Irresponsibility In Frankenstein

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has been revered as a classic example of science fiction, telling the story of an ingenious inventor treading new paths to expand human understanding of the natural world. The product of this noble pursuit is tainted by the inventor’s creation going rogue, albeit not without a catalyst: his own creator’s neglect. Alas, in an era of increasing excitement in science, Shelley had written a story that seemed to contradict such sentiments with fear; however, this was not without purpose. Instead of using this tale to disseminate fear, Shelley offers a new perspective: one of caution. The description of Victor Frankenstein’s god complex and neglect of his creation emphasizes the dangers of irresponsibility and scientific

As Victor realized that his creation was not as he hoped, he abandoned his work, which ultimately led to the monster spiraling into a spiteful state: “I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind?” (Shelley 147). When humans feel as though the world is against them, they often tend to retaliate against their oppressors with spite as a coping mechanism. Created to resemble an evolved form of humanity, the monster imitates this behavior as he felt shunned and neglected by those he sought to assimilate with. The overarching narrative of Victor’s neglect of his creation sought to highlight the role of the inventor in producing unintended consequences from technological creations. Neglect and abuse are associated with bitter feelings, and in psychology, are often the impetus for why many individuals grow to become spiteful and commit horrendous acts. Seeing as the monster resembles humanity, he is not immune to the harmful effects of neglect. Even in the 1994 movie adaptation, Robert De Niro’s portrayal of the monster acknowledged that it had “love in [it] the likes of which [Victor] ha[d] never seen, [and] rage the likes of which should n[ot]

In modern society, many researchers have noticed that criticism of science has only spawned as a result of a by-product of major or minor negative impacts. However, many times, these consequences only occurred as a result of the questionable intent of an inventor. Looking to Frankenstein, Victor’s initial motive to create his creature was to have “a new species [that] would bless [him] as its creator and source… ow[ing] their being to [him]” (Shelley 55). The word “bless” often implies a power dynamic, with the one offering the blessings being elevated as an individual of power. Here, by hoping that the species would “owe their being to him,” Frankenstein implies his desire to be worshiped in exchange for bringing life to his creations. In connection to religion, God had created sentient beings like humans to spread love, a rather noble intention. The contrast between the divine beings’ philanthropic motives with Frankenstein’s selfish ones seeks to further underscore the reasoning behind why the impacts of each’s creations differed so vastly. Victor’s foul intentions and neglect influenced his creation to cause the deaths of those around him, eventually resulting in his distraught future. However, in the case of God who showered his creation with love, no such