Georgina Moreno

Ms. Acosta

English 12

3/16/21

Is Victor Frankenstein a monster? Why?

Throughout the novel “Frankenstein”, by Mary Shelly, we see the development and the

stories of two important individuals. Those being our main character Dr. Victor Frankenstein and

his creation of “the monster/creature”. We never truly identify who the true monster is, the story

leaves this open for the reader’s interpretation. Although some may say that the creature is a

monster, Victor Frankenstein is the true monster having the god-like obsession, creating a being

and abandoning it, and never taking the blame for his actions

In literature, a monster is typically defined as a creature with inhuman qualities or

deformities, is perceived as evil, and has no compassion for humanity. The term monster can also

refer to a person who has done something terrible in their life that has a negative impact on those

around them. Outcasts are people who are unwanted and rejected by society in literature. Many

readers of Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein label the creature as a monster because of his

physical appearance, and Victor as an outcast to everyone around him. Though this appears to be

the case, Victor is the true monster in the story because the creature is an outcast in society.

The monster in the story can be accurately depicted as Victor Frankenstein. Victor's

unnatural obsession with creating life and aspiring to be God-like eventually leading to his

demise and the deaths of his loved ones. "...breathless horror and disgust filled my heart," Victor

says when he first brings his creation to life. “Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had

created, I rushed out of the room and continued a long time traversing my bed-chamber, unable
to compose my mind to sleep”(Chapter 5, Pg 43). Victor acts like a monster in this scene because

he despises his creature and refuses to help it. He shows no compassion or empathy for him, as

Victor exclaims on page 155, “Begone! I do break my promise; never will I create another like

yourself, equal in deformity and wickedness.” (Chapter 20)

Despite the fact that everything is Victor's fault, he refuses to accept the consequences of

his actions. He is the cause of the deaths of everyone he cares about. The creature kills everyone

Victor loves by creating the monster, rejecting it, and failing its one request of creating a mate.

The deaths in the book are the result of his failure to accept the creature. He's had it coming to

him the whole time. Because of his selfishness, he manages to take his own life as well as the

creatures. Victor's bad life choices are enough to make him the monster in Frankenstein.

Due to the creature’s deformities and appearance, Frankenstein's creation is almost

always perceived as a monster in the story. Society judges the creature before he has a chance to

show who he truly is. The creature's life is marked by rejection from both his creator and society.

“Of my creation and creator I was absolutely ignorant, but I knew that I possessed no money, no

friends, no kind of property. I was, besides, endued with a figure hideously deformed and

loathsome; I was not even of the same nature as man.” (Chapter 13, Pg 108) He simply wishes to

be accepted by Victor and humanity, but he is an outcast on Earth due to his appearance. “ I am

malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind? You, my creator,

would tear me to pieces and triumph; remember that, and tell me why I should pity man more

than he pities me?” (Chapter 17, Pg 133) Throughout the book, he and the family in the woods

are repeatedly rejected by Victor.

Since the blind man can't see the creature's deformities, the old blind man in the woods

has no problem talking to it, but when the rest of the family returns home, "Agatha fainted, and
Safie, unable to attend to her friend, rushed out of the cottage...Felix...dashed me to the ground

and struck me violently with a stick" (Chapter 15, pg122-123). The family is too quick to judge

the creature based on his appearance and never allows him to speak or explain himself. The

creature is a victim and outcast who lives a life of rejection despite his best intentions for

humanity. On page 132, he realizes this when he says, "I am alone and miserable; man will not

associate with me..." All he requires is someone to take him in and teach him the ways of the

world. In Frankenstein, the creature's life of rejection and judgment eventually labels him as an

outcast.

Although some may argue that the creature is the true monster because of his actions

throughout the novel and his physical appearance, however throughout his narration the reader

can see his remorse and his reasoning. “Remember that I am thy creature; I ought to be thy

Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed. Everywhere

I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded. I was benevolent and good; misery

made me a fiend.” (Chapter 10, pg87) Similar to humans who are mistreated or abandon they

lash out doing harsh things and tend to mirror the terrible people around them. Since these

emotions built up they are bottled and eventually explode. “...“ thou wouldst not desire against

me a vengeance greater than that which I feel. Blasted as thou wert, my agony was still superior

to thine, for the bitter sting of remorse will not cease to rankle in my wounds until death shall

close them forever.” (Chapter 24, pg 210)

By physical description, the creature in Frankenstein is often perceived as a monster, but

he is simply a mistreated outcast in society trying to do the right thing. Society judges the

creature based on his appearance and never considers his personality. Throughout the novel,

Victor's actions and personality reveal him to be the true monster. Victor's hatred for the creature,
obsession with creating life, and desire for God-like status and power all reveal the inner monster

Victor possesses. Victor is the true monster who destroys his life, whereas the creature is just a

social outcast yearning for affection and acceptance.