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Frankenstein Narcissism Analysis

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Discuss How Victor's Narcissism Lead To His Downfall The novel "Frankenstein" which was written by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley deals with the Enlightenment period in England at the 19th century, the endless insist to pursuit after discoveries and development, which leads the main character Victor to create a Monster, because of attempt to create something extraordinary but unfortunately the upcoming troubles were not expected to happen. The industrial era, which waged fear of lack in faith and going far from God in the British society at that time. The rise of the Narcissism phenomenon on the account of family, different relationships and focus on formation of the self rather than family intimacy. This essay explains the term narcissism …show more content…

Both of Sigmund Freud and Fredrick Nietzsche argue that the Narcissism phenomenon is based on self-interest and remarkable care on the one's own personality while ignoring the others feelings, the person who is recognized with Narcissism is more often suffer from certain disorders, such as avoiding social interactions, irresponsibility toward different issues in addition to weird reactions and behaviors. Thus, we can relate the issue of victor as egoistic and isolated persona from the social life, Freud maintains" Neurosis is the result of a conflict between the ego and its id, whereas relation between the ego and its environment (outer world)". (Sigmund Freud, 1959, pp.250-251). Victor has inner self-conflicts between what happens in real-time and his own character which needs to be "chasing" after greatness and self-care, his choices toward the current events are main hints to his narcissistic thinking. Moreover that, Fredrick Nietzsche argues:" its care for the future promised in him which gives the well-constituted individual such an extraordinary right to egoism". Nietzsche adds that the narcissism is always has a strong connection with the pleasure for his own profit, as long as the egoistic character seek for receiving his own leisure the others will be neglected and things get wasted because of his

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In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Victor is fascinated by the creation and decay of life and is relentless to create him one, but turns out to be a horrifying nightmare by bringing a monster into the world. One's desire can be so great that it blinds people from the things in life they truly care about, but would not know till it is gone. Victor Frankenstein goes from an arrogant man who only thinks about his only desires to a guilt ridden man who wants to protect others after his mistake killed innocent people. Victor Frankenstein is an arrogant man who only thinks about his only desires and does not care about what people says. Since he is spoiled by his family by giving him gifts like Elizabeth “as his- his to protect, love, and cherish” (30).

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Throughout Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, the knowledge of an existing creator has damaging effects on the creature as he tries to resolve what he views of himself while also having an enraging desire for approval and acceptance from his godlike creator. It is evident throughout the text that Shelley, a woman that did not adhere to the religious practices of her time, compares the development of humans through the contrasting of secular and religious connections. In the novel’s end, through the character of Victor Frankenstein, Shelley makes the conclusion that both a moral and spiritual growth is best achieved through detachment from strict belief practices, which eliminates God and moves toward reaching self-perception. Victor Frankenstein’s

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A good monster is never human or inhuman. Monsters serve as cautionary tales about the consequences of reckless abandon, and far more often than appearing as metaphysical beings, their true form is an idea. When children check under their beds and inside of their closets for a pair of yellow eyes and a toothy grin, they do not dispel any physical entity. Instead, they dispel the unknown. Similarly, in Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein grapples not with a physical entity, but his own personality flaws.

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Victor’s creation is described as a “monster” in the story of Frankenstein. He is immediately considered to be evil because he has committed murder, even though he meant no harm. He wrongfully forges his identity according to how others see him; as an evil monster. He forges his identity on how others view him, which is an evil monster (Lall 36). At this point, he is growing out of the mental stage of an infant and is beginning to learn how to take care of himself.

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In the novel, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, ambition evolves into a form of obsession with revenge. But the result of vengeance is a curse to human life and its longevity. Both main characters in the novel, Victor and the monster become obsessed and let vengeance be their downfall. Victor was a very ambitious character who longed for knowledge and the presence of new life. He soon became obsessed with his creation and said,“I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body.

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Victor’s parental figures in Frankenstein poison him by surrounding him with countless indulgences. From childhood, Victor was given all of his desires without question and this led to him becoming self-centered and dependent on the service of others. Victor describes his childhood with

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Victor questions why men so instinctively attempt to become superior to nature when men are also a product of nature. He criticizes that if humans reverted to our primal instincts, “hunger, thirst, and desire” (67) that we’d be free, or content with our lives. This is his subliminal self-reflection as he understands that seeking the secret to life, by creating the monster, did not bring him happiness but rather brought him misery and self-loathing. In this last line of the passage, Shelley highlights a major morale and theme of the story which is using science to tamper with nature, a critique against the enlightenment period. The consequences of Frankenstein’s creation have not only caused the death of William and Justine but will also become the reason for his own inevitable doom

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In the novel, Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, readers follow the life of scientist Victor Frankenstein and his creation. The accomplishment of creating life is quickly overshadowed by Victor’s lack of responsibility regarding the monster’s needs. Victor doesn’t give it respect or love. Society’s rejection of the monster is responsible for his evil tendencies.

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Such passion is seen in Victor’s ‘noble intent’ to design a being that could contribute to society, but he had overextended himself, falling under the spell of playing ‘God,’ further digging his grave as he is blinded by glory. His creation – aptly called monstrous being due to its stature, appearance, and strength – proved to be more of a pure and intellectually disposed ‘child’ that moves throughout the novel as a mere oddity, given the short end of the stick in relation to a lack of familial figures within his life, especially that of parents. Clearly, Victor Frankenstein had sealed his fate: by playing God he was losing his humanity, ultimately becoming the manifestation of Mary Shelley’s hidden desires, deteriorating into The Lucifer Principle by which the author Howard Bloom notes social groups, not individuals, as the primary “unit of selection” in human psychological

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Victor Frankenstein is selfish. The novel portrays Victor as a selfish character who is only concerned about his own well-being. Frankenstein wanted to manipulate the power of life. He abandons his creation because of the creature’s appearance and also withholds information or lies about his creation. Due to Victor 's selfishness, readers feel sorry for his creation.

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In 1818 Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, a novel that follows Victor Frankenstein, an ambitious man on his journey to defy the natural sciences. In Volume I of the novel, Victor discusses his childhood, mentioning how wonderful and amazing it was because of how his family sheltered him from the bad in the world. “The innocent and helpless creature bestowed on them by heaven, whom to bring up to good, and whose future lot it was in their hands to direct to happiness or misery, according as they fulfilled their duties towards me” (35). When Victor brings up his childhood, he suggests that parents play a strong in how their kids turn out, either "to happiness or misery" (35). In particular the main character was sheltered as a child to achieve this “happiness” leading to Victor never developing a coping mechanism to the evil in the world.

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The gothic fiction novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley centralizes on humanity and the qualifications that make someone human. The content of the novel Frankenstein depicts a monster displaying human traits that his creator Victor does not possess: empathy, a need for companionship, and a will to learn and fit in. Throughout the novel Shelley emphasizes empathy as a critical humanistic trait. The monster displays his ability to empathize with people even though they are strangers. On the other hand Victor, fails to show empathy throughout the novel even when it relates to his own family and friends.

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1375 Words | 6 Pages

In the novel “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley, the main character Victor Frankenstein is portrayed as a pathological narcissist throughout the entire story, he has this personality trait because of a traumatizing event that occurred in his youth changing his ideology to pursue a way to be better than death itself and play as a god. What a pathological narcissist is, is a “Personality Disorder is a disorder that is characterized by a long-standing pattern of grandiosity (either in fantasy or actual behavior), an overwhelming need for admiration, and usually a complete lack of empathy toward others. People with this disorder often believe they are of primary importance in everybody’s life or to anyone they meet” according to an article written by Dr. Steve Bressert. These are the base traits of a pathological narcissist, but in order to see how this affects Frankenstein in his life, a closer look needs to be taken to see how his actions reflected on his personality.

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Victor Frankenstein is the protagonist and the creator of “The monster.” As displayed in the book and article, he becomes the way he is by his relationships. His relationship with Elizabeth is an example of an important relationship. His cousin, adoptive sister, and eventual wife, she was always close to him. Elizabeth was dear to Victor’s heart in a way no one else was.

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