Frankenstein+Essay

Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelly, can be called the Modern Prometheus. In the novel, the main character named Victor Frankenstein found a way to bring inanimate objects to life. He created a being that was to become a new perfect race, but his creation turned out to be a monstrosity. Frankenstein abandoned his creation, and thus he it loose upon humanity. The monster, being independent, committed many murders around the countryside. Though the monster may be accountable for his own actions, Victor’s treatment and lack of nurture towards the monster are the main causes of the monster’s behavior.

Frankenstein’s monster committed many crimes after being abandoned by his creator, and he was responsible for the deaths of many close friends and family members of Frankenstein. The monster wandered the countryside and eventually found and settled outside a cottage and educated himself by observing the family inside. After being rejected by the family when he presented himself and shot after he saved a women from drowning, the monster developed a hatred towards Victor and humans in general. He tried once again to fit in with human society by attempting to befriend a young child as evidenced by telling the child “I do not intend to hurt you; listen to me,” in page 102 of chapter 16. However, the child rejects the monster by saying “Let me go,” and calling it a “monster” and “ugly wretch”. The monster’s anger was pushed over the top after the child stated that Victor was his father, so the monster killed the young boy in a rage. He later secretly placed the evidence of the murder on Justine, a trusted servant of Frankenstein’s family, who was trialed and executed for the crime. Although the actions were carried out by the monster, Frankenstein’s abandonment was a key contributing factor to the monster’s personality.

Victor’s lack of nurture and care for the monster may be the main contributing factors to the monster’s crimes. First of all, Victor’s blind and overwhelming obsession in his creation of a perfect being led to him creating a hideous monster. The monster’s grotesque nature was a main reason why humans such as the child rejected him. Frankenstein’s rejection of his own creation led the monster to develop a hatred towards humans as his own “father” despised him. Without Frankenstein’s nurture, the monster set out by himself to try to learn and fit in with society. As John Locke stated, everyone starts out a blank state, and the environment and nurture shapes the nature of the person. As the monster could not find a companion, he demanded Victor to create a female for him. On page 105 in chapter 17, he tried to stay calm in his proposal and said, “Oh! my creator, make me happy; let me feel gratitude towards you for one benefit!” However Victor eventually rejected the proposal that would have made the monster have something to live for. This was clearly the main reason in which the monster murdered Victor’s loved ones. The monster wanted revenge on his creator who let him loose to the world but denied him happiness.

Victor should take responsibility for the monster’s actions for which he did not take. Frankenstein created the monster, but left it to fend for itself. The monster should be blamed for his actions of murder and acts of revenge, but Victor’s poor treatment of the monster and denial to make him happy were the main causes of the monster’s actions. As people are shaped by their environments, Victor rejected the monster, thus did not provide a caring environment.