Olivia Arrowood Honors Brit Lit Mr. Bratkowski 2 February 2023 Ambition: Is It Moral? At what point is a line drawn between bad and good? When it comes to desire and ambition the line between morally right and wrong becomes blurred. Author Mary Shelly depicts this moral stance in her novel Frankenstein. Both “good ambition” and “bad ambition” are shown throughout the story presented by numerous characters, challenging the reader to put on a moral lens while reading this novel. Moral Criticism reflecting ambition is shown in a number of ways through Victor's destructive desire, Walton’s promising aspirations, and the monster, who shows both good and bad ambition. First, readers meet the character of Victor Frankenstein. He has such a strong desire to create life that he leaves behind his loved ones in order to do so. Readers morally view this ambition as bad because it drives Victor down a path that is detrimental to both himself and his family members. Victor states, …show more content…
Walton has set out to find a passage to the Arctic On his ship where he later finds Victor. Many see this desire as morally good because Walton isn't hurting anyone or feeding an obsession. Walton’s ambition is clear as he states, “But supposing all these conjectures to be false, you cannot contest the inestimable benefit which I shall confer on all mankind, to the last generation, by discovering a passage near the pole to those countries, to reach which at present so many months are requisite; or by ascertaining the secret of the magnet, which, if at all possible, can only be effected by an undertaking such as mine” (Shelly 12). This quote exemplifies that, unlike Victor, Waltons desire for adventure and exploration is beneficial and can be seen as an admirable trait. Unfortunately, Walton never finishes his expedition because he faces Victor, on the verge of death, who advises him to quit his