Obsession within Frankenstein

Obsession within Frankenstein
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has one theme that stands out to me, obsession and
the consequences of those actions. Within this novel lie three characters that are on
their own obsessive journey in life. Walton’s story to explore the North Pole and all of its
wonder, Victors journey to create a life and the third story comes from Victors own
obsessive success, his very creation.
In the beginning of this book we are taken on a journey to reach and explore the
North Pole with a fellow named Robert Walton. We are preview to several letters
written by Walton to his sister, Margaret Wolf-Saville. In Walton’s letters he explains
his reason, hopes and motivation for such an expedition. As Walton presses forward
on his journey his crew happens upon a stranger, Frankenstein, who comes to them
weak and sickly. The mystery around Frankenstein and how he came to be out in the
frigid cold of the Arctic mystifies the crew but Walton keeps them at arm’s length while
he nurses Victor back to health. Perhaps Walton kept Victor to himself not just to shield
him from the questions from the crew but also because he has been longing for
someone to tell of his hopes and dreams. Someone who may have the same interests or
outlook on life as Walton, maybe even have the same obsession in acquiring knowledge
of the North Pole.
Walton confides in Victor his desire to reach and explore the North Pole, sharing
What he hopes to achieve and shares all he has done to get here and to continue on. For
the things that Walton wants, he was willing and it still willing to risk his money, his
time, his health and even the life of one of his crew. An example of the questionable
outcome of Walton’s obsession is in letter 4 to Walton’s sister, “Last Monday we were
nearly surrounded by ice, which closed in the ship on all sides, scarcely leaving her sea-
room in which she floated. Our situation was somewhat dangerous, especially as we
were compassed round by a very think fog. We accordingly lay to, hoping that some
change would take place in the atmosphere and weather.” (Shelley) This example shows
the extreme of his obsession, what if this ship was never released by the sheets of ice?
The deaths of Walton and his crew would have been the unfortunate consequence for
Walton’s thirst and obsession for knowledge.
Victor having been ambitious and obsessive himself some time ago and also
knowing firsthand that the consequences can be deadly interrupts Walton and begins
his story, one he has yet to share with another person. Victor tells Walton of his family
life, he is the oldest son of an upper class man named Alphonse and his wife Caroline.
Elizabeth, who throughout the book is referred to as “cousin” by Victor is brought in by
Caroline and adopted when she is but a young girl. We also learn of Victor’s younger
brothers, William and Ernest born to Caroline before her death. Growing up Elizabeth
and Victor are devoted companions and it is known to all that they are to be married at
some time in the future.
While attending the University of Ingolstadt, Victory progresses rapidly in his
studies and while doing so, for two years makes no visit to his home to see his family
and friends. The obsession begins, the obsession to discover the cause of generation and
life. “Every night I was oppressed by a slow-fever, and I became nervous to a most
painful degree; the fall of a leaf startled me, and I shunned my fellow creatures as if I
had been guilty of a crime. Sometimes I grew alarmed at the wreck I perceived that I
had become; the energy of my purpose alone sustained me: my labours would end soon,
and I believed that exercise and amusement would then drive away incipient disease;
and I promised myself both of these when my creation should be complete.” (Shelley)
This is a fantastic example in the story of an unhealthy obsession when you are putting
in so much time and energy you are becoming sick with anxiety and much more. Victor
might not have known that before the end came, successful or unsuccessful
it might cost him his health but he continued to strive for answers. “An example of this
theme is Victor's obsession to discover the secret of life; and also to discover knowledge
above and beyond what society agrees to be true. As obvious by the end of the story, this
discovery of knowledge had tragic consequences.” (Rosenburg)
Victor was successful after many months of intense work and this man that he
made out of scavenged corpse parts was brought to life with just a spark. By confusion
or the realization that he had in fact accomplished what he had set out to do years prior,
when Victor saw his creation come to life, he ran from his home. “I beheld the wretch,
the miserable monster whom I had created.” (Shelley) “Mingled with this horror, I felt
the bitterness of disappointment; dreams that had been my food and pleasant rest for so
long a space were now to become a hell to me; and the change was so rapid, the
overthrow so complete” (Shelley) Up until now Victor does nothing but work
to create a life and do what no man has accomplished before him, in the moment he sees
his creation take on life he is drained with emotion. From what I’ve taken away from
this story so far is that Victor hadn’t thought out what would happen if he was
successful, he made no plans. He had not thought out the consequences of his actions.
Victor ran from his room leaving this ignorant object by himself, he is his creator, his
father, his teacher and he left him alone.
This monster as some call it, has a mind of a child and is left on his own with no
direction or anyone to teach and supervise him. Victor’s monster takes a jacket from
his makers home once Victor flees from his apartment and sets out into the world.
The monster was brought to life with the curiosities of someone so young and
inexperienced in life, at first he is scared of the people he encounters but soon enough
those feelings turn to hate and bitterness because of their horrible treatment. During his
travels he sets his sights on a small cottage in the woods where a family lives, a father,
daughter and brother. It is here in the story where we begin to find out just how the
monster became so educated. After some time living in the shadows he tried to befriend
this family only to be turned away
It is after the monsters encounter with this family that they leave their home and
the monster is once again left all alone, it also seems to be the final straw for the
monster. He finds a journal in the jacket pocket he took belonging to Victor
Frankenstein and comes to know where Victors home is, where his family and friends
reside. This is when the monster starts to obsess with finding his creator.
By chance the monster runs into Frankenstein’s younger brother, who like many
before started to scream and yell at the monster. It isn’t until he confesses his father’s
name as a threat when the monster squeezes the neck and life from this young boy.
The monster lost control; he thought nothing of this boy’s life when he grabbed him, the
feelings of rage and hatred for the Frankenstein name took over. At the very moment
he heard his creator’s name he snapped, shunned by society, longing for love and
companionship, left alone in this world, all the result of Victor Frankenstein’s own
obsession, to create life.
Upon learning of his brother’s death Victor returns home to Geneva where he
sees this monster and although there is a young woman with evidence of guilt found on
her person, Victor is adamant that the killer is his creation. Once the young woman
Justine is executed Victor once again flees the scene this time to the mountains to get
away from the reminder of his madness. During Victors stay in the mountains he comes
face to face with his creation. This is where the story unfolds of his self education and
just how his innocence turned to wretchedness because of the treatment he endure by
man. The monster demands that Victor creates yet another life, a companion, someone
who will be as he is, hideous I’m sure to the eye of man. The monster states a good case,
he feels as if Victor owes him a favor, something that will bring him happiness,
something he has never felt. The monster tells Victor that once his companion is
brought to life that they will go away and will never be seen again, he will not be any
trouble in the future. “We may not part until you have promised to comply with my
requisition. I am alone, and miserable; man will not associate with me; but one as
deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me. My companion must be
of the same species, and have all the same defects. This being you must create” (Shelley)
Victors hesitantly agrees and leaves at once to go back to England with his good
friend Clerval, Victors begins his work and starts to piece together another project. After
careful thought about the damage this creature could also do Victor immediately
destroys this unfinished project. Unbeknownst to Victor his creation had followed him
and when he sees that his companion was discarded he sets his eyes on Clerval and kills
him. Victor is accused but then found innocent of the crime. This is an example of the
obsession the monster is acting for Victor, if he cannot be happy then he wants to
take those away from Victor who make him happy, first his brother, now his best friend.
Once Victor is acquitted for the murder of his friend Clerval, he returns home to
marry Elizabeth. Although Victor should be feeling nothing but happiness on his
wedding day and the thoughts of his blissful future with his wife, the monster is still
looking to avenge the destruction of his companion. “Elizabeth observed my agitation
for some time in timid and fearful silence; but there was something in my glance which
communicated terror to her, and trembling she asked “What is it that agitates you, my
dear Victor? What is it you fear? (Shelley) Again we are witness to the consequences of
Victor’s obsessive actions. Victor is agitated because he knows that his creation will not
rest until Victor loses his companion, a companion that he would not give to the
monster. This monster will take what makes Frankenstein happy and what he loves, if
the monster cannot have these simple joys in life than his will not allow his creator to
have them.
While Victor is away from his bride on their wedding night the monster sneaks
into her room and strangles her, leaving her lifeless body on the bed. This is when we
are taken on a cat and mouse game. Both characters are now obsessed with ending the
life of the other. “My rage is unspeakable when I reflect that the murderer, whom I have
turned loose upon society, still exists. You refuse my just demand: I have but one
resource; and I devote myself, either in my life or death, to his destruction.” (Shelley)
After months of Victor chasing the sighting of a horrid creature they come to be in the
Arctic Circle near the North Pole, when Victor loses all trace of the monster. After a
small storm and several dogs Victor used on his sled for his transportation have died, he
sees the vessel that Walton is captain of and does what he can to reach safely reach it.
Frankenstein finishes his elaborate story and looks at Walton with hope
that he will not make the same mistakes as he did. Delivering this heart wrenching story
of obsession, madness, love, grief and disappointment Victor wants Walton to think
about what he is doing, the sacrifices he is willing to make and to think of the
consequences, because the outcome might be one you never counted on. “Are you mad,
my friend?” said he; “or whither does your senseless curiosity lead you? Would you also
create for yourself and the world a demoniacal enemy? Peace, peace! Learn my miseries,
and do not seek to increase your own.” (Shelley)
On September 12th Walton writes to his sister with news that Frankenstein has
passed away and as he is writing this letter he is interrupted by a noise. Walton enters
the cabin where his new found friend has just perished and standing over him is the
monster, Victor’s creation. This creation decides to take his own life now that Victor is
dead and there is nothing more for him to seek. The monster tells an astonished Walton,
“I shall quit your vessel on the ice raft which brought me thither, and shall seek the most
northern extremity of the globe; I shall collect my funeral pile and consume to ashes this
miserable frame, that its remains may afford no light to any curious and unhallowed
wretch who would create such another I have been. I shall die. (Shelley)
We are left thinking about the consequences of each characters actions. This
novel is full of tragic loss, heartache and despair. I’m sure that many others will think
one theme stands out more than another but for me it was the consequences good and
bad of obsessive behavior. It was obvious that Victor was relentless on creating life. If he
had stayed with his creation, taught him and took care of him like a parent, sibling, even
a friend, instead of running away and leaving him to the unimaginable of the world, I
believe a few deaths could have been prevented. There would have been a lot less grief
and tragedy. If Walton wasn’t obsessed about reaching the North Pole, he wouldn’t have
saved Victors life. How unfortunate for us that there would never have been the story of
Frankenstein, there would have been no one to tell such a tale.
Works Cited
Shelley,Mary. Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus. (London: Penguin Books Ltd., 1992.)
Rosenburg, Amy.Helium.com, Book Reviews:Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.Web, n.d.

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