Finding Balance Between Frankenstein's Id, Ego, And Superego

The book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley features the main character Victor Frankenstein. Victor can not find balance between his Id and ego. This enlarged ego of his eventually leads to his downfall. Victor, aware of his obsession that occupies his life says, “I seemed to have lost all soul or sensation but for this one pursuit” (Shelley 39). He is allowing himself to fall into his ego and disregard everything else that was ever important in his life. Applying Freud’s theory of the Psyche to the character Frankenstein shows his Id, Ego, and Superego are out of balance. Frankenstein satisfies himself when he works on the creature and ignores the people he loves which feeds his Id. He gives into his ego giving more power to his sexual drive according to Freud.

Frankenstein is unable to find a balance between his ego and Id. He is driven by his Id and gets caught up in his work, meanwhile losing himself in the process. Eventually his Id is what leads to his loneliness. He becomes detached from his family and friends and gives into his desires. Instead of appreciating what he has he gives into what Freud would call his pleasure principle. This principle wants to please every impulse as soon as possible without regard to

consequences, which is exactly what Frankenstein does when he creates the monster to show off his intelligence. This drive is what leads him to create the monster.
The superego must control the impulses of the Id which Frankenstein does not show signs of having developed.

However when the monster of “breathless horror and disgust” (Shelley 42) is created Frankenstein finally shows signs that the superego is more developed that it is originally thought to be. He is very narcissistic and posses childish-like qualities. Frankenstein is sexually ignorant which is shown when he is surprised at the monster’s request of a female companion. According to Freud this lack of a Libido is influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors. Frankenstein is unaware socially of the need for a father and the sexual reproduction is requires. He does not understand the need for a father figure for the

monster.
Eventually, Victor shows signs of growth when he decides to not make a female monster and sees what the monster has done to his family and those he loves. At this point in the novel his superego is beginning to develop and control the Id and his impulses. His superego begins to control his ego when it turns goals to moralistic and not just ones that strive for perfection according to Freud’s theory. His conscience begins working when he has feelings of guilt for all the pain and suffering the monster has caused. Freud’s theory of the Psyche applies to Victor well because of his development as a character and person throughout the novel.