The Corrupt Nature of 3 Characters in Frankenstein (Essay Sample)

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March 3, 2017
“From What I’ve Tasted of Desire, I Hold Those Who Favor Fire”
Introduction
Like a verse from an infamous Robert Frost poem, men have often craved desire but the thirst for knowledge has always been their true vulnerability. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, three random individuals thrust into the flames of knowledge in a quest to learn, comprehend, and advance upon what has already been achieved. To many, the attainment of knowledge and the power to further science, biology, and the innerworkings of mankind would be an enticeable feat. A persistent theme in Shelley’s Frankenstein is this never-ending necessity for the pursuit of knowledge and scientific discovery. Not only would man gain a power unknown to any other, they would be considered infamous in the eyes of all their peers, remembered in history for their breaks in discovering the truth behind mankind. Indeed, this advantageous pursuit is responsible for the key events in the narrative; for in his quest to discover the secrets of creation, Victor Frankenstein designs, creates, and constructs his “monster.” Frankenstein is often considered as an antagonist to the quest for knowledge and as an expounder of its inherit perils and risks. However, this perception is taken from the retellings of Frankenstein, a man who is in anguish and formidable pain due to what he has done.
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Frankenstein is a seminal work of science fiction, and its magnitude towards the specific genre of literature cannot be understated. In fact, most modern science fiction authors of notoriety honor Frankenstein as the original of the genre. This is because it consistently depicts the farce which is the scientific thought process that fronts as a disguise within which unscientific motives derive and drive the plot. The myriad of themes within Frankenstein and the messages it conveys have thus become an integral part of this genre, and as such play a significant role in defining how authors approach and interpret the subjects of science and knowledge. Yet, even now Frankenstein continues to have a profound influence on society’s perception of scientists, science, and knowledge and how dangerous playing with fire can be. This is why the three integral characters, which are Captain Walton, Victor, himself, and the creature are so pertinent to portray the message that as much as knowledge can bring power, true power can corrupt, and have devious, undesired consequences that can end as a result.
Captain Walton: “The Dreamer”
The novel itself originates with a series of letters from an explorer named Robert Walton to his sister, Margaret Saville. Robert Walton is a distinguished Englishman with an appetite for seafaring. He is the captain of a ship headed on a tumultuous voyage to the North Pole, which was unheard of at the time. In his initial letter, he retells the occurrences of the preparations leading up to his departure to his sister, as well as the yearning desire within him to accomplish “some great purpose,” hoping to discover a northern passage to the Pacific, which would reveal the source of the Earth’s magnetism (Davies and Shelley, 2012, Letter 1). This, in itself, would be to set foot on undiscovered and unknown territory.
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This beginning preface to Frankenstein set up the novel perfect both as a poignant piece of entertainment along with a gothic horror twist, which captures the true nature of the elementary principles of humans. For example, the reference to “Dr. Darwin” in the first sentence is often thought to be about the infamous evolutionist Charles Darwin, but he was only seven at the time that the novel was published, so it refers to his grandfather, a biologist, Erasmus Darwin (Davies and Shelley, 2012, 1). Many readers often correlate Darwin with the Captain as they were both adventurers exploring unknown territory, but perhaps with unknown consequences.
Captain Walton lusts after a type of knowledge, so secret and hidden, that he is willing to sacrifice his own life, and the lives of others around him in his pursuit. It is depicted how intense this devotion is when Walton flat out declares, “…how gladly I would sacrifice my fortune, my existence, my every hope, to the furtherance of my enterprise” and later he goes on to say that “one man’s life or death were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of knowledge which I sought…” (Davies and Shelley, 14). It is almost too convenient that it is in this state of mind that he first encounters an elderly version of Victor Frankenstein. Victor who recognizes a similar young Walton’s fanaticism and unwavering steadfastness to the discovery of this newfound knowledge becomes almost enraged. Victor sees himself in Walton, almost a parallel or a mirror image looking back at him with all the fervor he once felt as a young adventurer. It is then that he concedes to tell his tale to hopefully ward off any unimaginable extenuating circumstances that may befall Walton.
Victor Frankenstein: “A Monster of His Own Making”
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Victor is an inquisitive young man from the time he is introduced into the narrative, depicting a love and passion for the study of health and anatomy, which was a similar interest of his father’s. So, it is only natural that his family supports his ambitions. However, Victor views this kind of study a bit differently than his peers and it is evident that he has an inner unnatural drive to find out more than what is normally taught. He yearns to experiment further than anyone gone before. Victor’s ambitions have made him blind to the point where they are so resilient that he even begins to neglect his love Elizabeth which worries her sick.
As far as he is concerned, he has seen enough of death, with members of his family dying persistently, and he feels he is on the brink of creating something beyond the conceptions of any doctor or physician. He is stricken hard to the core within his soul when his mother passes of Scarlet Fever and it is as if he goes through a metamorphosis to the point where even his friends and acquaintances do not recognize him. He starts to become obsessive, short-tempered. And almost goes mad when he feels as if he has finally made the pinnacle of connections when he states, “light broke in upon me – a light so brilliant and wondrous, yet so simple” (Davies and Shelley, 53).
It is at this point in the narrative when the reader hits the climax and we get our first glimpse at what Victor’s ambition has led him to do, what his unnatural desires has led him to do, create what many would consider a “monster.” Victor knows immediately what he has done is sinful and against the nature of God and his instincts instantaneously tell him to run from this abhorrent abomination. He is disgusted just by the mere sight of him and that only scares the “creature” more. Just like the mariner, Victor “cannot escape the responsibility” of what he has
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done (Coleridge, 2017). Victor even realizes that like the creature “he was lifeless” (Davies and Shelley, 2012). Luckily, for him, due to the brute strength that the creature possesses, he is also able to use his own instincts to escape and try and find somewhere to hide. This only makes him seem cowardly though, as he is running away from the pain and anguish he has brought to life.
Creature: “The Abomination”
It is at this time that the narrative switches viewpoints and we get to envision how the “creature” perceives and feels about the world around him. He is aware fairly quickly that people are frightened by his appearance, but as he had no control over how he was made, he is given no option but to try and accept what he has been given. However, it is evident almost instantly that like Victor, he wanted to be accepted among the community. Just like any other living thing, he has an innate desire to be loved and cared for. The “creature” becomes enraged at the hand he has been dealt and decides to exact revenge upon his maker one of the best ways he knows how, which is to take away the one thing he truly loves.
The “creature” no longer feels emotions, he is void of everything he once was, though he still seems to encompass the desires and needs of every other human being. The one true thing that he saw during his lifetime was the emoting of pure love and decides that he what he wants above all things. He therefore confronts his maker and makes it perfectly clear of his intentions and how he feels about what has been done to him. It is during this time that John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” is integrated as an epigraph on the title page. As the “creature” faces his maker he states, “did I request the, Maker, from my clay to mold me man? Did I solicit thee from darkness to promote me?” (Milton and Leonard, 2014).
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Many might assume that if the “creature” would just change his way of thinking and inherited the ideals that a man is just an individual like everyone else than maybe he would have a chance at being happy. This philosophical thought can be compared to Descartes’ “I think: therefore, I am” (Blunt and Murray-Blunt, 1994). Unfortunately, in the realistic and materialistic world that we live in this idea may be right for some, but would not work in the “creature’s” case because of how vain man has become. He cannot just go about his day like any other individual knowing that if he acts like a man, which he does attempt to do...