Who Is Victor's Motivation In Frankenstein

Thesis: In Mary Shelley's, Frankenstein, the obscure principles of good and evil interact and depend on each other through the character of Victor Frankenstein and his creation of the monster as an extension of his dark raw instincts and emotions.

On the surface, Victor Frankenstein appears to be a kind and good human being, merely a tragic hero, but in truth, beneath Victor's benevolent surface lies his egotistical motivation. This is shown in the beginning of the novel in Victor’s purpose for creating the monster. Initially, Victor's purpose could be mistaken as good for he states that "in the process of time... [he] might renew life where death had apparently devoted the body to corruption." (Shelley 54) The thought of reviving

No father could claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I should deserve theirs." (Shelley 54) Victor clearly desires to be thought of as a creator and to have beings owe their lives to him. This heretical thought demonstrates how clearly his motivation for the monster became. This unhealthy motivation of pride manifests itself deep into his soul to the point where it consumes his every move and thought. Elizabeth, Victor’s one love, notices this and asks, “Have we lost the power of rendering you happy?” (105). His obsession and madness became visibly clear to the outside world and were no longer only present inside. Additionally, Victor desires awe and fame and wants to ensure that his name is marked down in history, for he states, "while I

The fact that Victor emphasizes the individual effort and the amount of pride present in his discover portrays the egotistical underlying reality in his scientific purpose. This shows a side of his where he thinks that he, above of all, is a supreme being, and that he has made the single-most fantastic discovery that must be made known to the world.

Frankenstein's monster, though often depicted as a cruel, unfeeling monster, is neither one dimensional or easily labeled for he not only displays clear signs of evil, but also demonstrates a strong sense of emotions, remorse, and kindness. In the beginning of his development, it is made clear how much his surrounding environment affects him. Everywhere he turns, people run in fear of him, always showing signs of disgust and hatred. The monster’s first interaction with humanity was Victor’s flight after laying eyes upon him. The very first interaction with human kind, was an act of repulsion, only to be repeated continually throughout the monster’s life. Again, the monster meets repulsion in his