Poor Parenting In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Not only do children receive love and care from their parents, but also an understanding of life and morals. Parents have the ability to dictate their children’s future; they can steer their children in the right path through good parenting or in the wrong direction through poor parenting. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Victor, a parent figure to the Creature, is absent in the Creature’s life, which leads to heartbreak and destruction. Victor Frankenstein’s passion for science and education leads him to deeply explore a new field: creation of life. Although he learns all that he can from his professors, Victor’s curiosity opens a new door–his project of constructing the Creature, who is made in his own image. Victor becomes obsessed with …show more content…
Yet, his outward image does not parallel with his personality and character. The Creature simply wants to be accepted, but everyone shuns him due to his awkward eight feet tall, muscular body, and ugly looking head. At the moment of his birth, his creator Victor abandons him; the Creature is alone, confused, and unconscious of the world in front of him. He is left to figure everything out on his own, and he tries to integrate himself into a community that is repulsed by his appearance. Victor’s parental absence leads to the Creature’s feelings of solitude, deranged behavior, and a hatred towards Victor. Vengeance becomes the Creature’s sole task, as he says, “Frankenstein! You belong to my enemy-to him towards whom I have sworn eternal revenge; you shall be my first victim” (171). The Creature’s rejection from Victor and the society and the loneliness caused by the rejection transforms into bitterness and malice. The Creature attempts to ruin Victor’s life, as that is what Victor did to him by bringing him into this world and immediately rejecting him. Moreover, when the Creature finds an abandoned leather satchel in the woods, he starts to read books and later reads some papers he found in Victor’s journal. The papers in Victor’s journal indicate Victor’s intentions on creating the Creature, which further angers the Creature and gives him another reason to ruin his life. In the …show more content…
Regardless of who is at fault, the actions of the Creature are inevitable. His actions cause many problems, especially in the life of Victor, who sees many loved ones taken away by his creation. The Creature strangles his brother William to death and Justine Moritz, a girl who was adopted by the Frankenstein family, is accused and found guilty, despite evidence of her innocence. Victor feels “more dead than alive” and “a weight of despair and remorse pressed” his heart, understanding the consequences of “creating this monster” (33). He even contemplates suicide, but thoughts of his father and sister restrain him from taking action. In a meeting with the Creature, Victor is convinced to make the Creature a female counterpart. However, he is unable to complete this project and destroys it due to the possible consequences. Each action results in another, as the Creature, infuriated by the destruction of his mate, swears that he will be with Victor on his wedding night. On his wedding night, the Creature murders Elizabeth, and their father dies of grief shortly after. Although the actions of the Creature are purely evil, he is not a creature of evil, but rather a product of evil. Due to the lack of parenting and guidance, the Creature must fend for himself and discover the world on his