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The Destructive Sides Of Human Nature In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

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As one comes into contact with people throughout their life, the interactions they make can be seen as positive or destructive. In Mary Shelley’s gothic novel, titled Frankenstein, she presents evidence of these two aspects. The nineteenth century novel focuses mainly on the life of an eager boy in Geneva, named Victor Frankenstein. In his youth, Victor finds himself entranced with the sciences. This fascination grows throughout his life, until he finally believes he has figured out the secret to life. With this knowledge, he builds the body for a creature, but upon bringing it to life, Victor is filled with horror. He abandons the creature, who hates Vicor for the what he has done to him. The behavior displayed by the characters Victor Frankenstein …show more content…

Throughout the novel, the ways in which Victor Frankenstein behaves represents the destructive sides of human nature. Early on in the novel, Victor is shown to be obsessive and dominating. Upon meeting his adopted sister for the first time, Victor claims her to be his to “love, protect and cherish” and that she will be his “till death”(Shelley, 21). The importance in Victor claiming his sister like an object does not just express his obsessive impulses, but also alludes to his disregard for other people and their individuality. Before she has even had a chance to decide whether or not she feels the same way, Victor has seemed to of set his mind on having her. This obsessive and destructive behavior affects not only those around him, but also himself, specifically his health. In the time where Victor isolated himself from his loved ones, Victor also fails to care for himself to the point where his cheeks “had grown pale” and his limbs “tremble[d]” (Shelley, 40). The extent of his obsession weakens him physically, but he fails to care about it since he is so focused on his goal of being able to reanimate a being. Victor also exhibits the obstructive side of human nature near the novel’s end. Victor refuses to give the creature what he desires out of spite and

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