The Modern Prometheus or Frankenstein is one of the well-known and famous novels of Marry Shelly. The main concept of the novel is about controversial idea of a scientist who wants to give life to an inanimate object, and how his experiment effects his own and his beloved family’s life. After creating the monster, he demands from his creator whose name is Victor Frankenstein to generate a mate for him because he was alone and nobody accepts him in the world of people. While reading through Marry Shelly’s novel, we realize that Victor’s refusal to create a bride of the creature and the destruction of the mate is justifiable.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to the novel and its central conflict
2. The monster's demand and Victor's initial refusal
3. Victor's promise and the decision to destroy the mate
4. Arguments against creating the partner
4.1 Potential for increased evil and wretchedness
4.2 The breakdown of the deal
4.3 The threat of procreation and species conflict
4.4 Avoiding the repetition of past mistakes
4.5 Moral responsibility toward future generations
5. Victor's responsibility and the nature of the creature
6. Conclusion on the justifiability of Victor's actions
Objectives and Topics
The essay evaluates the ethical implications of Victor Frankenstein's decision to refuse the creation of a female companion for his creature, arguing that his choice to destroy the mate is morally justifiable to protect humanity from potential catastrophe.
- The ethics of scientific creation and procreation.
- The tension between individual desires and social responsibility.
- The impact of physical appearance on the perception of humanity.
- Consequentialist arguments against compounding past mistakes.
- The definition of "human" versus "daemon" within the narrative.
Excerpt from the book
Evaluate the arguments for and against creating a bride for the Creature.
There are many reasons why Victor destroys the partner of his creature; first, he thinks that if the mate to be created, she might become ten thousand times more evil in murder and wretchedness than her mate. Victor recalls that three years ago he was involved in the same way and created a monster whose evil nature and barbarity broke his heart and filled it forever with sadness and misery not only for Victor, but also for his entire family (114). Victor believes that he will not repeat the same evil desire once again, and will not create the mate because of his own benefit and selfishness.
Second, the daemon has sworn that after creating the partner, they will quit the neighborhood of men and will disappear in the desert. It is a deal between Victor and the fiend that he will hide himself in the desert, but not between Victor and his mate. She might not accept the deal made before her creation. She might become thinking and reasoning animal and refuse to hide herself in the desert with her mate and harm human beings and destroy them. Away from others, what if they even hate each other and his mate does not accept him as her partner and “she also might turn with disgust from him to superior beauty of man” (114); she might quit him and once again he become alone and angry deserted by his own kind.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction to the novel and its central conflict: This section introduces Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and the core dilemma regarding the scientist's responsibility toward his creation.
2. The monster's demand and Victor's initial refusal: This part details the interaction where the creature requests a companion and Victor initially denies it based on potential world-wide wickedness.
3. Victor's promise and the decision to destroy the mate: This section covers Victor's travel to England and his subsequent realization that creating a female companion would lead to more misery.
4. Arguments against creating the partner: This chapter outlines specific logical and moral reasons, such as the danger of procreation and avoiding further errors, for destroying the unfinished mate.
5. Victor's responsibility and the nature of the creature: This section explores Victor's failure to care for his creation and the role of physical appearance in the exclusion of the creature from society.
6. Conclusion on the justifiability of Victor's actions: The essay concludes that Victor's refusal is the correct ethical choice for the welfare of humanity.
Keywords
Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein, the Creature, monster, scientific ethics, companionship, procreation, responsibility, morality, Mary Shelley, daemon, humanity, abandonment, justification, literature.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this essay?
The essay explores the ethical justifications for Victor Frankenstein's refusal to create a female companion for his creature, focusing on themes of responsibility and the consequences of scientific interference.
What are the central thematic areas?
The themes include the human need for companionship, the moral duty of a creator to their creation, the dangers of compounding past mistakes, and the social definition of what constitutes a "human."
What is the primary objective of the work?
The primary objective is to argue that Victor’s decision to destroy the mate is morally sound, prioritizing the safety and future of the human race over the individual desire of the monster.
Which methodology is applied in this analysis?
The author uses a literary analysis approach, drawing upon specific textual evidence and quotes from Mary Shelley's novel to evaluate the characters' motivations and ethical dilemmas.
What does the main body address?
The main body examines the specific risks the creature poses, such as the potential for future conflict between human beings and the "daemons," and Victor’s personal reflection on his responsibilities.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Frankenstein, scientific ethics, procreation, responsibility, morality, and the nature of the "daemon."
Why does Victor believe the creature is not a human being?
Victor argues that due to the creature's physical ugliness and his "viciousness," he does not qualify as a human, which frames the creature as a dangerous threat rather than an equal.
How does the author view Victor’s character regarding his creation?
The author acknowledges that Victor was irresponsible in his initial creation and abandonment of the monster, but views his later decision to deny the mate as a corrective act of moral maturity.
What specific danger regarding the creature's desire is mentioned?
The essay highlights the risk that the creatures would seek to populate the earth, leading to competition for resources and potential extinction of the human race.
- Quote paper
- Naseer Ahmad Habibi (Author), 2012, Essay about Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/192907
