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An Exploration of Victor Frankenstein's Character

 

            There have been over 100 adaptations of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein, in which the title character Victor Frankenstein is usually portrayed as a deranged lunatic with aspirations of world domination, a typical "mad-scientist-. These portrayals completely contradict the original character created by Mary Shelley. The real Victor Frankenstein is a passionate, determined, and devoted character driven by a thirst for knowledge and a desire to cure disease and create a perfect human being. In this essay, Victor Frankenstein's character will be explored in detail, including his primary character traits, his interactions with other characters, the changes he undergoes throughout the novel, and more.
             A great deal of insight into a character can be gained by examining their primary character traits. Victor Frankenstein has three primary characteristics that shape his overall personality: he is passionate, determined, and devoted. Victor's passion stems primarily from his desire to create a perfect human being, free from disease and invulnerable to death. He wishes to have a strong purpose in his life. He wishes to be remembered for succeeding at something great. On page 23 of Frankenstein, he states: "Wealth was an inferior object, but what glory would attend the discovery if I could banish disease from the human frame and render a man invulnerable to any but a violent death."" This statement shows that Victor is driven by scientific success and not money or fame. In order to succeed in his quest, he completely devotes himself to his studies while attending university at Ingolstadt. He basically shuts out his family from his life while pursuing his studies. He is determined to create a perfect human being even if it means putting the rest of his life on hold for months or even year.
             Another way to learn more about a character is to examine the way they interact with others. Victor is a very introverted person, which is evident throughout the novel in many ways.


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