Individualism In Frankenstein

In her novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist whose thirst for knowledge and discovery leads to his creation of life from death. This story takes place during the Enlightenment era in Geneva, Switzerland. Frankenstein is written as a set of three different stories. Robert Walton, the Arctic sailor introduced at the beginning of the novel, writes letters to his sister regarding the story of Victor Frankenstein, Frankenstein tells the story of his creation to Walton, and within this story, the Creature tells the story of the De Lacey family. Through the three stories, readers gain insight into different aspects of each character’s perspective. Recounting his times in Geneva, Victor tells the story …show more content…
Frankenstein consists of three male narrators: Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein, and the Creature. Each narrator uses “I” to describe his experiences and thus express his identity. However, the individualism of each narrator is subverted since each man is, in portion, a reflection of the other. For example, in one of the letters to his sister, Walton admits that he has “found a man [Victor Frankenstein] who, I should have been happy to have possessed as the brother of my heart” (16). Through another letter, Walton characterizes Victor Frankenstein as a “creature” (14) who “gnashes his teeth, as if impatient of the weight of the weight of woes that oppresses him” (15). This sense of frustration is extremely similar to what the Creature goes through in his attempt to assimilate to society. The Creature simply longs to fit in, but when he is repeatedly misunderstood, he becomes frustrated. After being rejected by the DeLacy family, the Creature is “overcome by pain and anguish” (95) exactly as Victor Frankenstein is living with “the weight of [his] woes” (15). Finally, parts of Walton are also seen in the Creature. Towards the end of his narration, the Creature tells Frankenstein, “I am alone, and miserable” (101). This lonely sentiment is echoed by Walton in the beginning of the novel when, in one of his letters, Walton writes, “I desire the company of a man who could sympathize with me; whose eyes may reply to mine” (10). Essentially, Walton finds aspects of Victor in himself, Victor is a reflection of the Creature, and the Creature is a portrayal of Walton. Since all three narrators are so connected to each other, when each narrator uses the word “I”, this actually serves to destabilize the unity of the