Every living thing, whether a human or an animal, has responsibilities that they must follow. These can range from running the most powerful country in the world to finding food for oneself. If not taken seriously, however, these responsibilities can have a lasting effect on one’s life. In Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”, the character of Victor goes against nature itself and creates a living thing; a monster. However, once he does this he is not ready to live with the consequences of his actions. When Victor realizes the monster killed William, when Justine is accused of killing William, and when Elizabeth dies at the wedding, Victor could have saved himself had he realized the repercussions of creating the monster and took responsibility for
…show more content…
When the monster finally catches up with Victor and tells him his story, he gives Victor an ultimatum. The monster says that he wants a companion to live with: “You must create a female for me with whom I can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being” (Shelley 174). Victor is once again tasked by the monster, but this time to create another being for the monster to live with. In return for this, the monster promises to leave Victor’s family alone and leave for South America: “If you consent, neither you nor any other human being shall ever see us again; I will go to the vast wilds of South America” (Shelley 176). Victor accepts the monster’s requests in order to perpetuate his life, but then for months stalls on creating the creature. When Victor eventually does start to create the female monster, he destroys it in front of the original monster: “… tore to pieces the thing on which I was engaged. The wretch saw me destroy the creature on whose future existence he depended for happiness” (Shelley 203). Victor, instead of keeping with his promise of creating another monster, destroys what he was working on. It was Victor’s responsibility to do what his creation wanted. After all, it had already killed one of his family members and framed another. Victor destroying his work in front of the monster enraged it and it swore to see him on his wedding night: “It is well. (He) go; but remember, (he) shall be with (Victor) on his wedding-night” (Shelley 206). This threat came true when Elizabeth was murdered on their wedding night and Victor’s life was thoroughly
When the monster finally catches up with Victor and tells him his story, he gives Victor an ultimatum. The monster says that he wants a companion to live with: “You must create a female for me with whom I can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being” (Shelley 174). Victor is once again tasked by the monster, but this time to create another being for the monster to live with. In return for this, the monster promises to leave Victor’s family alone and leave for South America: “If you consent, neither you nor any other human being shall ever see us again; I will go to the vast wilds of South America” (Shelley 176). Victor accepts the monster’s requests in order to perpetuate his life, but then for months stalls on creating the creature. When Victor eventually does start to create the female monster, he destroys it in front of the original monster: “… tore to pieces the thing on which I was engaged. The wretch saw me destroy the creature on whose future existence he depended for happiness” (Shelley 203). Victor, instead of keeping with his promise of creating another monster, destroys what he was working on. It was Victor’s responsibility to do what his creation wanted. After all, it had already killed one of his family members and framed another. Victor destroying his work in front of the monster enraged it and it swore to see him on his wedding night: “It is well. (He) go; but remember, (he) shall be with (Victor) on his wedding-night” (Shelley 206). This threat came true when Elizabeth was murdered on their wedding night and Victor’s life was thoroughly