The Destiny of Frankenstein

The Destiny of Victor Frankenstein Thesis: Victor Frankenstein's death was not because of fate or destiny but because of his own values and choices. In his tragic story, Victor Frankenstein tends to blame his mistakes on other people or events. He placed blames on his father, his professors and the various events that are his destiny. However, it was his passions and beliefs that led him to his demise. He created his own destiny when he created the monster, and determined his own fate when he decided to abandon his creation. During Victor Frankenstein's childhood, he was intrigued in the mystery of nature such as immortal life and perfect human beings. He was also interested in electricity after witnessing lightning striking down a tree. These were the elements that caused him to create the monster later on in his life. Frankenstein blamed his father for rejecting his interest in Cornelius Agrippa's books without explaining why, "If, instead of this remark, my father had taken the pains to explain to me, that the principles of agrippa had been entirely exploded… I should certainly have thrown Agrippa aside" (22). He realized that the books were the reason he pursuit the idea of eternal life and perfect human beings. However, his passions for these ideas would eventually draw him to these books anyway even if his father had explained to him they were outdated. The coincidences of these events were only minor effects in his life, whereas his passion for natural philosophy and science were the main influence that would lead him to his death. The death of Frankenstein's mother was a critical time in his life. It was his "first misfortune" (25), and it fueled his desires of immortality and perfection. He began his study in science at the University of Ingolstadt where he met professor Krempe, who ridiculed his interest in the nonsense of Albertus Magnus and Paracelsus. However, instead of listening to the advice to his professor, he chose to ignore him because of his looks, "M.Krempe was a little squat man, with a gruff voice and repulsive countenance; the teacher, therefore, did not prepossess me in favour of his doctrine" (28). A meeting with professor Waldman enlightened Frankenstein to explore the mystery of natural science and to discover the impossible. Victor Frankenstein was simply a genius during his study in Ingolstadt, however, his obsession in discovery led him create the monster. It was clearly his choice to create the monster when he said, "I doubted at first whether I should attempt to creation of a being like myself or one of simpler organization; but my imagination was too much exalted by my first success to permit me to doubt man" (34). It was his imagination and not fate that lured him to create the monster. After creating the monster, Frankenstein accomplished his goal of creating a living thing from lifeless matter. However, he rejected his creation only because it was hideous. He chose to abandon the creature because of its appearance the same way he chose to ignore professor Krempe. Even when he met the creature again in the mountains and listened to it's sad tale, he again rejected the monster because of its looks, "I compassionated him, and sometimes felt a wish to console him; but when I looked upon him, when I saw the filthy mass that moved and talked, my heart sickened, and my feelings were altered to those of horror and hatred" (113). He could have accepted the monster but instead chose not to because it was imperfect. This was the flaw in Frankenstein's character that destroyed his life and the lives of everyone that he loved. Frankenstein, even nearing his death, was determined that his tragic life was fate, and it was destiny that caused him to suffer. He placed blame on the people and events during his life for his mistakes. He could not see that it was his passions in science and natural philosophy which drove him to create the monster, and his hatred of imperfection that cost him his life.

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein. 2nd edition. New York: Longman, 2007.