Mary Shelly's Responsibilities In Frankenstein

An Analysis of Responsibilities in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

In 1803, at the Newgate Prison in London, a demonstration is made by the scientist Giovanni Aldini, and in it, he possibly proves the ability to bring the dead back to life. Metal rods were inserted in the mouth and ears of the corpse that once belonged to the recently executed George Foster. Using the powers of electricity, Aldini managed to successfully reanimate Foster as his “muscles were horribly contorted, and one eye was actually opened” (Knapp 317). Those who witnessed and heard of the event truly believed that Foster was being brought back to life. Unfortunately, we know now that the corpses were not being reanimate. The truth here is that electricity does not reanimate

He believes that “the very winds whispered in soothing accents, and maternal Nature bade [him] weep no more” (Chp. 9). This is apparent when he arrives in Geneva with Henry to escape his problems as they “passed a fortnight in these perambulations: [his] health and spirits had long been restored, and they gained additional strength from the salubrious air [he] breathed” (Chp.6). In his mind, Mother Nature is the only one who aids him from his sorrows and insanities. In its domain, he can rest. Even after he betrays Mother Nature Victor still hopes to find solace and healing in its kingdom. He does find it, but it only lulls him into a false sense of hope. Nature is a caring and nurturing entity that helps revive the soul to its former glory, but it can also be a vengeful force when its barriers are crossed. His disregard of Mother Nature’s domain is similar to a poem that Mary Shelley includes to her story. In it, the mariner shares his story with a sailor (similar to the relationship between Walton and Victor) about his experience of Nature’s wrath when he crossed its boundaries and killed an albatross even though it helped his crew out of the dangerous Antarctic waters, and he is tortured by Mother Nature for his crime until he accepts his wrongdoing. Victor is in a similar situation with Nature, but unlike the ancient mariner, he refuses to take the blame personally

Fortunately, he is not completely soulless and devoid of sympathy for his fallen loved ones. He may not feel personally responsible for the deaths, but he does feel guilty about them. After the wrongful execution of the beloved Justine, Victor becomes “seized by remorse and the sense of guilt, which hurried [him] to a hell of intense tortures such as no language can describe” (Chp. 9). Here Victor genuinely does feel sorrowful over the deaths in his family, but he still doesn’t believe that he was directly responsible for the events that unfold. He even has the chance to help exonerate Justine because he knows that the murderer is the creature. He can even find help in stopping the creature’s reign of terror. Instead, Victor chooses against testifying and supports his decision when he argues, “I was absent when it was committed, and such a declaration would have been considered as the ravings of a madman…” (Chp.8). His fears of being killed by the creature and being shunned by his community only fueled his excuses. Justine was left to hang. He has a flaw in which he always blames others for the deaths. This is shown when he reflects on the death of his younger brother: “When I reflected in his crimes and malice, my hatred and revenge burst all bounds of moderation” (Chp. 9). Victor creates this creature, yet he refuses to accept any responsibility