Victor Frankenstein Relationships Essay

In the acclaimed, romantic novel, Frankenstein (1818), Mary Shelley introduces the protagonist, Victor Frankenstein, who spends several years in isolation defying the laws of nature in order to create a human being artificially. Throughout the novel, Victor Frankenstein reveals his pursuit of knowledge and the consequences that followed through his character development to highlight the importance of personal relationships and one’s own well-being over materialistic accomplishments. At the start of the novel, Victor’s obsessive and selfish nature was evident in multiple aspects of his life, not solely in his work. Disregarding his scientific fixations, a prime example of his addictive personality would be during Victor’s first meeting with

This seemingly selfless decision to finally place his family’s needs above his work did not occur without negative consequences though. The creature had to learn about life, without the parental guidance most children receive, through trial and error. Upon meeting with Victor, he began pleading his story. The creature exclaimed that Victor had “endowed [him] with perceptions and passions and then cast [him] abroad an object for the scorn and horror of mankind” and therefore will pay for such maltreatment (Shelley 150). Victor completely shunning his accomplishment to focus on his family and himself harmed the creature in unimaginable ways and in turn risked his family’s lives. Further along, the creature acquired knowledge himself and came to the conclusion that the only love he will receive is from another deformed creature Victor creates. The creature then threatened Victor by stating that “‘On [Victor] it rests, whether [he] quit forever the neighborhood of man and lead a harmless life, or become the scourge of [Victor’s] fellow creatures and the author of [Victor’s] own speedy ruin’” (Shelley 107). It became up to Victor whether his family and the rest of mankind remained safe from the inhumane being. Even after realizing the true horrors of his past work experience, Victor “loved [his family] to adoration; and to save them, [he] resolved to

The bulk of their relationship revolved around Victor recalling his life as a warning for Walton about what may lie ahead for him if he follows the same path Victor had. Victor realized that Walton seeks “‘for knowledge and wisdom, as [he] once did; and [he] ardently [hoped] that the gratification of [Walton’s] wishes may not be a serpent to sting [him], as [Victor’s had] been” (Shelley 26). Victor continued on to share his journey with Walton as a teaching moment regarding the pursuit of knowledge considering Victor regretted many events in his life now that he matured over time. However, near the end of Victor’s life, he grew exceedingly ill while on Walton’s ship as they were stranded at sea. Walton’s crew pleaded for them to turn back home as soon as the ice opened a passage for them to take; however, Victor demanded that they “do not return to [their] families with the stigma of disgrace marked on [their] brows. Return as heroes who have fought and conquered” (Shelley 233). Even after retelling his entire life story as a cautionary tale to save others from his fate, Victor’s character circled back to the beginning where his only driving force in life is his dangerous journey for knowledge. He shamed the crew for even considering turning back for their families even though Victor regrets not following that same path himself. Only a few conversations