Frankenstein

Victor's Victims?

When there is an effect, there is always a cause. When an action takes place, there is always an agent of that action. Nothing happens without a long chain of separate events leading to it. Victor, of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, would agree with this theory readily. Victor, in constructing the Creature, starts a long and tumultuous chain of events which leads not only to his own demise, but also as those of his loved ones. This statement must be true, regardless of the blame, because it is necessary that Victor create the Creature in order for the subsequent, horrific events to take place. However, Victor is not guilty for these events solely because he creates their common agent. Victor is responsible for the events because he rejects his creation. As a consequence, two other major events occurred: the Creature is rejected by society, and then the Creature rejects society. These rejections, especially Victor's initial denial, lead, more than anything, to the Creature's murders.

Victor is terrified by the Creature's hideousness when it makes its first voluntary motions (42). Ironically, the Creature never scared Victor before that night. Upon seeing the Creature's living atrociousness, Victor immediately rejects it, just as so many in the Creature's future would do. In horror, Victor recounts, "Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room and continued a long time traversing my bedchamber, unable to compose my mind to sleep. At length lassitude succeeded to the tumult I had before endured, and I threw myself on the bed in my clothes, endeavoring to seek a few moments of forgetfulness" (Shelley, 42-3). It must take a sight of sheer horror for the one who took the time and energy to create the Creature to reject it so quickly, as Victor does. This rejection indisputably leads Victor to flee his apartment and also leads to the Creature's escape. Victor is unable to see past the Creature's yellow skin and into the Creature's feelings and intentions. In fact, Victor never gives the Creature a chance. Had Victor tried to make the Creature into a civilized human, the murders most likely would not have taken place. It is still possible that the Creature would have escaped and committed similar crimes, but it is far less likely because, as we see later in the book, the Creature is a very rational being. When the Creature and Victor meet in the snow of the Swiss Alps, the Creature is very docile and harmless towards Victor. Even when Victor threatens the beast, the Creature remains docile. This instance shows us that Victor could have changed the course of his own life, as well as the lived of his loved ones, had he simply accepted the Creature initially. But, since Victor does not accept the being, the Creature goes out into a brutal, volatile, and unforgiving world unprotected by his creator.

The Creature, knowing nothing of the world, is discharged into a society that rejects him, time and time again. His creator, Victor, leaves the Creature vulnerable to this rejection by lowering himself to the level of the rest of the society. Society refuses to respect the Creature, just as Victor does. Before the Creature has a chance to clarify his intentions, he is either harmed or fled from in horror. On his pristine tabula rasa of a brain, the Creature begins to apprehend certain aspects of the society. For example, he learns that first impressions and appearance are extremely important to humans through being turned upon immediately for his gigantic stature. This knowledge is embedded in the Creature's mind as a result of the lack of protection from it. The protection is Victor's job. Just as a father must protect his son, Victor must protect his own creation. The Creature makes advances in useful