For Hate or Companionship
Entering the world, blinded with not a soul to guide you, can lead a person into isolation and eternal unhappiness. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, isolation and lack of companionship leads many characters into a downward depressing plunge. The monster’s existence, Victor’s creation, and Robert Walton’s voyage exemplify this. Feelings of being unwanted can be possessed by both human and monster alike, however only a monster can seek revenge upon creator. The monster does this through the murders of: Henry Clerval, Elizabeth and Victor along with the suicide of himself. To begin, frustration is present following Victor’s refusal to create a mate for the monster. The monster seeks revenge upon Victor by killing his lifelong friend Henry Clerval. At the investigation, he states, “When the mark of the fingers were mentioned I remembered the murder of my brother and felt myself extremely agitated; my limbs trembled and a mist came over my eyes.” (Shelley, 159-160). The monster’s actions cause Victor to break down, and realize that the monster is out to avenge Victor’s broken promises. Victor then begins to acknowledge the fact that he was completely serious about his revenge. As they reach the wedding night, Victor pieces together the facts that “one by one, [his] friends were snatched away; [he] was left desolate.” (181) He realizes that he should protect himself, and prepare for the monster. For, just prior to this realization, the monster had taken Elizabeth, whom Victor loved the most, “she was there, lifeless and inanimate, thrown across the bed, her head hanging Baker 2 down and her pale and distorted features half covered by her hair.” (179) Victor thought that Elizabeth would be the monster’s final victim. Through the death, he was then motivated to finally seek revenge upon the monster. But, as Victor set out, and before he was able to claim the monster as his victim, death was bestowed upon Victor himself.