Frankenstein Moral Code Essay

The very concept of a moral code has always been a fluid one. Moreover, normative morality deals with the very perception of right and wrong, which often relies upon an individual’s opinion on how they ought to act; whether that be dictated by society, culture or experience. As a way to find meaning in the apparent meaninglessness of existence; mankind created the mythology of a higher power — something used to explain the unexplainable. This often came in the form of a god or deity. Thus, the concept of morality dictated by church dogma was born. However, with the Enlightenment and the scientific revolution, doubt in the infallible will of God grew. After the death of God in philosophy, these moral principles fell into obscurity. As a member of the upper-class and …show more content…
As Victor pursues his impossible task, he states rather excitedly: "A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me. I might in process of time renew life where death had apparently devoted the body to corruption.” In this, we can see Frankenstein’s juvenile God Complex come to light. He wishes to take the place of God, as ‘creator and source.’ Furthermore, in rather jubilant tones, he states his desire to be worshipped outright. His ambition grows, morphing from pure elation to a serious considering of his future as the instigator of a new type of immortality; one not so different from that devised by the alchemists he studied as a child. He wishes to better himself by becoming a new god and thus, he ignores other moral codes in favour of his own. However, Victor also shows strains of consequentialist morality, which in essence states that the consequences of one’s conduct should be the sole factor considered. It highlights the role of personal judgment, and in Victor’s case, the role of decisive