Mary Shelley’s story “Frankenstein” shows a great deal of emotions throughout the story. The emotions build from both main characters and nonessential characters. One main focal point of building similarities is the relationship of Victor Frankenstein and The Monster he created. This continues as the story moves through the events that lead to the climax and resolution.
As the novel continues, Victor and The Monster both experience anger, sadness, and depression. They also seek revenge for one another after The Monster killed William Frankenstein, Elizabeth Lavenza, Henry Clerval, and caused the trial that led to the death of Justine Moritz . The Monster seeks revenge from Victor for making him so unappealing to the general eye “Cursed,
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The Monster killed Victor’s family out of the feeling of anger. He strangled William and put Williams's picture of his mother in the fold of Justine’s dress. So Justine would be accused and he would get them off of his trail “The picture was then produced which the servant had found in her pocket” (Shelly 91) . The Monster feels depression when he realizes that no one would want to be around him because of the way he looks. This makes him sad and depressed when he views others that are happy with one another. It makes him sad when the cottagers do not end up accepting him into their home because his appearance scares them.Victor also feels depression and sorrow when Justine is accused of killing William Frankenstein. He feels that it is his fault that the monster escaped from his household and went on a violent killing rampage and killed his brother and framed Justine. The Monster feels happiness when he observes the cottagers over time and begins to learn their language. It makes him happy to see other people in joy and possibly open enough to accept someone with such a grotesque nature like his without having a second …show more content…
Victor feels more threatened and begins to see the monster differently instead of being closer to him like a son, The Monster becomes more of a arch enemy or a villain that is always watching Victor’s work. The Monster felt abandoned and betrayed at first but he later on finds himself to be angry and spiteful. He feels that Victor is intentionally trying to ruin his attempt at happiness by destroying the progress he made with recreating a female monster for The Monster to live with “You have destroyed the work which you began” said The Monster (Shelly
The monster tells Frankenstein of the wretchedness of the world and how it was not meant for a being such as himself. At the end of his insightful tale the creature demands a companion of the same hideous features but of the opposite gender to become his. Victor only has the choice to make the monster or suffer a lifetime of horror his creation would bring upon him. Which the creator ultimately agrees to make the female monster to save the lives of his family but gains a conscious that fills with guilt of all the destruction he has created and creating. When the monster comes to collect the female he tears her apart and the monster vows to destroy all Victor holds dear. The monster’s emotional sense is consumed with rage against Victor, murdering Frankenstein’s best friend. Though when the monster’s framing ways do not work to lead to Victor being executed, he then murders Frankenstein’s wife on their wedding night. This tragedy is the last for Victor’s father who becomes ill with grief and quickly passes within a few days, leaving Victor with nothing but his own regret. Shelley doesn’t give the audience the monsters side of the story but hints that the remainder of his journey consisted of being a shadow to that of his creator. It is at the graves of the Frankenstein family when the creature makes an appearance in the solemn and
After learning about the life of Mary Shelley, I have grown to appreciate the novel, Frankenstein, even more since the first time I read it. She led a life nearly, as tragic as the monster she created through her writing. Mary seems to pull some of her own life experiences in Victor’s background, as in both mothers died during or after childbirth. Learning about Mary’s personal losses, I have gained a better appreciation of her as an author and a woman of the 17th century. She had association with some the most influential minds of that
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.
“Revenge alone endowed [him] with strength and composure; it modeled [his] feelings, and allowed [him] to be calculating and calm” (145). Victor gained new purpose and even on his deathbed holds to the principle that he is justified in desiring the death of his enemy. Moment before his death he turns to Captain Robert Walton and says, “I feel myself justified in desiring the death of my adversary. During these last days I have been occupied in examining my past conduct; nor do I find it blamable” (156). He even begins to lose the small amount of compassion he had for the creature’s struggle. When visiting his family’s graves he cries that, “they were dead, and I lived; their murder also lived” (145). Previously in the novel he blamed himself for the deaths of Mathew, Justine, and Henry, claiming to be their murderer and lamenting on the evil he had set forth into the world. Victor now places the weight of these deaths solely on the monster’s shoulders and believes it is his god given burden to cleanse the world of this evil. He had been “assured that the shades of [his] murdered friends heard and approved [his] devotion… rage choked [him]”(146). The death of the monster would not even weigh on his conscience since it is god’s
The creator of the monster, Victor Frankenstein is a man full of knowledge and has a strong passion for science. He pushes the boundary of science and creates a monster. Knowledge can be a threat when used for evil purposes. Though Victor did not intend for the being to be evil, society’s judgement on the monster greatly affects him. As a result he develops hatred for his creator as well as all man-kind. Victor’s anguish for the loss of his family facilitates his plan for revenge to the monster whom is the murderer. While traveling on Robert Walton’s ship he and Victor continue their pursuit of the monster. As Victor’s death nears he says, “…or must I die, and he yet live? If I do, swear to me Walton, that he shall not escape, that you will seek him and satisfy my vengeance in his death…Yet, when I am dead if he should appear, if the ministers of vengeance should conduct him to you, swear that he shall not live-swear that he shall not triumph over my accumulated woes and survive to add to the list of his dark crimes” (pg.199). Victor grieves the death of William, Justine, Clerval, Elizabeth and his father. Throughout the novel he experiences the five stages of grief, denial/ isolation, anger, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance. Victor denies ...
The monster does not resemble Victor physically; instead, they share the same personalities. For example, Victor and the monster are both loving beings. Both of them want to help others and want what is best for others. Victor and the monster try to help the people that surround them. Victor tries to console his family at their losses, and the monster assists the people living in the cottage by performing helpful tasks. However, Victor and the monster do not reflect loving people. The evil that evolves in Victor’s heart is also present in the monster.
Being that Victor was the creator of the creature, Victor was responsible for everything that he does and Victor was not ready for what the creature is going to do. He did not want anything to do with the monster and he was scared. “I, the miserable and the abandoned, am an abortion, to be spurned at, and kicked, and trampled on.”(Shelley pg 254). This quote shows how the creature feels about himself because Frankenstein never showed love for the creature and was never a father to him. “No father could claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I should deserve theirs.”(Shelley pg 58). Even though Victor had created this monster that is roaming around town and scaring other people Victor does not want to take responsibility for the creature and that is why he is immature. Victor also ran away in fear of what he created he thinks it's ugly and scary and that's why he runs away from it. “...but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.”(Shelley pg 62). He thought what he was creating was going to show science how smart he is and that he can play God. After the monster is created, he decides to abandon it, and have the creature live on his own Victor goes home and acts like nothing happened. In the back of Victor's mind everyday he fears what the monster might do to him or his family. The creature just wanted to take
Similar to Victor, the monster lives in a revengeful life. He blames Victor for bringing him alive and suffers in loneliness and betrayal. Victor is the monster’s only connection to the world and the only one who understands him. Betrayal and abandonment from Victor have turned him to a true monster without moral and humanity. Later in the story, the rage exceeds the monster’s limit. He decides to take revenge on his creator. This is the time when immorality takes over the monster’s mentality. The monster states that I continued for the remainder of the day in my hovel in a state of utter and stupid despair. For the first time the feelings of revenge and hatred filled my bosom, and I did not strive to control them, but allowing myself to be borne away by the stream (Shelly, 16). The monster in the story is a round character. His mentality changes after each event. He first changes from a naïve and compassionate to revengeful and finally to sympathetic again. After Victor destroys the monster’s female companion, he says to Victor, “It is well. I go; but remember, I shall be with you on your wedding-night” (shelly, 19). When the last hope for companionship is destroyed, the monster is angry and furious. He hopes Victor to understand his desperate situation, but once again, Victor betrays the monster. Therefore, he decides to revenge. Although in everyone’s opinion, the monster is violent and brutal, he sometimes is actually compassionate and
Throughout Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein, the unquenchable thirst for knowledge, fame, and glory motivates the main character, Victor Frankenstein, to desire more power than nature should allow, exhibiting how the self-destructive mentality of passionate pursuits often leads individuals to commit actions disastrous to all those around them. Victor experiences a windstorm of conflicting emotions that develop into a toxic mindset, setting him off onto the path of a tragic hero by inflicting pain, misery, and even death to his closest companions through the hamartia, anagnorisis, and hubris characteristics.
This is most apparent of the Monster whenever he reacts violently, it is his response to being treated poorly. He doesn't become happy when he hurts people, instead this is his way of defending himself from being hurt. His emotions and instincts urge him to perform his acts of violence. Even Victor, who appears to be a collected and pensive person, is to some extent governed by his impulses like longing to create life. Strongly believing, his impulses make him forget about both the world around him and contemplating the possible consequences upon the task of creating a living being. Ultimately, these impulses lead to both the Monster's and Victor's
Victor had agreed to the creature’s proposition of creating a female monster to be his companion. However, after much thought and consideration in chapter 20 of Frankenstein, Victor abruptly changes his mind and tears the incomplete female monster apart. Victor feels compelled to cease his progress because of the multiple, potentially horrific outcomes. For example, Victor worries that he might create a monster even more horrific and terrifying than the first. When reflecting on the possibility of creating a female monster, Victor states, “she might become ten thousand times more malignant than her mate and delight, for its own sake, in murder and wretchedness” (page 180). Victor has seen the terror the first monster had unleashed and the horrible effects creating the monster has had on him and his family and friends. There is a possibility that the female monster will be even more violent and horrifying than the original. He worries for himself, his family, and
Consequently, Victor was part of the murder and execution of innocents. After the creature became literate, the creature read Victor’s writings about him; Victor was ashamed and discontented with the horrific monster he gave life to. The monster in rebellion to his creators discontent, and disgust with him, decided, while passing through Victor’s homestead to murder Victor’s youngest brother, William. Not only did the monster murder William in cold blood, the monster also set-up Justine with the murder. Evidently, William is one innocent murdered. Then, after Justine is suspected with his murder and found with a piece of William, she is sentenced to death for her ‘crime’. Justine is soon executed by the time Victor finds out about the whole incident. Therefore, Victor is part of the death of two innocents, for creating such a beast. Victor’s guilty conscious is displayed in the following, “He beheld those he loved spend vain sorrow upon the grave of William and Justine, the first hapless victims to his hallowed arts” (Shelley 93). These arts of bringing his creature to life, without weighing out the consequences of his actions. Not only will Victor have to live with this for the rest of his natural life, but his family and community will have to mourn and live the consequences as well. Possibly, if Victor would have said something
The first act of revenge the creature encountered is the death of Victor’s brother, William. One evening Victor received a letter saying that his brother, William, has been murdered. This period was a devastating time for the Frankenstein family, but they were also suspicious as to who would have committed this crime? One night after William’s death, Victor ran into his creation, which leads him to believe that he was the murderer. In fact, he was and the reader later knows this when the creature says, “[I]grasped his throat to silence him, and in a moment, he lay dead at my feet” (Shelley, 102) making William his first victim. When the creature left the crime scene, he made sure there was no proof leading back to him. When William was dead, the creature noticed a locket around his neck, which he took. Later planting the locket on Justine as she herself slept, the creature framed Justine for William’s murder. Although the Frankenstein family knew that Justine was innocent, but there was no other proof pointing to someone else. Eventually, after much debating, Justine took the blame and was executed. From the death of Victor’s brother, William, the creature learns that he can “create desolation; my enemy is not invulnerable; this death will carry despair to him, and a thousand other miseries shall torment and destroy him" (Shelley, 103), therefore inspiring him to continue to torment Victor in the
Frankenstein, is a world renowned novel written by Mary Shelley. Her inspiration for the story came from a rather dark dream she had after the death of her child. She dreamt a scientist created life from the dead. Thus, resulting in the plot of the novel. The plot revolves around Dr. Victor Frankenstein a young man who dares to create life. Victor creates a living creature from the body parts of the deceased. He is disgusted by his creation and abandons him. The monster begins to wreak havoc on Europe ruining Victor’s life. The transition of a dead corpse into a living, intelligent creature portrays Shelley’s imagination. In contrast, a critique of Frankenstein by the Knight’s Quarterly Review critiques Shelley’s lack of imagination, “not one flash of imagination, not one spark
William is Victor’s youngest brother out of the family. The little boy tells the creature his father is Alphonse Frankenstein. From his past of people mistreating him, the monster fills with hatred as well as rage and strangles William to death. Victor gets word from what had happened and fears it was his creation who killed his little brother. His creator travels back to Geneva seeking his creation. He finds him and the monster explains all he wants is a female companion since society wouldn’t except him. He promises to leave everyone alone if Victor agrees, but if he doesn’t everyone will parish. Victor agrees knowing the consequences but with second thoughts. The monster watches Victor the whole time after their conversation incognito. Victor destroys his work and the green giant is furious with what he just witnessed. The monster vows to take away everything from his creator like he did to him. Like anyone would do who backstabbed someone, the monster kept his promise and killed Victor’s best friend Henry and his newly wedded wife Elizabeth. This ruined what was left of Victor. Revenge is the devils play when promises are