Frankenstein Essay, Research Paper

Frankenstein

by Mary Shelley

Victor Frankenstein is the main character in this story. Often people mistook the name Frankenstein and think that that is the monster’s name. However Victor Frankenstein is the young and eager scientist that participates in the unholy act of the creation. Victor Frankenstein was very interested in natural philosophy and

Chemistry. Victor once said:” I look to the past and build upon it, with my own research and experimentation. I am not interested in the usual subjects of study. Victor looks to magic and activities which negate God, as Frankenstein states, “The raising of ghosts or devils, . . . the fulfillment of which I most eagerly sought” (p.26).

Victor’s professor was very close to discovering the secret of life and death. He told Victor that the secret was the electricity. Using it he showed him his little experiment by controlling a hand of a dead monkey, but even in this “harmless” demonstration the monkey hand almost broke the right hand of his friend. Before dying professor warned Victor not to toy with nature. He told him that his experiments were unholy and he wanted to burn his own notes, however he died before he had a chance to.

Victor was tested in his wish to pursue the science and the dying words of his professor. After taking the notes Victor said: “What if we can defy death, just look at the possibilities, if your heart goes bad we can take another one and put it in”

Finally Victor completed the formula and created “The Monster”. However after creating it he accidentally kills it. When he created him Victor says: “God, what have I done..”. This was the point in Victor’s life when he understood that his “madness” has gone too far. “I should never have played games with God” says Victor later. After Victor “kills his creation” he decides to destroy the notes so that nobody can do it again. However being distressed at the moment he leaves them. The creature awakes and frees himself from the chains around his neck. And escapes accidentally taking the notes, that would eventually lead, to the disaster in Victor’s life.

Originally, Frankenstein had planned to use the results of his investigations to help mankind; but this focus soon transmuted into an self centered obsession to perform the impossible for its own sake. Therefore, Frankenstein did not take into account that he would be responsible for the goal of his studies, namely the rearing, protection and care of the creation. He certainly did not adequately prepare himself for parenthood. One can refer to the above-mentioned motives of discovery of Frankenstein, he was very self-serving and selfish. He was only concerned with the means rather than the ends of his ambitious adventures of knowledge and discovery. He should have never left him alone, even though he thought he was dead. Victor should have taken him down and buried him if he thought he was dead. His creation may have been a blessing but lacking attention it turned into a curse.

After the monster takes revenge on the Victors family killing William and Elizabeth (his wife). Victor tries the commit another selfish act by bringing her back. When the monster came he just asked for a mate, instead Frankenstein pays his “Child” trying to kill him. Instead of asking for forgiveness he tries to fix one mistake by committing another one. In the end he dies at north pole being pursued by the monster. Monster decides to die with his creator. And he is burned alive with his master.

In the beginning of the story we see an eager young scientist full of ideas and desire to help people. After he has taken his mad pursuit we can identify a mad man trying to do an unholy act. After he succeeded we can identify a more serious man, who wants to give more time to his family and his fiance. When the creature comes back Victor tries to preserve his newfound life-style and refuses to coop with the monster. In the end he becomes desperate. After Elizabeth was murdered it is safe to say that Victors life was over.

I am already far north of London, and as I walk in the streets of Petersburgh Russia, is the opening setting described in the letter to Mrs. Saville. The story takes place in the 18th century mostly in England. The time is the deciding factor in the story since that was the time of kings, religion and superstition. Science was in it’s developing clause trying to provide reason into the unknown. The setting is only unique to the time period. Europe was the only place where Frankenstein’s studies would have been possible considering the time period. Other then the scientific progression of the human kind at that time there is nothing that would prevent this story to take place somewhere else.

It is very difficult for me to describe the most exciting scene in the book, since most of the story was very exciting and breath taking. But if I had to pick I would have to choose the scene when the monster rips Elizabeth’s heart out and Victor brings her back. This moment was very scary, and it represented doom. One may easily see how someone’s life can be changed from a very happy man to a destroyed one. Although most people would believe that the climax of the story is the creation of the monster I disagree. This moment is a breaking one. Victor’s life was ruined and so were all of his possessions. However possessions didn’t mean anything to him anymore. He was totally destroyed by the fact that he was directly responsible to the murder of his wife. And we see a lesson that 2 “bads” don’t add up to a “good”. Although Victor dies at the end of the story on a ship I believe that he already was dead since this moment, and that he became just as soulless as the monster. His selfish nature and ignorant attitude is that “killed him” at that very moment. He decided on the fate of his own and the fate of the people close to him. “My present situation was one in which all voluntary thoughts were swallowed up and lost”. (p178-p185)

The ending was satisfying. A soulless creature must die. And so should the creator. I believe that the monster was misunderstood. If people were more open minded and kind the monster could have been a blessing with horrible looks. His real nature is observed when he helped to collect the harvest from the solid frozen ground. Until he found out the truth about himself he could have turned out a farmer, but unfortunately he found the diary and revenge was all he could think off. However he didn’t come to kill Frankenstein he just asked him to aid his unholy and lonely existence by giving a mate. By refusing to do so he takes full responsibility for murder of Elizabeth. It’s like a father who never did anything for his child and when the child returns he just asks for a single favor and all he gets are murder attempts.

As any other sci-fi story this one has a messages. The first one is: “Be careful what you wish for, you might get it”. The second one is that religion is more important then science and that science may never substitute it. And the last message is don’t play god and that humans may not be viewed like robots. One may not assemble a human and just simply turn him on. Only god is that powerful.

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