Free Victor Frankenstein Ambition Essay Sample

Frankenstein is a science fiction book written by Mary Shelly. It tells a story of a man, Victor Frankenstein, who tries to become God-like for various reasons, but in the end he suffers the consequences of such an ambition. His creation goes out of control leading to a path of death and destruction. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelly presents a number of reasons why Victor attempts to be God-like, paying extra attention to misfortunes of his past, his thirst for knowledge, and his obsession with achieving natural wonders that, however, lead to a string of disasters that left him regretting the work of his hands in the end. Complicated interrelation of these social and psychological factors results in the creation of the monster, known as Frankenstein. Even though its creator does not give the creature a name, it is a result of Victor Frankenstein’s personal ambitions. Later on, he tries to destroy the result of his ambitions; however, it is too late. The reason behind this change of the heart are multiple, but the creatures appearance and the evil deeds that the monster does after receiving abandonment can be considered to be the main reasons that make Victor flee from his work.

The first reason for Victor’s ambition to become God-like is the misfortune that took place in his past. The death of his mother influenced the man much, and made the scientist look for some mean to avoid the tragedy and consequences that death brings. His mother dies of scarlet fever, which was a serious life-threatening ailment at the time. This is the first time he faces death. Victor then goes to university where he excels in science subjects and begins to secretly experiment, looking for some means or ways to bring the dead person back to life. He has to collect his materials in secret under cloud of night. This is evidently demonstrated in the book when he states, "…I collected bones from charnel-houses and disturbed, with profane fingers, the tremendous secrets of the human frame,"to lessen the possibility to be discovered by others. This experiment though successful does not turn exactly the way Victor projected, as what he had planned to be a beautiful man turns out to be a hideous creature. The scientist is scared and shocked, so he flees from his laboratory in search of a more normal life. This abandonment can be considered as the first mistake that he makes. The creature is left all alone, confused and angry at his creator’s actions. The creature is left to his own resources and travels by itself. Its first act of violence, though induced by being mistreated by the eventual victims, sets the pace for a string of follow-ups that continue to get worse in nature, as it is continued to be treated badly by others. Frankenstein dreamed to conquer death; however, the creature he had created appeared to be the embodiment and cause of death of many people. His attempt to become God fails.

Victor’s exceeding thirst for knowledge and discovery of new techniques can be considered as another drive behind his ambitions to achieve a God-like status. This thirst is shown in the actions of the scientist, and its level is revealed under the circumstances and trials that Victor faces on his way to the university. Coming from a wealthy background, Victor is not obliged to rely on education for his wellbeing and future financial security. However, the fact that he still goes on with his travel plans, even after his mother’s death reveals his extreme thirst for knowledge. This thirst leads to inner need to make something impossible and unbelievable, to create a monster. His creation first seeks companionship but after avid rejection from the master’s younger brother and the discovery of what he is through his words, "…Hideous monster! Let me go. My papa is a syndic…he is M. Frankenstein - he will punish you. You dare not keep me...", the monster aims for vengeance and kills the boy. Frankenstein thirst for knowledge dried him from within and took away all his beloved people.

Frankenstein obsession with the natural wonders that are deemed impossible by others but appear achievable in Victor Frankenstein’s eyes is the third objective that leads him to try to achieve this God-like status through the creation of another being. His obsession is displayed through the studies of various researches pertaining to the subject, such as works of Albertus Magnus, Cornelius Agrippa, as well as Paracelsus, which all deal with this particular topic. This obsession is much dedicated to his father’s displeasure, which would prefer him show interest in the family business. The father’s worries are proved to be sound, as the actions of the monster that his son creates lead to his death from the grief, caused by excessive destruction. The actions of the monster lead to the rise of regret from Victor, and he wonders why he has ever thought of giving life to such a creature. This regret is increased when the creature attempts to force Victor to make him a female companion and the creator finds himself to be powerless against the monster. The creature exclaims, "You are my creator, but I am your master. Obey!" This is the last drop. Frankenstein becomes a slave of death, which he once wished to tame.

In the end, the ambition of Victor Frankenstein to achieve a God-like status ends in a series of disasters. Frankenstein has sought to become a creator in his own right, but has defied the rules that have already been put in place by nature. His ambition terribly fails and goes to prove that though discovery can be a wonderful marvel, but some things should be better left unscathed. The story expresses the importance of a balance in nature and the potential trouble that an unbalance in this scheme can cause.

 

Have NO Inspiration
to write your essay?

Ask for Professional help