How Is Victor Frankenstein Dangerous

In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, young scientist Victor Frankenstein attempts to play God by creating life, but later rejects his creation which results in rage and revenge from both Victor and his monster. Dr. Frankenstein states, “Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, that he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow” (54). As Victor and his monster discover the power of information, knowledge seems to be dangerous when practiced in isolation from a supporting community.
Victor Frankenstein continuously innovates, but due to an increasing dependency on isolation, he overextends …show more content…
His secrecy causes him to become depressed and suicidal because he doesn’t establish a support group in which he is comfortable in sharing information about the monster. After Justine is killed, Victor starts pondering about his the worth of his life by asserting, “Justine died...and I was alive” (93). At times where friends of Victor died, instead of mourning, Victor expresses disappointment because he believes that dying and leaving his problem is easier than facing it head-on. When Victor reflects on what had happened, de declares, “When I thought of what had passed, a real insanity possessed me” (194). The problem with Victor’s logic to being secretive is that people offer to hear his story and lift his burden. When Elizabeth offers to console Victor, he denies her and forcefully “intreated her to retire” (198). Victor leaves Elizabeth unaware of his upcoming battle which causes her to be unprepared for the monster's appearance which leads to her …show more content…
The monster was not properly taught basic skills and manners and depended on outside sources and his surroundings to teach him fundamental principles of being alive. The monster comes across a cottage when he learns a language which he believes was “a godlike science, and I ardently desired to become acquainted with it” (115). Due to his new literacy, he is able to learn more complex emotions and principles such as religion. The monster relies on Paradise Lost to understand “far deeper emotions” (132). The monster uses his new knowledge of religious principles to spite Victor. He tries to convince Victor to introduce him to society or at least teach him more about his new life. Instead, he realizes that he is not acceptable for society’s standards and believes that he “was, in reality, the monster that I am” (116). His immense knowledge causes the monster to seek revenge on Victor after creating him and ostracizing him from all communities. His understanding of complex emotions allowed him to seek revenge and have the urge to have “declared everlasting war against the species… and sent me forth to this insupportable misery” (138). The more the monster learns, the more he realizes how different his life has been and makes him jealous of humans which