Victor Is The Real Monster In Frankenstein

The word monster is typically defined as “an imaginary creature that is usually large, ugly and frightening.” When examining Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein most people, especially those who haven’t actually read the book, would place this label of monster on Frankenstein’s creation, or The Creature. Another definition for a monster is someone who is “evil, inhumane, and lacks remorse or caring for the things that a normal, emotional human being should care for.” This definition of a monster is a better fit for Victor Frankenstein himself, rather than his creature, which is the topic of discussion in this essay. Victor Frankenstein is the real monster in Shelley’s Frankenstein due to his lack of desire for companionship, his unnatural and unhealthy …show more content…
When Victor began working on his “own species” he completely cuts himself off from the world. Victor became so engrossed in his work that he went months without writing to his family or seeing anyone outside of his apartment, “my eyes were insensible to the charms of nature. And the same feelings...caused me also to forget those friends who were so many miles absent, and whom I had not seen for so long a time” (ch. 4, pg. 41). Even later in the book, Victor is not concerned about anybody other than the Creature, showing that his work is still the only thing that matters to him. This is very different from Frankenstein’s creation. The Creature has a very strong desire for human companionship. From the moment he was “born,” the creation wanted someone to accept him. The absence of this acceptance was the cause of the monstrous actions of the Creature, whereas Victor did have human companionship, but chose isolation over it. Victor did not view isolation as something negative until he really had no one in his life, which is when he began to understand how the Creature felt and sees himself as a …show more content…
The idea for the project came about because Victor wanted to prove to others that the scientists and alchemists to whom he studied, were not “a waste of time” or “sad trash.” As mentioned before, Victor devoted all of his time towards working on his creation and separated himself from the outside world. “The summer months passed while I was thus engaged, heart and soul, in one pursuit” (ch. 4, pg. 41). When beginning his project, Victor wanted to make a species that would “bless [him] as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to [him]” (ch. 4, pg. 40). This shows that Victor was trying to “play God” or be a Creator. This desire was also described as unhealthy due to the fact that it caused a degree of insanity within Victor. The only thing that the Creature was obsessed with was to become more human-like and to be loved by