Frankenstein

There is always a thought about whether we can truly play with the laws of nature. While it seems like a good practice in theory, actually attempting to create life without thinking of the consequences could only dispel disaster and a disruption in the flow of science and biology. In the story written by Mary Shelley, this is exactly what befalls our protagonist Doctor Victor Frankenstein upon acquiring the knowledge that he puts to use in order to create life. But by creating something inhuman and grotesque, he inadvertently allows this creation to destroy his life and the people he held dear. While Victor is definitely a tragic figure and we do pity him that his life has begun to fall apart from the seams, a vast majority of the conflict does play a lot into his hands. From the start, although he was seemingly innocent as a youth fascinated with Alchemy, he grew into an arrogant, ambitious and narcissistic young man with a disregard for humanity. In a sense because he was the creature’s creator, it was his responsibility to care for the thing he created had he done so he would have prevented the deaths of his younger brother William, his best friend Henry and ultimately his fiancé Elizabeth. In a sense it is a two-sided coin, by rejecting the creature based on its appearance he ultimately paved the way for it to be rejected by society and become shaped by human cruelty rather than that of love or kindness.

The tragedy of the story is very much on Victor Frankenstein as it is on the eponymous monster. The more Victor becomes consumed with disillusionment and vengeance against his creation, the more isolated he becomes from everything around him. The story is very much akin to the Greek myth of Prometheus who was a titan who stole fire from the god of thunder Zeus in order to create life. As punishment, Zeus commissioned Hephaestus to create Pandora the first women who would bring about the troubles to mankind. Zeus also personally punished Prometheus by chaining him to a rock. Towards the end of the story, after losing everyone dear to him, Victor chases the Monster all the way to the arctic in an attempt to destroy it where he finally meets the man behind the letters Robert Walton and upon telling his story to Walton dies of his illness.

In conclusion, Frankenstein is very much a classic example of what happens when people tamper with what is unknown to them and what they can’t control without realizing the inherent reproductions of acquiring dangerous knowledge. Victor Frankenstein ultimately created life, but in the end never took responsibility for what he created and it ultimately destroyed his life along with those closest to him. Had he had more of a grasp of the importance of love and humanity, he would have been able to care for the creature and shape it through love and kindness. The overall message is to take responsibility for your actions.