Who Is The Real Monster In Frankenstein

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Throughout Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the actions of the creature cause one to question who the real 'monster' is, but clearly, Victor turns out to be the real monster of the story. Only God or a higher power can bring life into the world and take the breath away from the world we live on; Victor tried to successfully resurrect someone when he had no business to try to complete a task that was out of his power. Victor created monsters using lightning, knowing that there will be horrific consequences after.

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He also did not get enough rest to be fully aware of what he was doing. He was not a direct murderer but because he created a killing monster he is the cause of multiple deaths. Victor then had to destroy what he created, which can also make him out to be the monster. So who is the real monster in frankenstein ?

Although people may argue the fact that Victor was in grief, he should have still not have tried to resurrect someone back to life after they were utterly deceased.

Life is brought into and taken out of this world is something that is not in our human power. Science may have seemed like an excellent answer to fix his problem of losing a loved one, but it is not logical. In the text, it states, “What had been the study and desire of the wisest men since the creation of the world was now within my grasp. Not that, like a magic scene, it all opened upon me at once: the information I had obtained was of nature rather direct my endeavors so soon as I should point them towards the object of my search than to exhibit that object already accomplished.

”. With this quote, it demonstrates how he is willing to test what he has learned that could help him bring back his loved one. People would consider him to be a monster due to him trying to do the work of God or a higher. Planning something like this is also risky, and there is bound for something to be wrong even if the whole process goes perfect.

Victor used lightning to create a monster. Using this lightning would cause multiple horrid outcomes. He knew that there were risks that would come with using the lightning. The text states, “When I found so astonishing a power placed within my hands, I hesitated a long time concerning the manner in which I should employ it. Although I possessed the capacity of bestowing animation, yet to prepare a frame for the reception of it, with all its intricacies of fibres, muscles, and veins, still remained a work of inconceivable difficulty and labour.”. This quote shows that Victor knew that this process what risky and he still decided to go along with the experiment. Victor shows that he was aware that the power he had was something that was not to be messed around with which is why he hesitated.

Victor explains that he did not receive enough sleep throughout this process. If someone is going to go through such a monumental experiment, he should have gotten enough sleep and food so that he is alert of everything that he is doing and everything that is taking place. Mary Shelley states “After days and nights of incredible labour and fatigue, I succeeded in discovering the cause of generation and life; nay, more, I became myself capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter.”. Victor says that he was beginning to find out how to generate life. He also says that he was putting in a lot of hard work and he was tired for days. Victor could have been thinking that everything was coming together finally but people cannot really trust him because he did say that he was tired and exhausted from putting in such hard work. With all the hard work that was being put into the experiment, Victor could have been thinking he was finding out everything, but he was just thinking that he was finding out the answers instead.

Victor had to destroy what he created. Although he had a valid reason to destroy what he created he could be considered the monster because he destroyed his monster. He could have tried to use different alternatives to see if he could control the monster or he could have taken the monster under his wing and constantly had the monster with him. Shelley states in the text, “As the images that floated before me became more distinct, I grew feverish; a darkness pressed around me; no one was near me who soothed me with the gentle voice of love; no dear hand supported me. The physician came and prescribed medicines, and the old woman prepared them for me; but utter carelessness was visible in the first, and the expression of brutality was strongly marked in the visage of the second. Who could be interested in the fate of a murderer but the hangman who would gain his fee?”. Victor began to reflect his actions after the old lady began to tell him how horrible he is for killing the monster.

In conclusion, Victor turns out to be the true monster of the story. He tried to recreate life that was already taken away like he was God or was a higher power. Victor also used lightning to resurrect a loved one which he already knew was a bad idea but ye he still went through with it. He lacked sleep and was exhausted throughout the process knowing that it is risky to not be fully aware of what is going on. Although he did not directly murder anyone it is to be thought that his monster was a murderer which makes Victor an indirect murderer. Victor then became a direct murderer when he had to destroy his monster when there were alternatives that he could have taken with his monster.