Who Is Victor Frankenstein A Hero

When one thinks of the monster from Mary Shelley's popular and often interpreted novel, many think "Frankenstein". However, as anyone who has read the book can point out, it isn't the Creature who holds the name of Frankenstein, but rather his creator. For what reason have these two characters seemed to morph into one in popular culture? While one explanation may just be lazy recounting of the novel, it could also be argued that this mis-attribution of a name stems from Victor Frankenstein being the real antagonist of the story. As in many Romantic novels, Frankenstein's main characters, it's "heroes", aren't heroes in the traditional sense (brave, compassionate, charismatic, etc.)... rather, both Frankenstein and the Creature are outcasts …show more content…
His motivation for this was wholly selfish. Victor wanted to to achieve scientific discovery for the glory that it would bring me, not to help humanity. In putting together his creation, purposefully large and fearsome looking, he had all the knowledge of what he was doing to foresee the result, but he never wavered. When the Creature came to life, Victor fled in horror. Here was his first mistake, and the one with the worst consequences. Having created this life, Victor is essentially the parent (or the God, depending how much credit you want to give him) of the Creature, and the first impression of humanity he gives it is hatred. Any reader could feel for the Creature in this moment, but since the narration is from Victor's point of view, with a frame narrator who is even more biased toward him, the lack of compassion by Victor isn't pointed out. The fate of the Creature may have been entirely differently had Victor not acted out of reptilian fear and disgust toward the life he made. By these actions, Victor's nature is revealed: he is selfish and incapable of compassion or empathy toward anyone imperfect, and this creates in the novel the theme of the power of creation, and how science without compassion will always lead to …show more content…
Throughout the course of the novel, he murders multiple people, in cold blood and for selfish means. The Creature's evilness is learned. After feeling caring toward the family in the Cottage and being chased away when he reveals himself, he wanders through the woods. There, he saw a child in a river in danger of drowning, and saves her life. In return for this act of compassion and morality, he is shot in the shoulder. From this situation, plus his initial abandonment by Victor, the Creature learns the lesson that humanity will never love him. His subsequent sprees of murder, in revenge on Victor for having created him and not giving him a female companion, the Creature displays his now-evil nature. Having never received kindness or compassion, he's now incapable of either attribute, and displays only the