Victor Frankenstein Character Profile
Write a detailed profile that traces the development of Frankenstein’s character and that of the creature he creates.
Childhood
Creation of Monster
Monster’s Story
Victor Frankenstein, born into a wealthy Swiss family enjoyed an idyllic and indulged childhood. His parents were devoted to promoting his happiness: “I was their plaything and their idol.” From what is revealed about his parents, it becomes clear that they took the responsibility of their parenting role very seriously. They viewed “their child…whose future lot it was their hands to direct to happiness or misery, according as they fulfilled their duties towards me.” An orphan named Elizabeth, who is a similar age to Victor, is adopted into the family and becomes a loved companion. She is lovingly described by Victor as a “cherub,” who “shed radiance from her looks.” Victor then describes his early curiosity and passion for natural philosophy.
At the University of Ingolstadt, Victor gets caught up in an obsessive desire for the pursuit of knowledge, which becomes a substitute for the life he formerly knew. He describes this as “Chance or rather the evil influence, the Angel of Destruction…asserted omnipotent sway over me from the moment I turned my reluctant steps from my father’s door.” Victor’s aim was to “pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation.” This fateful decision “decided my future destiny.” Philosophy and chemistry become his main focus areas and he spends most of his time in the laboratory, consumed by learning as much as he can about the “principle of life.”
He cuts himself off from family and spends two years totally absorbed with his work on human anatomy. From this we see the dehumanizing and degrading effect of isolation. We can also see that death becomes a main feature of his work: “To examine the causes of life, we must first have recourse to death.” Victor describes how death resulted in the “fine form of
Childhood
Creation of Monster
Monster’s Story
Victor Frankenstein, born into a wealthy Swiss family enjoyed an idyllic and indulged childhood. His parents were devoted to promoting his happiness: “I was their plaything and their idol.” From what is revealed about his parents, it becomes clear that they took the responsibility of their parenting role very seriously. They viewed “their child…whose future lot it was their hands to direct to happiness or misery, according as they fulfilled their duties towards me.” An orphan named Elizabeth, who is a similar age to Victor, is adopted into the family and becomes a loved companion. She is lovingly described by Victor as a “cherub,” who “shed radiance from her looks.” Victor then describes his early curiosity and passion for natural philosophy.
At the University of Ingolstadt, Victor gets caught up in an obsessive desire for the pursuit of knowledge, which becomes a substitute for the life he formerly knew. He describes this as “Chance or rather the evil influence, the Angel of Destruction…asserted omnipotent sway over me from the moment I turned my reluctant steps from my father’s door.” Victor’s aim was to “pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation.” This fateful decision “decided my future destiny.” Philosophy and chemistry become his main focus areas and he spends most of his time in the laboratory, consumed by learning as much as he can about the “principle of life.”
He cuts himself off from family and spends two years totally absorbed with his work on human anatomy. From this we see the dehumanizing and degrading effect of isolation. We can also see that death becomes a main feature of his work: “To examine the causes of life, we must first have recourse to death.” Victor describes how death resulted in the “fine form of