Mad Scientist

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In Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, scientist Victor Frankenstein animates an

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eight-foot-tall sentient abomination created from human body parts. Shunned by

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all due to its hideous appearance, the monster kills everyone Victor held dear out

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of vengeance. Since Victors warped perception of science and egoistic attitude

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resulted in the creation of a monster, he should take responsibility for keeping it

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under control, but he should not be held directly responsible for its actions.

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Victors obsession with science drove him away from human

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relationships. He devoted his time to studying natural philosophy from the age of

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thirteen, after reading a book on philosophy by Agrippa. Inspired by philosophy,

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his childhood dream was to help others through science. While children like

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Henry Clerval wanted to become a hero, Victor wanted to stay indoors and study.

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His childhood aspirations led him to spend most of his time either working on his

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studies or reading books indoors. His lack of human interaction may have led to

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his self-centered behavior. When a university professor denounced Agrippa and

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recommended other authors to him, he could not consent to go and hear that

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little conceited fellow deliver sentences out of a pulpit.(45) Instead, he listened to

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another professor who agreed with Agrippas teachings. Victor looked down upon

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and disregarded the opinions of people who disagreed with him. As he created

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his creature, Victors egotistical nature and refusal to listen to others blinded him

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from the potential dangers his creation may pose.

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Victors downfall was his twisted perception of science. Originally,

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Victors curiosity-driven scientific studies were healthy. As a child, it was natural

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and noble for him to work hard towards his dream of helping mankind through

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science. However, the more educated he became, the more monomaniacal and

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self-centered he was about his research. When he felt like his university had

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nothing to offer him anymore, he devoted his life to science. At that point, his

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obsession with science became unhealthy.

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His attitude toward science changed when he discovered the secret to

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reanimating corpses. Victors insatiable curiosity was replaced with ambition,

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and instead of conducting science to discover more of the unknown, he decided

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to use science to gain fame and recognition. I doubted at first whether I should

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attempt the creation of a being like myself, or one of simpler organization; but my

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imagination was too much exalted by my first success to permit me to doubt of

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my ability to give life to an animal as complex and wonderful as man. (53) All in

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all, Victors experiment was very poorly thought out. Although Victor believed

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his grandiose creation appeared capable of getting him recognition, Victor had no

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plans to care for the creature after its birth. His negligence later indirectly resulted

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in the deaths of everyone he loved.

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Although Victor created the creature, he should not be held accountable

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for the creatures crimes. He should, however, be held responsible for the well-

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being and control of his creature. Victor ran away from the creature on the night

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of its creation because he was repulsed by the creature s appearance. Even

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though he could not have physically stopped the monster, telling anyone about

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the monster could have helped prevent the deaths of his loved ones.

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Unfortunately, his fear of ridicule and indictment stopped him from notifying

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anyone else. Furthermore, Victor would have had to admit that everything he had

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put into his research only amounted to a monster and give up the fame he had

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wanted. This pressure was why Victor allowed the creature s rampage to go

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undeterred.

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Frankenstein warns readers against taking science too far. The condition
of the monster attests to how unpredictable science can be. Its grotesque

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appearance and fearsome figure was a result of Victors ambition, lack of

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planning, and isolation. The creatures subsequent vengeance is an example of

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the consequences of trying to create life. However, the novel only discourages

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uncontrolled science. If Victor had followed up on his creation and given the

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creature a more pleasant appearance, less inhuman strength, or better care, the

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creature would have no motivation to seek vengeance on Victor, and this tragedy
would probably not have occurred.