Victor Frankenstein Character Analysis

On November 3rd, 2017, I saw a performance of Frankenstein at the Ransburg Auditorium. Before attending this play, I was already quite familiar with the story of Frankenstein, having read the novel in my high school English class. Going in, I had my doubts about this adaptation of Frankenstein. I was worried this play would focus on the mad scientist bit of the story and not tell the more complex and often overlooked story of a confused and misunderstood “monster”. But, unlike most retellings of Frankenstein, this one stayed true to the source material. In Austin Tichenor’s adaptation of Frankenstein, we are introduced to Victor Frankenstein (Clayton Rardon), a highly intelligent yet deeply disturbed scientist. When he is unable to do anything

Initially, Henry is disturbed by his friend’s creation, declaring it an abomination. Victor argues that the creature will provide valuable insight into what it means to be human. Victor then convinces Henry to help him teach the creature how to conduct himself in a socially acceptable manner.

At first, the two are successful in teaching the creature a few words. Unfortunately, this is when things start to take a dark turn. When the creature injures himself, he lashes out at Victor and Henry. Since the creature is basically a full-grown man with the mind of a small child, the pair of them understandably have a difficult time getting the creature under control.

After the episode, Victor is no longer willing to step up as a father figure. He then decides that he must put the creature down before anybody else is hurt. When Victor attempts to end the creature’s life, the creature escapes into the night. The creature eventually finds himself in the home of an elderly, blind woman (Mary Schreier) who teaches him how to

Unfortunately, Victor is unable to save Justine, Elizabeth, or even Henry by the end of the play; the creature kills all of them either directly or indirectly.

The play ends as it begins with Victor telling his tale to Captain Robert Walton (Dakota Jones). The captain is obviously rattled by the story and pleads with Victor to go back with him and his crew. Victor refuses and insists that he must find the creature and kill him in order to avenge is loved ones and put an end to his murder spree once and for all. Victor eventually happens upon the creature in the Artic, but things do not go according to plan. In the end, Victor is slain by his creature, and the creature remarks that he has never been lonelier. Overall, I really enjoyed this play. I though the acting was superb. I especially thought that Clayton, Marcus, Katie, and Zech gave fantastic performances. Clayton played Victor Frankenstein perfectly. In the book and in this adaptation, Frankenstein is so much more than the contrived mad scientist that has been prevalent in popular culture. Though Victor does suffer from an initial obsession with death, he is not as unhinged as he is often portrayed in television and in movies. Victor is a complex character, and Clayton shows