Role Of Ambition In Frankenstein

Frankenstein is a novel written by Mary Shelley that tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a monster out of dead body parts. Also the key player in the role of ambition in this novel. Victor appears to be an altogether good and kind human being. He is well-educated, sensitive, eloquent, and loving towards his family and friends. But Victor’s ambition and irresponsible acts cause himself suffers and change his personality. Victor’s Ambition

Victor determines to challenge the limits of human knowledge, to go beyond natural laws. At first, his reason for creating the monster sounds noble: ‘I thought that if I could bestow animation upon lifeless matter, I might in process of time (although I now find it impossible)

A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me. No father could claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I should deserve theirs,’ said Victor in Frankenstein Chap 4. Which implies that he wants to be praise by people, more than just as a scientist, but as a God, a crater of ‘new source’ for he is able to do what God does – create.

However, ambition comes from desire.

Victor’s Thirst for Knowledge

Victor has a burning desire to learn. At first when Victor goes off to university, he keeps in touch with his family regularly, but when his interest in science develops, he starts to neglect them. The obsessive pursuit of knowledge take the places of Victor's friends and family, especially the empty place of his mother.

Leads by his desire, Victor forget about his own life and completely concentrates on his project without considering the consequences of what he is trying to do.

Although Victor knows his family miss him, he still insists on working his project for two years, without visiting them. This indicates that Victor's capacity for altruism and benevolence has been utterly destroyed by his obsession, it also says that he is a bit