to mourn the death of his creator, a death he directly caused, and speaks about his misery and shame. During his soliloquy, the monster shows that he has become a human being because he suffers from an inner conflict, in his case, between guilt and a need for sympathy and pity, as all humans do.
To conclude, Victor is the villain because he abandons the creature and leaves it to fend for itself. The creature is miserable and wants company, because he was abandoned by Victor it was an impossible task. Victor is the villain because he tries to play god. He wants to be worshipped and acknowledged like a god. He does this by creating his own being. Despite the fact that Victor didn't physically murder anyone but he did morally, he is still the villain of the novel in my eyes. In the eyes of a romantic novel, Victor abandons, in the eyes of an archetype novel, Victor tries to play God and in the eyes of a gothic novel, Victor's subconscious wants William and Elizabeth dead. Overall Victor is the Villain
...three different symbolic levels, as a Romantic novel, Archetype novel, or a Gothic novel. On the romantic level, Victor is the villain because he abandons the creature and leaves it to fend for itself. The creature is miserable and just wants a friend, but was abandoned by Victor making it almost impossible. On the Archetype level, Victor is the villain because he tries to play god. He wants to be worshipped like a god, by creating his own species, and creating life from plain matter. But in doing so, Victor disturbed the natural order of things. Finally, Victor is the villain on the Gothic level. There he is the villain, because he and the creature are part of a greater being, and Victor's subconscious wants William and Elizabeth dead, which is why the monster kills them. Despite the fact that Victor didn't physically murder anyone, he was the villain of the novel.
Shelley also connects various points about the monster by saying that in most cases committing such cruel acts can only mean that it’s a cry for attention because the monster is desperate for attention that Victor can’t give. However, it’s easy to point the finger at the monster for all of the crimes that he’s committed towards Victor and his family. However, it can be reversed because the monster does suffer injustice in his own
Victor was very saddened by the death of Elizabeth, and was determined to kill it, or be killed. For example Victors says, "You refuse my just demand; I have but one resource, and I devote myself, either in my life or death to his destruction" (348). Victor is basically saying that he will fight to the death, and somebody will die. Victors chase with the monster ultimately ends with his death. For example Walton says, "he pressed my hand feebly, and his eyes closed forever, while their radiation of a gentle smile passed away from his lips" (380). Victor died mainly from the death of Elizabeth, and he was exhausted from chasing the monster. Victor's death displayed that he cared more about Elizabeth's life than his
“Frankenstein” by Mary Shelly explores the concept of the body, life, ‘the self’ and most of importantly humanity, which is repeatedly questioned throughout the novel. The definition of humanity is the quality of being humane or in other words someone that can feel or possess compassion. Despite all the facts against the “monster” in “Frankenstein” he is indeed what one would consider being human. Humanity isn’t just about ones physical appearance but also includes intellect and emotion. Some people argue that the “monster” is not a human for he was not a creature that was born from “God” or from a human body. That being said, the “monster” is not only able to speak different languages, he can also show empathy - one of many distinct traits that set humans apart from the animals. Both the “monster” and his creator, Victor, hold anger and feel a sense of suffering throughout the novel. Victor is a good person with good intentions just like most individuals, but makes the mistake of getting swept up into his passion of science and without thinking of the consequences he creates a “monster”. After completing his science project, he attempts to move forward with his life, however his past – i.e., the “monster” continues to follow and someone haunt him. While one shouldn’t fault or place blame on Frankenstein for his mistakes, you also can’t help but feel somewhat sympathetic for the creature. Frankenstein just wants to feel accepted and loved, he can’t help the way he treats people for he’s only mimicking how people have treated him, which in most cases solely based on his appearance. Unlike most of the monsters we are exposed to in films past and present, the character of the “monster” ...
The novel’s protagonist, Victor Frankenstein, emphasizes the importance of having an identity by exemplifying the dissatisfaction that accompanies contorted character-to-character relations. What makes his relationships particularly perverse however, is Victor himself as a person and family member. Often, male “participants in a moral conflict,” such as Victor, “may invoke ‘justice’ and insist on theoretical objectivity” to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, c...
...most readers tend to sympathize with Frankenstein because of the way in which he is mentally and physically harmed by his creation. However, one must also realize that while Frankenstein is a victim in the novel, he also exhibits features that make him a monster. These monstrous qualities, however, stem from his passion for science and his desire to create life. Not only does the reader criticize and pity Frankenstein, but the reader also empathizes with Frankenstein’s creation. He was unjustly shunned by society because of his physical appearance. On the other hand, the reader realizes that like Frankenstein, the creation can not be sympathized with entirely. He too exhibits traits that make him appear villainous. It is the duality of these two characters that make Frankenstein and his creation two of the most appealing characters of the nineteenth century.
“Allure, Authority, and Psychoanalysis” discusses the unconscious wishes, effects, conflicts, anxieties, and fantasies within “Frankenstein.” The absence of strong female characters in “Frankenstein” suggests the idea of Victor’s desire to create life without the female. This desire possibly stems from Victor’s attempt to compensate for the lack of a penis or, similarly, from the fear of female sexuality. Victor’s strong desire for maternal love is transferred to Elizabeth, the orphan taken into the Frankenstein family. This idea is then reincarnated in the form of a monster which leads to the conclusion that Mary Shelley felt like an abandoned child who is reflected in the rage of the monster.
Victor Frankenstein, the monster’s creator, is the victim of his own pride. An ego unchecked is a dangerous thing. But in truth, it really just shows Victor’s humanity. He is privileged, educated, talented, loved, adored, but he is not perfect. His flaw is his own ego and pride. Without doubt, this is the result of a childhood where he was overindulged. Overindulged to the extent he was given a little girl “Elizabeth” as a “present”, whom he considered from childhood “mine only” (Shelley 21). Little wonder the twenty year old Victor would think he could create, control and command life. But Victor as with any indulged child did not take the time to learn much from his parents about parenting and fath...
In Frankenstein, Shelley creates two very complex characters. They embody the moral dilemmas that arise from the corruption and disturbance of the natural order of the world. When Victor Frankenstein is attending school, he becomes infatuated with creating a living being and starts stealing body parts from morgues around the university. After many months of hard work, he finishes one stormy night bringing his creation to life. However, “now that [Victor] had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled [his] heart” (Chambers). Right after Victor realizes what he has done, he falls into deep depression and must be nursed back to health by his friend. Victor spends the rest of the story facing consequences and moral problems from creating unnatural life. When he realizes that the ‘monster’ has killed his brother, even though no one believes him, he feels responsible for his brother’s murder because he was responsible for the existence of the ‘monster’. Also feeling responsible, Victor...