Superego In Frankenstein

Freud’s theory of the superego is a widely researched and discussed topic. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica the superego is “the ethical portion of the personality and provides the moral standards by which the ego operates.” The superego can also be referred to as a ‘separate self’. The ‘separate self’ concept is shown with a supernatural quality in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. In Frankenstein, the character, The Creature, is the superego of the main character, Victor, brought to life. Through The Creature’s physical traits, The Creature’s actions, and The Creature’s thoughts, the correlation between the two main characters is seen. Freud's theory of the superego is exemplified by the parallels between The Creature and the flaws in

The Creature's actions are an awakening of the main character's deepest thoughts and desires. Dan Merkur, in his article “Two: The Psyche’s Unitive Trends” explains that the ego ( the conscious portion of a person) has self-control and the superego doesn't. The ego can control what the ego says and does, but the superego cannot (Merkur). Therefore, Merkur provides evidence for the connection between The Creature’s actions and Victor’s thoughts because The Creature is able to carry out the actions that Victor would only think about doing. For example, in the novel Frankenstein, The Creature describes the situation that follows, “I lighted the dry branch of a tree and danced with fury around the devoted cottage… The wind fanned the fire, and the cottage was quickly enveloped by the flames" (Shelley 128). Burning down the cottage is The Creature’s way of getting revenge on the family that he thought ‘left him’ and of releasing pent up emotions. The Creature’s action of burning the cottage is an actualization of Victor’s desire to burn, or get rid, of his past mistakes. Another example within the novel of the link between The Creature’s actions and Victor’s darkest notions is at the very end, when The Creature describes what his plans for himself are, “I shall quit your vessel on the ice raft that brought me thither and shall seek the most northern

Victor is crippled by his self-doubt. The Creature experiences the same type of feelings. The Creature holds within himself an emotional distress that is very similar to the depression and mental instability that Victor endures, which provides further evidence that The Creature is the superego of the main character. A. C. Goodson explores Victor’s mental issues in his article “Frankenstein in the Age of Prozac”, "Frankenstein's frenzy has something to do with his family, something to do with his temperament. The science is only an avenue of escape from psychic pain.” The quote explains that Victor Frankenstein suffers from severe mental distress ( just like The Creature) and also shows how The Creature emerges as a release of Victor's negative emotions. Both explanations demonstrate the similarities and associations in the thoughts of The Creature and Victor. The similarities can also be seen through quotes in the novel. The Creature states “The agony of my feelings allowed me no respite; no incident occurred from which my rage and misery could not extract its food” (Shelley 167). Victor makes a similar statement when he declares “I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart”(Shelley 74). While the meanings of the quotes might not