Why Is Victor Frankenstein Unethical

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In the novel, Frankenstein, Mary Shelley uses the voices of Victor Frankenstein to show how the ethics of both change. In the article by Manuel Velasquez, et al. ethics has to do with right and wrong. As a scientist, a family member, and a friend, Victor is unethical. It is clear that Victor's actions were unethical. The monster was a creation with a criminal mind that Victor Frankenstein created. Shelley's writing is a warning to mankind that our society is becoming unethical and it needs to change or pay the price. The first reason why Victor Frankenstein is unethical is his scientific pursuit of creating life. Victor's obsession with creating life led him to ignore the natural order of things. By trying to create life, he played God and interfered with the natural order that was established. He did not consider the implications of creating life nor the effect it would have on the world. He created a being that was without a soul, and this being went on to bring destruction and pain to others. …show more content…

Victor chose to stay away from his family while he was engrossed in his scientific experiment. He abandoned his family, including his wife, Elizabeth, and his father, which showed a total disregard for their feelings and emotions. He did not care about the damage he was causing in their relationship, nor was he aware of how his absence was affecting their mental health. The third reason why Victor was unethical was as a friend. Victor never listened to the warnings that Henry Clerval gave him and still went ahead with his experiment, even after knowing the potential consequences. He put his friend in harm's way and gave no thought to the danger he was putting him in. When Henry decided to leave him, Victor could not understand why he was doing so. He should have taken responsibility for his actions and listened to his friend's