Throughout all of history, people are shown to be most strongly driven by passion. This passion can either be born from negative emotions or positive emotions, which are both extremely powerful. Positive and negative emotions greatly affect how people perceive the world and how they interact with their surroundings. One of the most influential forms of negative feelings is despair: the soul-crushing, everlasting type of sorrow that has no end and beats a person with relentless grief. Despair causes detrimental behavior because it destroys positive interactions. In Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s character demonstrates how despair makes people become dishonest with themselves and others, creates changes in personality, …show more content…
and builds a wall of isolation from others. Despair leads people to become dishonest about their feelings and behaviors.
Such extreme amounts of sadness are usually self-orientated, as portrayed when the monster admits after murdering William and depositing all the blame on Justine, that, “….not I, but she [Justine] shall suffer; the murder I have committed because I am forever robbed of all that she could give me, she shall atone” (Shelly 145). This quote illuminates how the monster is being ignorant and dishonest by putting the blame on another person because he does not believe that anyone will ever love him. The monster is overcome with despair because he feels like an outcast that is unable to be loved, and so he makes the rash decision to shove all of the accusations onto another person just in an attempt to inflict some of the pain he feels onto them. This quote also shows how he is being dishonest with himself and not fully recognizing the fact that he is the true murderer and not admitting that the act he committed is severely horrendous, rather he implies that because of the hardships he experiences that there is some reasonable explanation for his murderous actions. Though his actions are not just, the situation only took place because of how he felt alone and revengeful due to the extreme despair that overcomes him whenever anyone looks upon him in disgust. In this particular situation, the monster’s negative emotions drive him to commit an act of extreme
vulgarity. Despair purges oneself of their soul and whole entirety. Despair strips away what a person may call their “personality” until there is nothing left in that person but a bleak reminder of what they used to be. Dr. Frankenstein says when he is on the island while building the monster’s wife, “I [desire] that I might pass my life on that barren rock, wearily, it is true, but uninterrupted by any sudden shock of misery” (174). Frankenstein is explaining how he would rather spend the rest of his life all alone on an island than be disrupted by any form of despair. He would give away his whole liberty and being just so he could be unable to go through such tormenting pain as he did before. Also when the monster tries to reconcile with Frankenstein but finds the scholar dead and therefore explains to Walton why he committed such crimes, he says, “[Dr. Frankenstein] sought his enjoyment in feelings and passions from the indulgence of which I was forever barred, then impotent envy and bitter indignation filled me with an insatiable thirst for vengeance” (222). Though this quote we hear the monster explain how, because of his lack of receiving and giving feelings and passions, he wants revenge on those who are accustomed to positive feelings, Frankenstein in particular, because they are able to experience these emotions. The monster makes a change in his personality by adding a vengeful side that wishes to see others suffer, but this side appears only because of his feelings of grief at the thought of not being loved. Despair wreaks havoc on Frankenstein’s whole being to a point where living every day seems like a burden and any actions are undesirable because of the consequences they may bring, while despair alters the monster’s thoughts and way of life by making him feel the need to get revenge upon people who are more loved than him. Despair does not only affect the immediate carrier, but also affects their personal relationships by lack of contact and stability. Frankenstein’s family was constantly waiting to receive letters he never sent and for visits he never made. Because Frankenstein is so overcome with despair, Henry takes up the task of nurturing him back to health, and during those months of nurturing, Frankenstein disregards his family’s wishes and remains isolated from them without word or visit. Later on, Frankenstein embarks on another great trip where he acts exactly the same and leaves his family and friends with little to no contact. Elizabeth says, “You have traveled; you have spent several years of your life at Ingolstadt; and I confess to you that when I saw you last autumn so unhappy, flying to solitude, from the society of every being, I could not help but suppose you regret our connection” (192). Frankenstein slowly distances himself further and further away from all relations until his loved ones question whether or not he still possesses feeling for them. If it were not for the overwhelming despair Frankenstein is burdens with, then he would be able to react responsibly, but sorrowful thoughts consume every fiber of his being and all of his energy is put either into feeling sorry for himself or trying to fix all the mistakes he makes. Either way, the consequences of such great grief shows through his absence of contact and disregard for others feelings because he focuses so much on his own sorrow. Throughout all of the book and all of life, negative and positive emotions will dominantly govern how a person acts and thinks, just like they do for Frankenstein and the monster. Though despair decreases the chances of having positive relationships, it is always possible to get past these feelings and start walking down a new path. Increasing the amount of positive interactions and being surrounded by optimistic people lowers the chances of being taken over and destroyed by these detrimental negative emotions.
In Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, cruelty is a frequent theme and different acts of cruelty are committed almost every chapter. Victor Frankenstein abandoned his creation because of its grotesque face and destroyed any chance if the monster getting a mate, and the monster kills everyone Frankenstein loves out of spite. In Frankenstein, the different acts of cruelty that are imposed onto Frankenstein and his creation help reveal their true character
This is one of the first times the monster feels the way he does. Thus leading to the desperation for friendship from De Lacey and his family, which doesn’t work. As humans we judge books by their cover a lot, this is what happened in the creatures’ case. He was judged by his hideous appearance before they knew he was compassionate, and affectionate. The family was terrified, and moved away never to be seen again by the monster. This builds up an unstoppable rage within him, leading for the desire of friendship grow stronger. The monster is desperate for friend ship, for the love and attention that other humans have. The creature states, “…my heart yearned to be known and loved by these amiable creatures; to see their sweet looks directed towards me with affection was the utmost limit of my ambition” (94). This quote shows how the monster yearns, or craves the affection of a human being. No one else understands what it is like to be on this side of the story because he is so alone, and the only of his kind. The monster cannot talk to anyone, he is of no relation to anyone, or anything on the planet he was forced into and
Victor’s father’s death would be tougher on Victor than William’s, Henry’s, and Elizabeth’s death because they communicated more emotionally with each other then other characters. “What then become of me? I know not; I lost sensation, and chains and darkness were the only objects that pressed upon me.” (Shelley, 189) This quote depicts the lack of sensation Victor faces after the death of his father.
“What is the point of being alive if you don’t at least try to do something remarkable?”-John Green, an American author of young adult fiction, such as The Fault in Our Stars, and the YouTube blogger of crash course history. The mythological character Prometheus and Victor from Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, try to influence mankind in a positive way, but instead the result is detrimental to society. Victor and Prometheus both want to help mankind, regardless, both overstep their bounds, and are severely punished. Although their true characters are revealed through how they handle their suffering.
Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley is a classic novel. Frankenstein is about a man named Victor Frankenstein who set out on a quest after his mother died. His quest was to reanimate a body to learn how to maybe bring back his mother. After years of work and isolation Victor succeeded, but was horrified by his creation. After rejecting his creation the monster swore vengeance. For the rest of the novel the monster haunts Victor, by killing his loved ones and in some cases trying to force Victor into creating another monster. Victor Frankenstein; A young Swiss boy, he grows up in Geneva reading the works of the ancient and outdated alchemists, a background that serves him ill when he attends university at Ingolstadt. There
Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in 1818 about the scientist Victor Frankenstein who committed sin-filled crimes of pride for his own personal benefit, but redeems himself by confession. Shelley wrote this novel for the sole purpose to warn “all men make mistakes, But a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repair the evil; the only crime is pride” Man should not play God and should apologize for his mistakes committed. In the work, Frankenstein, Mary Shelley drives Dr. Victor Frankenstein to pursue morally wrong, selfish, and prideful crimes that eventually lead to his redemption; however, not without compromising his life, the lives of others, and his immortal soul.
Taking responsibility is “the state or fact of being responsible, answerable, or accountable for something within one's power, control, or management” (dictionary.com). When you decide to take the responsibility of something or someone then do it to your greatest ability and do not leave any stones unturned. In the novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley determines the role of responsibility for the welfare, acts, the deaths and the lives of others. Taking responsibility means being accountable for your actions, accepting the mistakes and taking the ownership of the mistakes that come along with one’s actions. Taking responsibility does not mean that all the actions will go as planned but accepting the consequences even if they do not go
“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves” is a quote from Chinese philosopher, Confucius, that immaculately describes the knowledge the characters in the story of Frankenstein lacked. In the novel Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, the main character, Victor Frankenstein, creates a creature whom he abandons soon after. After the abandonment the creature gets treated horribly by other humans, feeling alone in a world where there was no other like him. This causes the creature to feel hate towards his creator, whom he continuously tries to seek revenge from. The desire for revenge transforms the creature into a true monster that has no feelings or aspirations beyond destroying Victor, leading to his miserable death.
Throughout Frankenstein, nature is considered to be a healing remedy in the process of Victor Frankenstein’s recovery.
Compassion and empathy are often described as human-kind's greatest quality. Yet, many things can distract or overpower our compassion to allow room for things like cruelty, selfishness, and the need for vengeance. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein has no compassion for his creation; however, his creation is born with large amounts of compassion, but Frankenstein ignores and abuses his monster. Victor’s lack of compassion towards the monster, makes the monster lose his own compassion in a need for vengeance to make his abuser feel the same pain he does.
In her novel titled ‘Frankenstein’, Mary Shelley employs many innovative literary techniques to elicit feelings of sympathy for the monster, even though the creature’s desire for revenge may render him incapable. Are readers able to respond compassionately to the creature even though he willingly makes Victor’s life miserable by murdering those close to him?
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is filled with death and sorrow. They occur in almost every aspect of the book. The four "squares" of the book, Walter, Victor, the monster, and the cottagers, all suffer from them at one time or another. Some perceive Frankenstein as a horror story; however, in actuality it is a book of tragedy and despair. Every page reveals more misery than the page before. Thus, death and sorrow are inevitable in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley, follows the story of Victor Frankenstein, his self-driven seclusion from society due to his fixations on life and death only stimulating his madness: “I paused, examining and analyzing all the minutiae of causation, as exemplified in the change from life to death, and death to life… I became dizzy with the immensity of the prospect… that I alone should be reserved to discover so astonishing a secret” (Shelley 38). Frankenstein always had a passion for gaining knowledge. His feelings and actions were based on reasoning, which deeply contrasted against his more romantic-thinking family. In his years leading up to going to university, he found a new passion for alchemy. While attending the University of Ingolstadt, he became entranced with the studies of alchemy along with natural philosophy and modern sciences. This ardor would eventually be his downfall after his fixation on life and death in relation to science led to the construction of an eight-foot behemoth. Frankenstein exemplifies the effects of
Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein centers around a creator who rejects his own creation. The plot thickens as Victor Frankenstein turns his back on his creation out of fear and regret. The monster is cast out alone to figure out the world and as a result of a life with no love, he turns evil. Shelley seems to urge the reader to try a relate with this monster and avoid just seeing him as an evil being beyond repentance. There is no doubt that the monster is in fact evil; however, the monster’s evilness stems from rejection from his creator.
Having watched the movie Frankenstein was an experience that truly stirred up emotions in me that I thought was only normal for everyone who knew Frankenstein and be melodramatic for a day, but the chance to really understand the emotions I have felt back as I watched the movie was reading Frankenstein’s book story. Reading Frankenstein in depth made my understanding of its contents more comprehensive and led me to identify the many social issues within. Frankenstein was a tough read for me, but going on through it gets better and more exciting as I got used to the style and the language used therein. Can science have the ultimate power to push the human potential of manipulating life itself as something that man can create and give? The act of playing God usually comes with transgressions done in the field of science including choosing who must and who must not be given life which ultimately results in serious negative moral consequences.